In wake of Kobe Bryant’s death, a top Marlins prospect turns to Derek Jeter
A six-pack of Marlins notes on a Friday, with pitchers and catchers set to report to Jupiter on Wednesday:
▪ Marlins minor-league shortstop Jazz Chisholm, rated the 66th best prospect in baseball, doesn’t merely want to be a starting big league player. He’s already thinking Hall of Fame, and he has cultivated a unique relationship with Marlins CEO and Hall of Fame shortstop Derek Jeter.
Chisholm revealed Friday that he has taken to calling Jeter every week this off-season for guidance and advice. And he suggested he feels an even greater need for that in the wake of the Jan. 27 death of former Lakers star Kobe Bryant, whom Chisholm idolized.
“Ever since Kobe died, I started leaning on Jeter for help,” Chisholm said at one of several community events involving Marlins players on Friday, a day before the team holds its annual FanFest at Marlins Park. “I told him I don’t want you to tell me what I want to hear, I want you to tell me what I need to hear. He’s been leading me down the right path and I can’t thank him enough. I talk more about life stuff [with Jeter]. It’s about how to live the right way, carry myself and how to become a Hall of Famer. I want him to teach me the ways to become a Hall of Famer.”
Chisholm said he calls Jeter once a week: “I usually call him in the office. He’ll answer or I’ll leave a message and he’ll get back to me. I call the office and say ‘Can you direct me to Mr Jeter please. I got to ask him a question.’ And they’ll be like ‘what’s the question?’ [And Chisholm will say] ‘only he can answer this question.’”
▪ The Marlins believe Chisholm has such upside that they were comfortable trading pitcher Zach Gallen, who was very good last season. And the early returns were positive, with Chisholm hitting .284 with three homers and 10 RBI in 23 games at Double A Jacksonville after hitting .204 with 18 homers and 44 RBI in 89 games in Double A in Arizona’s system.
But Chisholm said the Marlins did nothing mechanically with him to improve his average.
“They told me they want me to be a hitter more than a power hitter,” he said. “Just become a hitter first and power will come behind it. I was trying to hit line drives and some home runs came out of it.”
Chisholm said he has worked on his hitting every day this season, with Marlins instructors and teammates. He said Monte Harrison - who will have a chance to win a job in the spring - has been with him every day.
▪ Jonathan Villar will definitely play every day, but the question is where. He said Friday that he’s most comfortable at second base or shortstop and that center field would be an adjustment, but that he’s willing to do anything.
“It’s not too easy to play there,” he said of center field. “My whole life I am playing in the middle of the infield, short and second. If they put me in center field, I need to adjust. My real position is short and second. Whatever they ask [I will do].”
If Isan Diaz wins the second base job - and if center fielders Lewis Brinson and Jon Berti struggle in the spring and Harrison isn’t deemed ready - the Marlins could ask Villar to play center. Harold Ramirez could play center field but that would leave the Marlins at a deficit defensively.
Center field remains the biggest conundrum entering camp.
▪ It seems like this is Brinson’s last chance, though his defense gives him a legitimate chance to stick even if the bat is nothing more than decent.
He has hit .189 with 11 homers and 57 RBI in 608 at bats for Miami over two seasons. He hit .173 after his return from the minors last August.
The Marlins hope Brinson will be helped by working with offensive coordinator and bench coach James Rowson, who did terrific work with Minnesota Twins hitters the past three years.
“James is awesome,” Brinson said. “He came from the Twins and they hit 5000 home runs last year. I talked to him a couple times.My mentality [now] is hitting doubles.”
Brinson said he stayed off social media this offseason because “people on social media, it’s kind of disturbing with society nowadays. I didn’t want to be disturbed this offseason.”
▪ Word is outfielder Matt Kemp, a non-roster invitee, has a good chance to stick if he’s at least decent this spring.
Kemp was an All-Star as recently as 2018 (his third All-Star appearance) but battled injuries last season and was released by the Mets and Reds. Kemp hit .200 in just 60 at-bats (all for the Reds) last season, a year after hitting .290, with 21 homers and 85 RBI for the Dodgers.
“I got to play against Derek Jeter a couple times and now he’s now my boss; it’s cool,” he said, calling this Marlins opportunity a “chance to get some at bats and play for a manager I used to play for. Don Mattingly, we had a good relationship in L.A. Just wanted a chance to play and show I am healthy and win some games.”
▪ Quick stuff: The Marlins spoke to other radio stations but stayed with WINZ-940 AM, with Dave Van Horne and Glenn Geffner again calling most of the games… A message from Harrison, who will try to win a job this spring: “Just the trust you have in Derek, I think [the Marlins’ future] is going to fall into place sooner rather than later. A lot of people don’t trust it. I tell the Miami Marlins fans, if you’re not on the wagon now, it’s going to be scary later on.”
