When the Yankees traded for Jazz Chisholm, they initially had him as a 5-6 hitter in their offense.
With a 101 OPS+ and 1.2 WAR in 101 games in Miami that season, Chisholm had gone from a burgenoning star to a mediocre everyday centerfielder.
Since putting on the pinstripes however, he’s looked like the star that scouts believed he could be with his quick hands and elite-level athleticism.
He’s set a new career-high in home runs (25) despite missing a month of the season due to injury, as Jazz Chisholm has cemented himself as one of the best infielders in the game.
The Yankees Nailed Their Trade for Jazz Chisholm
Since being traded over to the Yankees, Jazz Chisholm is top 20 among qualified hitters in both OPS and wRC+, as he’s become proficient at pulling the ball in the air to right field.
He’s got 36 home runs in 145 games with the Yankees, as he’s flirting with a 40-40 over his first 162 games with the Bronx Bombers.
Chisholm is one of just four players to have at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases since his debut with the Yankees on July 28th, 2024.
The Yankees have also seen his value extend beyond his powerful bat or electric speed, as Chisholm has +5 Fielding Run Value and +7 Outs Above Average at second base.
Among second baseman in 2025, Jazz Chisholm is second in WAR (3.7) and tied for first in home runs (25), with Ketel Marte being the only player at the position whose been his superior.
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The improvements for Jazz Chisholm stem from a massive increase in bat speed which has allowed him to barrel the ball consistently, as his .528 xSLG% is in the 92nd Percentile this season.
It does have drawbacks, Chisholm has a low Zone Contact% and is in the 5th Percentile in Whiff Rate (32.5%), but his .870 Expected OPS would indicate that he should remain an excellent hitter with this profile.
When Jazz Chisholm gets a pitch to hit he sees an opportunity to do real damage, and the Yankees have given him the greenlight to put a run on the board in just one swing.
It also helps that he’s an elite baserunner who plays a marvelous second base, which means he can go 0-4 and still help his team with the glove or with the wheels if he reaches on a forceout.
Wins Above Replacement (WAR) allows us to take all of those variables into account to see how impactful a player is, and since joining the Yankees, Jazz Chisholm’s 6.0 fWAR is 15th among all position players.
He’s just 0.2 WAR behind Juan Soto and Ketel Marte over that stretch, and ahead of players such as Kyle Tucker (5.5) and Elly De La Cruz (5.7).
The Yankees traded Agustin Ramirez and Jared Serna for Chisholm, and while both of those players could be productive, the likelihood that they peak higher is low.
Brian Cashman and the organization identified a player they could make better, and they’ve turned someone who was toiling in mediocrity into a hitter providing superstar value.