How Can You Not Love Jazz Chisholm Jr.? The Clubhouse ‘Misfit’ Who’s Winning Over New York, One Day at a Time

They say that baseball often transcends sports, and Sunday evening in Williamsport, Pennsylvania was a perfect reminder of that.

It was one of those moments in the heart of Lycoming County that gave us a small, bittersweet glimpse of what we’re going to miss in about 60 days—the little, tiny things that make baseball so special.

As we brace for the long, cold offseason, it’s evenings like this that remind us just how much this game means to us, and how empty winter feels without it.

While the end to Sunday evening’s Little League Classic was a tough pill to swallow for the Yankees, getting walked off in the 10th inning, every player still went home with a memory to cherish.

Jazz Chisholm Jr., however, had something extra special to take back—perfectly put by the Post’s Mark Sanchez—he went home with a little brother.

“I never wanna hear another word of Jazz being a bad teammate. I don’t believe it for a millisecond.”

That heartfelt response soon swept across Yankees’ Twitter. The 26-year-old breeze from the Bahamas has been through it all in his five-year MLB career.

Injuries? Check.

Hazed and bullied? Check.

Made the cover of MLB The Show? Check.

Labeled overrated by his own peers? Check.

Made infield position swaps at the team’s request? Check.

Seamlessly switched from the infield to the outfield for the sake of the team, despite a clubhouse culture that made him question his love for the sport? Check.

Lost an arbitration to the same team because, apparently, getting injured after selflessly switching positions counts against you? Check, and Check.

“My first three years in the big leagues were probably the worst three years of my life.. Playing baseball, that was the thing I really loved doing more than anything else, was the worst.” 

Jazz Chisholm Jr. said on the Pivot Podcast while opening up on the three worst years of his MLB career. Why didn’t the vets like Jazz? Because he was a young, confident rookie who wasn’t afraid to stand up for himself, fight for what was right, and defend his teammates.

He wanted to win—badly. But when that drive wasn’t matched, he started showing up just to play, and his love for the sport began to sour. This narrative about Jazz “not showing up” even made its way to The Athletic’s player poll, where his own peers voted him as the most overrated player in the game.

That reputation extended to the Yankees’ front office, too. Before trading for Jazz Chisholm Jr., there were real concerns about how his personality would mesh with the Yankees’ clubhouse.

But as it turns out, Jazz Chisholm Jr. is just a kid who wants to play baseball and win. More than that, he wants to have fun with his teammates and with the sport he loves. The Little League Classic at Williamsport put that on full display.

Jazz found a younger brother in pitcher/infielder Russell McGee, a kid from Henderson, Nevada, who reminded him of himself when he was younger—just someone who “enjoys being around the game.”

Like Jazz once found older brothers in Yankee great CC Sabathia, J.P. Crawford, and Dom Smith, he extended that same favor to Russell.

On the injured list with a left elbow sprain, Jazz Chisholm soaked in most of the Williamsport outing from the bleachers, camcorder in hand. Alongside his little brother, Russel, Jazz led a roll call for his Yankees. Anthony Volpe played along, responding with Jazz’s roll call move, a stepback jumper.