Jazz Chisholm Jr. became an integral part of the New York Yankees lineup last season when he arrived from the Miami Marlins at the trade deadline. He slotted in capably at third base despite never having played the position before in the major leagues.
Moreover, Chisholm Jr. sparkled with the bat as well, becoming one of the key members in the middle of the lineup. However, he struggled in the postseason even though the Yankees went on to reach the World Series.
Jazz Chisholm Prepares For Position Change Upon Yankees Manager’s Wishes
The Yankees had shifted Chisholm Jr. to his natural position at second base at the start of the 2025 campaign following the departure of Gleyber Torres. He had played solely in that role this year until he landed on the IL with an oblique issue at the end of April.
On Thursday, Chisholm Jr. made his first rehab start with Double-A Somerset as he gears up for his return to New York. He went 2-3 in the game with a walk while playing five innings on the field at third base.
Chisholm Jr. later gave an interview with SNY after the game. The infielder from the Bahamas feels he will be playing as a third baseman when he rejoins the Yankees roster, considering their current situation in that position. “That’s what I’ve heard so far,” he said. “(Boone) gave me the choice, but he told me that he really wanted me at third base. I’m a team guy. I’m here to win a ring. I’m not here to fight over positions and all that.”
“We’ve got some of the best players in the world on our team. We’ve definitely got the best player in the world on our team. So, I’m definitely not going to be the one to fight for positions. I’m just here to help us win and try to help us win a World Series.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr. says he was given the choice to play third or second base, but Aaron Boone strongly indicated he’d like him to play third
“I’m a team guy. I’m here to win a ring. I’m not here to fight over positions. We’ve got some of the best players in the world on our team” pic.twitter.com/VIakYtWqTn
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 30, 2025
With DJ LeMahieu starting the campaign on the IL, Oswaldo Cabrera was the regular third baseman for the Bronx Bombers until he suffered a season-ending knee injury earlier this month.
LeMahieu has performed capably at second base upon his return to the team and seems unlikely to be taken out of the role now. On the other hand, Oswald Peraza and Jorbit Vivas have been playing third base, but neither has offered much offensively.
Therefore, Chisholm Jr. seems certain to become the Yankees’ third baseman once he is activated back into their roster. He took the role under similar conditions last year when Torres refused to move over to the hot corner after LeMahieu had landed on the IL.
On the other hand, Chisholm Jr. has not produced consistently with the bat even though he has decent power numbers. He has a .181/.304/.410 slash line for the season with 10 extra-base hits, including seven home runs, 17 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 102.