The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

A SEASON of milestones for Jazz Chisholm continued with organisational wide recognition by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The franchise announced this week that the 20-year-old shortstop was named its Minor League Player of the Year.

He hit .272 (124-for-456)/.329 OBP/.513 SLG with 23 doubles, six triples, 25 home runs, 70 RBI, 39 walks, 17 stolen bases and 79 runs scored in 112 games between the Single-A Kane County Cougars and the Single-A Advanced Visalia Rawhide.

A Midwest League midseason All-Star, Chisholm led all D-backs farm system players in home runs, and ranked among the leaders in runs (3rd), triples (T-5th), RBI (7th), slugging pct. (8th) and walks (T-9th).

His season will continue in the Arizona Fall League with the Salt River Rafters when the league opens October 9. The Rafters have MLB affiliations with the Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Miami Marlins, Minnesota Twins and Washington Nationals.

Chisholm began his season with Kane County in the Midwest League’s Western Division.

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.

In his final game with the Cougars, the No.2 prospect in the Diamondbacks organisation hit two home runs and set career highs with five hits and five RBIs.

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

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. He received a promotion in July when the Diamondbacks assigned him to the Rawhide.

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.

The Rawhide eventually finished as runners-up in the California League Championship series to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.

In his rookie season, Chisholm was also named to the annual Pioneer League vs Northwest League All-Star Game as a member of the Missoula Osprey.

A torn meniscus cut short Chisholm’s 2017 season with the Cougars.

Last year, he played in just 29 games - hit .248 with, three stolen bases, slugging .358, an on-base percentage of .325, an OPS of .683, 12 RBI and one home run.

“It gave me a way different perspective of the game,” Chisholm said to the Kane County Chronicle when he referenced the injury.

“I used to give it all I can, and now, I’m trying to push the limit of that.

“I’m not just giving it all I can, I’m giving it all I can give...It showed me that it’s baseball, it’s not you. It gave me way more love and respect for the game.

“In 2018, my goal and my plan is to get in the majors by the end of the year,” Chisholm said in the offseason.

“It has been a grind to get where I’m at. So I just have to continue to put my all in everything I do and just grind to represent the 242 the right way.”