MIAMI – Euro-stepping Miami Marlins All-Star Jazz Chisholm Jr. has goals beyond his impressive stats. With every base stolen and acrobatic catch, Chisholm hopes to make an impact on the next generation of gamers.
“I had Ken Griffey Jr., who was a real idol to a lot of people everywhere,” Chisholm said in a video interview with The Associated Press. “Not just for baseball fans. He was an idol for basketball players, soccer players, boys in all sports, and that’s how I want to be. Known not just as a baseball player, but simply known as an athlete that everyone can look up to.”
Chisholm, 24, is well on his way to having that kind of influence after he was revealed Monday as the cover athlete for Sony’s MLB The Show 2023 video game.
“As a kid, I always wanted to be on the cover of MLB the Show,” Chisholm said. “In a way, it’s almost the same as winning the MVP. You can live out your childhood dream.”
Chisholm, an avid video gamer, has been playing The Show since David Ortiz’s 2006 cover on the first issue. Chisholm is the first Marlins player to appear on a cover of the American version of the game, but he joins a host of athletes from Miami’s sports on major video game covers.
Shaquille O’Neal appeared on two main covers of NBA 2K for The Heat, joining LeBron James who appeared on one for Miami. O’Neal and Dwayne Wade also each appeared on a cover of the Legend Edition. Wei-Yin Chen, who performed for the Marlins from 2016 to 2019, was The Show’s cover athlete with the Marlins in 2016 and 2017 for the Taiwanese version. The cover of the NHL 97 video game featured goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck, who played for the Panthers from 1993-1998.
Chisholm is as well known for his style – from his colorful hair to his necklaces and sunglasses – as he is for his electric speed and powerful arm on the field. This combination has made him a fan favorite.
“I’m sure the kids will love it,” Chisholm said. “Every time I look around I see kids with blue hair wearing the jersey. I have a feeling this will be good for the culture.”
Chisholm, entering his fourth MLB season, has a career batting average of .243 and a .449 slugging percentage.
He was sidelined last June with lower back problems and tests later revealed he had a stress fracture that saw him miss the rest of the 2022 season.
Chisholm, who was selected to his first All-Star Game, led the team in homers and RBIs before the injury, hitting .254 with 14 homers, 45 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 60 games. Only Jesus Aguilar finished the 2022 season with more home runs for the Marlins, hitting 15 in 113 games.
Born in Nassau, Bahamas, Chisholm became the seventh Bahamian player to reach the majors on his debut in 2020.
“The power I bring to the game. The size I am, the speed, the defense,” he said. “I’ll look at my highlights and I just love and enjoy everything I do. And I’ll do it with a smile because I’m having so much fun.”
Chisholm said he’s looking forward to playing a fully healthy season, adding that Miami could have a playoff push if everyone stays healthy.
Amid a series of off-season moves, Marlins general manager Kim Ng said the team plans to move Chisholm from midfield, where he has played his entire MLB career, to midfield in Miami acquired reigning American League batting champion Luis Arraez from Minnesota to play second base.
“Jazz is a very unique athlete. He’s very dynamic,” Ng said earlier this month. “He has great range, great speed. He has a lot of the things you look for when you think of midfield.
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