Yankees acquire Jazz Chisholm Jr. from Marlins for prospects

BOSTON — The New York Yankees have long needed reinforcements.

The process of adding them began in earnest on Saturday when they completed a trade with the Miami Marlins for second baseman and center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. The deal was first reported by Craig Mish of SportsGrid.

The Yankees are sending Triple-A catcher Agustin Ramirez to Miami. The team is also sending two prospects to Miami, a team source confirmed.

Ramirez, 22, is considered a serious power prospect but a questionable defensive record. Ramirez hit .290 with 16 homers in 58 games at Double-A Somerset before hitting .224 with four homers in 29 games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He also spent time at first base and as a DH.

Chisholm Jr., 26, hit .249 with 13 home runs, 50 RBIs and a .730 OPS in 386 plate appearances.

It’s unclear how the Yankees will use Chisholm Jr.. Aaron Judge likely will remain the team’s starting center fielder when Giancarlo Stanton (hamstring) returns from the injured list on Monday and assumes the DH role. The team could use Chisholm Jr. with current starting second baseman Gleyber Torres, who bats right field. Chisholm Jr. bats left field.

The Yankees would likely use Chisholm Jr. at second base longer. Torres will be a free agent at the end of the season. Chisholm won’t hit free agency until after the 2026 campaign.

The Yankees could also trade Torres, who is in the midst of a terrible season but has been on the rise lately. Overall, he has hit just .237 with 10 homers, 37 RBIs and a .681 OPS — good for a 92 OPS+. But Torres — a two-time All-Star — has hit .329 with an .899 OPS in his last 19 games.

The Yankees are 27th in wRC+ from the leadoff position this season. Since Anthony Volpe was moved from the top spot in their order, the Yankees have been looking for a permanent solution, but no one has emerged between Ben Rice, Alex Verdugo and Gleyber Torres. Chisholm Jr. has been slightly above-average at the plate this season, but he should hit better for Juan Soto and Aaron Judge.

Chisholm Jr.’s .320 on-base percentage ranks fourth on the Yankees. He also brings some much-needed power to a team that hasn’t hit since Giancarlo Stanton injured his hamstring. According to Statcast, Chisholm would have 19 home runs this season if he played all of his games in Yankee Stadium. He also adds a speed element that the Yankees lack; Chisholm Jr. immediately becomes the team’s fastest player with an 87th percentile sprint speed.

Chisholm Jr. never played third base in the majors or minors. But he emerged as a shortstop and is considered a capable fielder at second base. With DJ LeMahieu’s struggles well-documented, the question remains whether Chisholm Jr. can handle the challenge of learning third base on the fly.

(Top photo of Jazz Chisholm Jr.: Elsa/Getty Images)