This story is taken from Christina De Nicola’s Marlins Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to receive it regularly in your inbox.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. continues to be the top vote-getter among National League second basemen for the All-Star Game, but you know what he would do really would like to try at least once in his career? Participate in the Home Run Derby.
“I would love to do it, but I think people would rather see Aaron Judge swing than me,” Chisholm told MLB.com. “Imagine I knock at a Home Run Derby and they see a 500ft bomb. I’m 180 [pounds].”
Chisholm, 24, who is looking to become the first Bahamian-born player to earn an All-Star selection, entered Tuesday with 14 homers. Nolan Arenado, Marcell Ozuna and Juan Soto are among those with so many. Chisholm said he would ask his mentor, Geron Sands, to talk to him if the opportunity arose. It’s something they’ve discussed in the past.
This season, Chisholm is one of only three Majors players with at least 12 homers and 12 stolen bases. Among NL second basemen, he has the highest OPS (.864) and second highest FanGraphs WAR (2.6) behind Tommy Edman, who played shortstop for the Cardinals.
Miami only had six players on the All-Star team via fan voting. In the last update, Chisholm received 1,066,927 votes, ahead of the Braves’ Ozzie Albies (984,846), who is out with a broken left foot, and the Mets’ Jeff McNeil (945,335).
“It would be amazing, just to go out there and be an All-Star,” Chisholm said. “What else can anyone say about that? There’s a lot of people who never make it to the major leagues in the first place. To be an All-Star, I’d just be grateful to this opportunity. “
