The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

AS the Major League Baseball season nears the start to its 2020 season, Jazz Chisholm made his debut in camp for the Miami Marlins.

Chisholm missed the first week of summer camp workouts at the Marlins’ complex in Jupiter, Florida, but joined the team Saturday at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

“It’s good to have Jazz back.The good thing about Jupiter is there’s lots of reps, so there’s lots of at-bats there,” said Marlins manager Don Mattingly. “The guys in Jupiter are real guys. These aren’t just guys you threw there so they could take BP.”

The Marlins begin the regular season July 24 on the road against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Without Minor League Baseball in 2020, Chisholm, the Marlins’ No.3 prospect, like the organisations’ other top prospects included in the player pool of up to 60 players that can be used throughout the season, will use the time to train with the franchise even if they are not called up to the majors.

“I think the real tragedy this year, and we don’t get to talk about it that much is, the Minor League guys and development, because there are no games,” Mattingly said. “That’s tough, especially for an organisation like ours, where you’re starting to fill up your system.”

Chisholm made nine spring training appearances and hit .308 with three RBI, one home run, scored four runs, with a 1.115 OPS and two stolen bases.

The 60 players in camp will be reduced to an active roster of 30 players. After two weeks the roster will be reduced to 28 and after a period of two weeks, a final cut of 26 players.

The Marlins’ pool are currently participating in workouts both at Marlins Park in Miami and the alternate training site at the Miami Marlins Player Development Complex in Jupiter.

The 2020 MLB season will feature a shortened 60-game season played over 66 days. The regular season is expected to conclude by late September and the playoffs will begin in October.

Chisholm, the 22-year-old shortstop, was set to make his 2020 debut in AAA baseball with the Wichita Wind Surge of the Pacific Coast League. He was listed at No.66 overall among the top 100 Prospects by MLB Pipeline. Last season, Chisholm was named the top defensive shortstop in the Double-A Southwest League and his advancement to Double-A baseball produced a Southern League All-Star selection after he led all the league’s shortstops with 21 home runs and 173 total bases.

Chisholm has continued to make strides for the organisation this season as he progresses toward the major leagues. He was among the top prospects from each organisation represented at the Rookie Career Development Program in Miami, Florida.

Each organisation sends their top prospects expected to reach the big leagues in the near future to sit through sessions aimed at easing their transition.

Sessions included ones on media training, clubhouse relationships, drugs in baseball, inclusion and financial planning, and others. He was also present at the Marlins’ annual Fanfest which gave fans their first opportunity to interact with the 2020 roster.