New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. will be the Bronx Bombers’ lone representative in the 2025 Major League Baseball (MLB) Home Run Derby.
Chisholm Jr. will be the Bronx Bombers’ seventh participant in the Home Run Derby and first since Aaron Judge in 2017, who ended up winning that competition.
The Yankees second baseman ranks 31st in the majors in home runs this year (17) and was a surprise to be included as this will be his first ever appearance in the 39th home run derby. Many thought Judge who ranks second in the majors in home runs (35) behind the leader Cal Raleigh (38) would participate but he opted not to.
Chisholm Jr. was also named an All-Star for the second time in his career on the backs of 43 RBI, 39 runs scored, a .250 batting average and .861 OPS over 65 games.
The two-time All-Star will have a familiar face throw to him during the derby in his stepfather Geron Sands. Chisholm Jr. told the Daily News this about his stepfather.
“He throws to me all the time. From when I was a kid, he’s been throwing to me, he throws to me every year in the Bahamas derby. It ain’t nothing new to us.” – Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Expectations for Chisholm Jr.’s First Home Run Derby
The expectations for Jazz Chisholm Jr. are low as NBC Sports reports that Chisholm Jr. has the highest odds according to BetMGM (+1400) and ESPNBET (12 to 1) to win this year’s All-Star swing-for-the-fences competition.
NBC Sports however adds that Chisholm is in his “prime or peak season” at 27 years old and is on pace to “shatter his career high” of 24 home runs which he set during the 2024 MLB season. Fans may want to make a small bet on Chisholm to win because although it’s unlikely for the first time participant to win, the payout will be high if he does.
The betting sites may be giving the Yankee the highest odds to win, he does not have the fewest home runs of any participant in the derby. Pittsburgh’s 6-foot-7 center fielder Oneil Cruz has the fewest home runs (16) of any player participating. Cruz however, according to BetMGM is given the second-lowest odds to win at +350.
Despite the pre-Derby noise seemingly not giving Chisholm Jr. a shot, I believe the Yankee second baseman will make it out of the first round and be knocked out in the second round.
Tune in tonight at 8 p.m. on ESPN to watch the best home run hitters in baseball take the stage at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia.
