Who will it be: Isan or Jazz?
Some things to consider in the Marlins decision on who will play second base
By Joe Frisaro @ManOn2nd
Settle it on the field seems to be the stance the Marlins are taking in deciding who will be their Opening Day second baseman. The top two choices are Isan Diaz and Jazz Chisholm.
At least that is how it will projects to start off. Both are left-handed hitters with power potential, and are considered core parts of Miami’s future.
A right-handed hitting fallback or platoon option is Jon Berti, but let’s stick with Isan and Jazz right now.
Barring injury, it appears to be one or the other. There probably isn’t room for both on the 26-man roster.
Manager Don Mattingly is on record saying whoever doesn’t make the cut is expected to be sent to the Minors, which is the correct call. Young players need to play regularly rather than come off the bench in the big leagues.
Diaz, 24, may have the inside edge based on some additional MLB experience. He was called up in 2019, and appeared in 49 games. Last year was a wash for him. He opted out early in the year, was granted reinstatement, but then suffered a season-ending left groin injury in early September. Diaz appeared in just seven games in 2020, and had 22 plate appearances. So you can’t really make much of his numbers.
Most importantly for him is staying on the field, and getting back to where he was in 2019, especially after his stellar Triple-A season, where he hit .305 with 26 homers. In the big leagues, however, Diaz labored, hitting .173 with five home runs and 23 RBIs. In 56 total big league games, he’s batting .174.
Chisholm, 23, in 2020, he got a taste of the big leagues, and in 21 games, endured some growing pains _ .161/.242/.321 with two homers and six RBIs. At Double-A in 2019, his combined stats in 112 games were .220 batting average, 21 homers and 54 RBIs. He started off that season at Arizona’s Double-A affiliate and after being traded for Zac Gallen, finished up at Jacksonville.
Both have strikeout rates.
Based on numbers alone, you can see, neither is a lock. Still, the sample size is pretty small, and all you can do now is evaluate and make decisions based on what you see in Spring Training.
There’s another factor to consider: How much second base do the Marlins want Chisholm to play? He’s a natural shortstop, and projects to take over the position at some point from veteran Miguel Rojas.
I’d expect Chisholm to log plenty of innings at shortstop and second base in Grapefruit League games, while Diaz is pretty much locked in solely on second base.
Will that factor into the decision, especially if the two are performing equally?
Also to consider is, how competitive do the Marlins expect to be? They clearly aren’t conceding anything right now. So, if the objective is who gives them the best chance to win from Day 1, regardless of overall experience, you’d have to go with playing your best. Chisholm is better defensively and offers more speed.
The service time clock has already started for both. Now, if the general feeling is the organization wants to further develop and refine, then, perhaps, Chisholm is sent to Triple-A, where he can play shortstop most of the time, along with second, and be ready when called upon.
Poll results:
Man On Second Baseball’s poll results are in from the other day. And the fans responded that they are most excited to see hard-throwing Sixto Sanchez.
There really was no wrong choice in this leadoff poll, which simply asked: “Which of these three #Marlins prospects are you most excited to see this spring?”
Sanchez received 44 percent of 230 responses, to Chisholm netting 35 percent and Lewin Diaz 21 percent.
Pitchers: The Marlins announced Nick Neidert and Daniel Castano will each throw two innings in Sunday’s Grapefruit League opener at the Astros. On Monday at home against the Mets in Jupiter, Sandy Alcantara is slated to pitch. Pablo Lopez is scheduled for Tuesday against the Cardinals in Jupiter.
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