The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

JAZZ Chisholm and his Visalia Rawhide are on their way to the the California League Championship series in the MiLB’s Single A-Advanced California League.

The Rawhide closed out a five-game series with a 3-0 win over the Stockton Ports Sunday night at Banner Island Ballpark in Stockton California.

Chisholm went 0-4 in the finale, but the Rawhide got all the offence they needed in the first inning when Daulton Varsho hit a three-run homer.

The Ports were blanked for the 15th time this season, while the Rawhide’s staff recorded their 12th shutout of the year.

Chisholm hit 3-19 for the series including one home run and four RBI. He went 1-5 with a run scored in a 5-3 game one win for the Rawhide and 1-3 with a run scored in an 8-7 game two loss.

He had his best game of the series in game three, a 9-4 win for the Rawhide. Chisholm opened the scoring on the night with a two-run home-run in the bottom of the first that nearly left the stadium to right field, his first career postseason home run. The Ports took game four 11-2 to force Sunday night’s fifth and deciding game of the series.

The Rawhide will face the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in the California League championship series. The Quakes are an affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Game one in the series is scheduled for 7pm tonight, a home game for the Rawhide at Recreation Park. They will also host game two tomorrow at 7pm.

The venue shifts to the LoanMart Field - the home of the Quakes - for Friday’s game three and also games four and five if necessary.

In a season of milestones, Chisholm made his second All-Star game appearance of his young career. He was one of five members of the Kane County Cougars selected to the midseason classic in the Single A Midwest League. He appeared in 76 games for the Cougars and hit .244 with 43 RBI, 17 doubles, four triples and 17 doubles. Chisholm also posted an on-base percentage of .311, slugging percentage of .472 and OPS of .783 in 307 at bats.

Shortly after, on July 19, Chisholm was assigned to the Rawhide from the Cougars and received the promotion to Single A-Advanced following his nationally recognised production at the plate.

Both Baseball America and Major League Baseball’s milb.com highlighted Chisholm as one of the top minor league prospects across various leagues around the country.

The 20-year-old shortstop went 10-22 at the plate with home runs in back-to-back games over the streak. His production was recognised by MLBPipeline.com and he was named to the “Prospect Team of the Week,” which honours the best performances throughout the minor leagues from the previous week.

Through 36 games with the Rawhide, Chisholm hit .329 with a .369 OBP, a .966 OPS, slugging .597, 49 hits, 10 home runs, two triples, six doubles, 27 RBI, scored 27 runs with nine stolen bases.

Chisholm, the Diamondbacks No.2 prospect, was also named to the roster of the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League. The Rafters have MLB affiliations with the Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Miami Marlins, Minnesota Twins and Washington Nationals.

The Arizona Fall League attracts many of the top prospects in the minor leagues. Late in the minor league seasons, MLB clubs hold a position draft to determine the players who will participate in the AFL. Most are Double-A and Triple-A players.

The league is designed for these prospects to refine their skills and perform in game settings in front of major and minor league baseball scouts and team executives, who are in attendance at almost every game.