If you wanted proof of how all-in-one works Brian Cashman And the Yankees are this season, the exchange for Jazz Chisholm Jr. This is surely example A.
As one major league scout said: “They’re betting on the talent and the nature of the player. He has great potential, but there are also red flags. They probably wouldn’t do it if they were playing better baseball.”
In other words, it should be fascinating to see how this plays out.
The last time Cashman made a trade for a big personality, admitting at the time that he thought the Yankees could benefit from someone with an upside, bringing in Josh Donaldson It turned out to be a costly disaster.
Chisholm has that kind of reputation as a personality. He has annoyed Miami Marlins teammates in the past, and his showiness has rubbed the opposition the wrong way at times, too.
The obvious differences, however, are age, athletic ability and price.
At 26, Chisholm may still have his best years ahead of him. And while his transition from second base to center field hasn’t worked out as well as the Marlins had hoped, it does speak to his athleticism, as do his 22 stolen bases this season, which give the Yankees much-needed speed.
Ultimately, he’ll only make $2.63 million this season and has two more years of arbitration eligibility before he can become a free agent after the 2026 season, so he’s reasonably cheap.
Bottom line is that the Yankees are looking for an offensive spark and are hoping Chisolm can provide it. He was an All-Star at his best, making the NL team in 2022 when his .860 OPS seemed to indicate he was developing into a difference-maker.
However, he only played 60 games that season, missing the second half due to a back injury. And then in 2023, he played just 97 games due to a toe injury that required surgery and also an oblique issue.
While Chisholm hasn’t missed a game this season, the Yankee has to take into account his injury history. But more importantly, it remains unknown whether he will reach the ceiling that scouts have long projected for him.
“He has the tools, but he hasn’t been able to put them into practice on a consistent basis yet,” a second scout said. “Is it just a matter of focus? I think that’s what the Yankees believe. That putting him in a winning environment will bring out the best in him.”
In fact, Chisholm’s numbers as a Marlin were mostly mediocre. Aside from his injury-shortened 2022 season, he’s been a league-average player, judging by his OPS-plus numbers of 100 last season and 101 this season.
This season he’s hitting .249 with a .730 OPS, in addition to those 22 stolen bases and 13 home runs, too.
“You look at him and it’s hard not to think there’s more in the tank,” one scout said. “He does some things that sometimes make you open your eyes. I remember when he got going.” (Jacob) de Grom A few years ago, he hit a ball into the upper deck as if it were nothing. And that was when deGrom was unbeatable.
“But then you see him go through stretches where he’s chasing pitches out of the zone and striking out a lot, looking a little disinterested, and it’s hard to know if he’ll ever reach that potential that you see in his prime.”
The Yankees are obviously betting on their potential, giving up three prospects in the trade, catcher Augustin Ramirez and infielders Jared Serna and Abraham Ramirez.
Ramirez, the catcher, intrigues scouts primarily for his power: He has hit 20 homers between Double-A and Triple-A this season in 87 games and had a .942 OPS in 58 Double-A games before being promoted.
For what it’s worth, neither prospect was in the Yankees’ top 10 according to the various farm system rankings, though one scout noted that “Ramirez (the catcher) would definitely be in the top 10 if you were ranking (their prospects) right now.”
At this point, the Yankees can’t worry too much about prospect capital. With superstars like Judge Aaron and Gerrit Cole at its best, and Juan SotoWith free agency looming, this is the definition of an all-in season, and the Chisholm trade is an indication that Cashman is on to something big at this trade deadline.
As things stand, it’s not even clear yet where Chisholm will play. The position needed is third base, though he’s only played shortstop and second base in his career, so there’s speculation about a possible transfer. Gleyber Torres or even trade the current second baseman before Tuesday’s deadline.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that there will be more moves,” one scout said.
Wherever Chisholm plays, the Yankees hope he provides a boost to an offense that desperately needs more production beyond Soto and Judge.
The feeling among scouts is that Chisholm’s lack of focus at times could be attributed to the low-energy, losing environment surrounding the Marlins in Miami. And that he will be highly motivated when surrounded by players like Judge and Soto.
“It’s pretty clear that Judge is a great leader and well-respected by everyone in the Yankees’ clubhouse,” one scout said. “I think Chisholm will welcome the opportunity to play with a guy like him and be at his best day in and day out. If he can get to the next level, you’d think this is where he’ll make it.”
Considering everything at stake for Cashman and the Yankees this season, it’s a risk worth taking.
