Let me start by saying I like Jazz Chisholm Jr.  I liked it when they traded with the Miami Marlins to get him, and I love the fact that he genuinely loves the game of baseball.  Heck, I was too young to watch Reggie Jackson play for the Yankees, but I do love a player who believes in themselves and their ability.  That being said, every time I see Jazz play, I am reminded of Gleyber Torres.  From the nonchalant fielding to the boneheaded baserunning, there are similarities.  With both of them, sometimes you are just left scratching your head, but at other times, you think they are a future superstar.  So, let’s take a peek under the hood and see if the two are similar players.

The obvious similarities

Let’s start with the truly obvious stuff.  Both play second base (and yes, I remember that Gleyber made Jazz move to third base).  Both are relatively the same age (Jazz was born on February 1, 1998, and Gleyber on December 13, 1996).  They were both born outside the United States.  They both have played multiple positions in their career.  They both play with swagger.  They were both acquired via trade.  They were both all-stars in 2025 (and at the same position!)  And finally, the Yankees have to make a decision on both when they were relatively the same age.  

The statistics are similar  

When you look at their stats, there are two ways to measure: time in pinstripes and time in the league.  In terms of their performance in pinstripes, their slash lines are similar, but Jazz has performed better.  Gleyber had a .265/.334/.441 (OPS+ 112) in pinstripes, while Jazz has a .248/.325/.475 (OPS+ 122) as a slash line in pinstripes.  Jazz has therefore performed slightly better as a Yankee overall.  In terms of career numbers, things are much closer with Gleyber having a career slash line of .263/.338/.432 and Jazz with a .247/.315/.451 slash line.  Gleyber’s 112 career OPS+ is a tad higher than Jazz’s OPS+ of 108.

The difference is the type of hitter

Jazz joined the 30/30 club last year.  While Gleyber did have power when he started with the Yankees (I almost forgot he hit 38 homeruns in 2019), he is now a guy who is unlikely to hit 20 home runs.  Jazz can also steal bases (he wants to steal 50 this year), while Gleyber has never stolen more than 14 bases (2021).  So, the upside for Jazz is much higher.  That being said, the Yankees used Gleyber as a leadoff hitter, while Jazz hits sixth in the lineup.  And Jazz has sat against tough lefties while Gleyber never had any issues hitting right-handers (yes, a difference is which hand they hit with).  I think a lot of Yankees fans would tell you that they preferred Gleyber as a leadoff hitter to Trent Grisham.  

Why compare?

So, why am I making this comparison?  It’s simple.  Jazz will be a free agent after this season, and the Yankees have to make a decision.  Do they let him walk, or do they sign him to a big-money deal?  As much as I enjoy watching Jazz play, the decision is very obvious.  If the Yankees were willing to let Gleyber walk, they would let Jazz walk.  I just don’t think Jazz is a much better player, and if anything, the Yankees need a right-handed infielder more than a lefty-hitting one.  Yes, Jazz has more upside, but he will also be pricier (remember Torres was only able to fetch a one-year deal after leaving the Yankees for $15 million).  Jazz has mentioned wanting to make $35 million a year.  I could even make the argument that the Yankees should let Jazz walk and bring back Gleyber for $22 million (what he signed for this year).  Again, the team does need a right-handed hitter who hits for average and can get on base …