Marlins Send Zac Gallen To D-backs For Jazz Chisholm In Prospect Swap

Image credit: Zac Gallen (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

The D-backs needed young pitchers to grow with moving forward. The Marlins needed young position players they could build with moving forward.

The two teams were able to satisfy the others’ needs with a swap of top prospects Wednesday. The Marlins sent Zac Gallen, the No. 72 prospect on the BA Top 100, to the D-backs for Double-A shortstop Jazz Chisholm, who began the year ranked No. 59 on the BA Top 100 but fell off at midseason.

 

D-BACKS ACQUIRE

Zac Gallen, RHP
Age: 23

A third-round pick out of North Carolina State in 2016 by the Cardinals, Gallen went to Miami in the Marcell Ozuna trade and blossomed. He led the minors in most categories this year despite pitching at Triple-A New Orleans and made his MLB debut in late June, going 1-3, 2.72 in seven starts with the Marlins. Nothing about Gallen’s arsenal is jaw-dropping, but he commands four major league-caliber pitches for strikes and keeps opponents guessing and uncomfortable. Gallen’s four-seam fastball works 92-94 mph and his two-seamer with sink sits 91-92. He pumps both for strikes and throws them from the same slot, so batters don’t know which one is coming. His cutter is his best secondary offering as an above-average pitch that gets both swings and misses and soft contact, and he shows feel for a changeup effective against lefties. Gallen’s pure stuff is that of a No. 4 starter, but his command and ability to execute elevates him to a potential No. 3 starter in most evaluators’ eyes. Gallen was the Marlins’ No. 3 overall prospect.

MARLINS ACQUIRE

Jazz Chisholm, SS
Age: 21

Chisholm has both electrified and frustrated since signing out of the Bahamas for $200,000 as a teenager in 2015. His quick hands, big swing and swagger on the field invite comparisons to Javier Baez, but Chisholm has yet to learn how to slow down and play under control. He hit .206 with 34 percent strikeout rate at Double-A Mobile this year, although he also provided impact on contact with 18 home runs in 89 games. The 5-foot-11, 160-pound Chisholm is a plus runner with impressive quickness on the basepaths and in the field. He has the tools to stay at shortstop and smooth, flashy actions, but lapses in concentration affect his consistency and reliability. At the plate Chisholm takes giant uppercut swings at that produce loud contact when he connects, but he too often falls into all-or-nothing swings and comes away with empty at bats. Evaluators see the potential to be an average or better hitter when he uses the whole field, but his approach precludes him from performing to that level. Chisholm has all the tools to be a power-hitting middle infielder who can steal bases, possibly becoming a 20-home run, 20-stolen base player. He also has significant adjustments to be made and is very much a boom-or-bust prospect. Chisholm entered the year as Arizona’s top-rated prospect but dropped to No. 3 in our midseason update.