The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

MAJOR League Baseball revealed its Top 100 Prospects list for the 2019 season and it offered another opportunity for Jazz Chisholm to be included among the best young talent in the minors.

Chisholm is listed at No.60 overall in the Top 100, one of 36 prospects on this year’s list who did not make the list just a year ago. He is also one of 12 shortstops and 32 international signees on the list representing 10 countries. His “MLB 2019 Prospect Watch” analysis suggests Chisholm is on a fast track to a progression to the majors in the near future with his balance of an advanced offensive and defensive skillset.

“Chisholm posts impressive exit velocities from the left side of the plate with an explosive swing that has natural loft. He showed in 2018 that he not only could tap into his plus raw power, but also apply it across the entire field, as some of Chisholm’s longest home runs were hit to straightaway centre. Chisholm’s power does come with swing-and-miss tendencies, so he’ll need to refine his aggressive approach as he develops. He’s an above-average runner who receives praise for his instincts on the basepaths,” it reads. “There is little question Chisholm can stay at shortstop, with good hands and actions to go along with a strong arm and a knack for making highlight-reel plays on a nightly basis. Those loud tools on both sides of the ball in turn give Chisholm an exceptional ceiling as a big league shortstop, but he’ll need to tighten up his overall game along the way.”’

A total of 25 members of the 2018 preseason Top 100 list graduated to the big leagues last season. That includes three from the Top 10, and both Rookie of the Year Award winners in 2018. No. 1 prospect Shohei Ohtani won American League ROY honours, while No. 2 prospect Ronald Acuna Jr did the same in the National League.

Chisholm was also recently listed as one of the top 10 shortstop prospects in all of the minor leagues by MLB Pipeline. The 20-year old Arizona Diamondbacks prospect is listed at No.8 behind Fernando Tatis Jr (Padres), Royce Lewis (Twins), Brendan Rodgers (Rockies), two-time “Don’t Blink Home Run Derby in Paradise” winner Bo Bichette (Blue Jays), Wander Franco (Rays), Carter Kieboom (Nationals), Andres Gimenez (Mets) and ahead of Gavin Lux (Dodgers) and Luis Garcia (Nationals).

“While the other nine shortstops on this list averaged $2.74 million in bonuses, Chisholm signed for a mere $200,000 out of the Bahamas in 2015,” MLB.com’s Jim Callis said. “Injured for much of his first year in full-season ball in ‘17, he smacked 25 homers to top all Minor League shortstops in his second.”

He spent the season between the Single-A Kane County Cougars and the Single-A Advanced Visalia Rawhide.

On the season between two clubs, 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.

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). He then went on the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League.

In 11 games, Chisholm, 20, hit .442 for Salt River with a .489 OBP, an 1.257 OPS in 11 games. Chisholm had 19 hits, including one triple, three doubles, three home runs, collected nine RBIs, seven stolen bases and 12 runs scored.