Jazz Chisholm Matching An MVP Candidate So Far With Hot Start

The Miami Marlins have been respectable in 2022 even though they are 13-15, under .500.

Perhaps the biggest reason behind their 13 wins is shortstop Jazz Chisholm Jr.

After coming over from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 2019 trade, he spent some time in the minor leagues and made his MLB debut in 2020.

The 2020 and 2021 campaigns were full of growing pains, but also some flashes of what he can do on a baseball field.

Now, in 2021, he seems to be taking a considerable step forward with his performance.

“Nolan Arenado is slugging .621 this year. Jazz Chisholm is slugging .621 this year @j_chisholm3,” Codify Baseball tweeted.

Nolan Arenado is slugging .621 this year.
Jazz Chisholm is slugging .621 this year.👍 @j_chisholm3 pic.twitter.com/ltnClcldLK

— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) May 8, 2022

The fact he is slugging at the same rate as one of the National League’s most celebrated power hitters in the last few years tells you about Chisholm’s evolution at the plate.

He Has Taken A Step Forward At The Plate

At the moment, before Monday’s games, he is slashing .310/.354/.621 with five home runs, 21 RBI, and six stolen bases.

That hitting slash is much, much better than what he did last year: .248/.303/.425.

We have seen a much more mature hitter, willing to take a walk and not chasing so many pitches outside of the zone.

He has cut his strikeout rate from 28.6 percent last year to 24 percent in 2022, and that has reflected in his batting line.

He is also enjoying a career-high 50 percent hard-hit rate, higher than his 41.7 percent mark last year.

Overall, he is hitting the ball hard more consistently, and that has helped him unlock another level.

He still has some contact issues, so it’s unlikely his batting average finishes above .300 when the season ends.

But that won’t prevent him from being the scary and dangerous hitter he is today.