Diamondbacks prospect Jasrado Chisholm not short on confidence

When Jasrado Chisholm talks about his swing, he mentions the smoothness of Robinson Cano and the explosiveness of Ken Griffey Jr. When he talks about how he wants to lead, he references the way Derek Jeter walked onto the field. When he talks about goals, his visions sound almost outrageous.

Chisholm, who goes by the nickname “Jazz,” is viewed by some scouts as the Diamondbacks’ best prospect, a shortstop with smooth actions, a big swing, an infectious personality and no shortage of confidence.

“I think I can be a really great player in the big show,” Chisholm said. “I could play 15 years, 20 years (in the majors). That’s the goal that I set for myself. Like this season, I set a high goal to hit .400. That’s the goal. I set a lot of high goals for myself. … If you aim high, you miss high.”

Sitting outside the Diamondbacks’ facility at Salt River Fields, Chisholm, 19, spoke with a combination of confidence and nonchalance, smiling and laughing throughout. He plays the game with the same sort of flair.

During a recent minor-league game on a practice field, Chisholm was a ball of energy on the field. He always seemed to be in the middle of the action, whether the ball was hit to him or not. His at-bats were filled with aggressive swings, and though he didn’t hit one out, he was said to be among the Diamondbacks’ leaders in home runs during minor-league camp.

Signed out of the Bahamas two years ago, his professional experience amounts to a half-season (249 at-bats) in the rookie-level Pioneer League last season, when he hit .281 with 21 extra-base hits, including nine homers, for Missoula.

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Despite having a ways to go in his development, Chisholm already has caught the attention of rival scouts.

“He’s their top prospect,” a scout with an NL club said. “I think he’s got a chance to be a true shortstop and he’s got a chance to hit.”

Listed at 5 feet 11, 165 pounds, Chisholm seems to relish the opportunity to show he’s got more power than his frame might suggest.

“A lot of games in spring training, when I came up and I was hitting third, everybody was looking like, ‘Huh, why is this little kid hitting third?’ ” Chisholm said. “Some guys on the team call me Cargo” – a reference to the Rockies’ big-swinging Carlos Gonzalez – “because of the swings I take. It’s just having fun. I love the hype. I love the attention.”

Said a scout with an AL team: “When you initially see him, he’s not very big. But I saw him hit a bomb in spring training and I’m like, ‘Damn, he’s got some bat speed,’ and he looks very hitter-ish in the box, very comfortable.

“I saw him take some balls that were pretty close and he was shaking his head before the umpire called them. He’s got a little swag to him, which I like. It’s not cocky; he’s confident over cocky, and that’s very important. He’s fun to watch.”

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In a Diamondbacks system that’s viewed as light on high-end talent, Chisholm could be an exception. All the more impressive is how they were able to sign him.

In February 2015, Diamondbacks special assistant Craig Shipley was in Nassau for a workout showcasing another Bahamas native, infielder Lucius Fox. This was shortly after the Diamondbacks blew past their spending limits to land right-hander Yoan Lopez, a signing that limited their international spending to no more than $300,000 on any one player for the next two years.

Shipley knew Fox would cost more than $300,000, but there were a couple others players who caught his attention – one of whom was Chisholm, who was playing second base that day. A few weeks later, Shipley returned to Nassau for another workout.

“They ran a 60, hit a little BP, took some ground balls, and now Jazz was at shortstop,” Shipley said. “I was like, ‘Oooh.’ I actually liked him better at short than what I’d seen at second. You could see the hands better.

“They played a game. He had three at-bats, and when there was a strike, he hit it. He caught the ball, and his arm was easy.”

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The following July, the Diamondbacks signed him for $200,000 – a number that looks like a bargain given how quickly his prospect status has risen.

“The signing bonus doesn’t really mean anything to me,” Chisholm said. “It’s something you get out of it, but I want to make my money in the big leagues.”

Chisholm, who is expected to open the season with Low-A Kane County, has drawn comparisons to former infielder Orlando Hudson – now a minor league instructor for the Diamondbacks – both for his play and personality. Hudson said he can see it but only to an extent.

“That kid has tremendous tools – tools out of tools,” Hudson said. “I see so much of me in him, but I didn’t have the tools he had. Definitely not. He’s a joy to watch, a joy to coach, but he’s definitely got a lot to learn still.”

Short hop

First baseman Christian Walker, claimed off waivers on Tuesday, was outrighted to Triple-A Reno, meaning he cleared waivers and is now off the 40-man roster.

Reach Piecoro at (602) 444-8680 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @nickpiecoro.