Jazz Chisholm belts first home run in 7-3 loss for the Marlins

Marlins prospect Jazz Chisholm hits his first home run of the spring. It may have been in a losing effort, but it still gave the franchise a glimpse of the future.

The Miami Marlins may have fallen to the St. Louis Cardinals 7-3 on Sunday afternoon, but the organization was greeted to something it had not seen yet from prospect Jazz Chisholm – his first home run of Spring.

If the Marlins can get more power from their No. 3 prospect, it may help his arrival in the Majors a bit sooner rather than later. Chisholm, who was acquired from Arizona in a Trade Deadline deal last year for pitcher Zac Gallen, has turned heads in camp and on the diamond in Grapefruit League action.

Despite the shock Marlins fans showed when the deal was announced, it has proven to be a solid move for both organizations so far. Chisholm has shown he can handle Major League pitching and has also flashed defensively on the diamond. Any pop in his bat will be a bonus for the Marlins, who are looking to improve on the .241 collective batting average of the roster from last season.

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"“We’ve been able to see [the power] in batting practice for the most part,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said after the game via MLB.com. “You see the bat speed. It’s just fun to watch, but more than anything, you’re seeing him see the ball good.”"

Maybe that is the best part of spring ball so far – the fun the players are having in an atmosphere of potential. The past two seasons have been more about establishing a culture without immediate success. The Marlins front office has improved the roster from Single-A ball through the Majors. Hopefully, the fun continues with winning more on the field.

If Chisholm makes the team’s 26-man squad it won’t be surprising. But he more than likely will begin the season in Wichita at the team’s Triple-A affiliate where he will wait his turn to make an impact on the next level. Should it be the same kind he has shown so far in Jupiter, Florida the past month, then this franchise has a star in the making.

Per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald, Chisholm is the fourth player among the Marlins’ top-30 prospects to hit a home run this season, joining Jerar Encarnacion, Jesus Sanchez and, Lewin Diaz. The power is present on the diamond and will serve this team well in the future. Miami hit just 146 home runs in 2019, a number Mattingly wants to see crushed this coming season.

So does the 22-year-old native of the Bahamas.

"“I was a little more aggressive today,” Chisholm said about his appearances at the plate on Saturday. “It’s still on strikes. I’m really tapping into driving the ball more into the rest of spring training.”"