Marlins star Jazz Chisholm graces cover of MLB The Show 23

Jazz Chisholm makes its way into video game history.

The Miami Marlins outfielder became the first Bahamas-born athlete to grace the cover of a sports video game with the announcement of MLB The Show 23 on Monday. In his three years in the big leagues, Chisholm has emerged as one of football’s most striking players, with a colorful array of hairstyles, flashy on-pitch fashion and a signature eurostep celebration.

“I’m literally from a small country that’s right outside of the United States, and you hardly ever hear about athletes that are from there,” Chisholm told ESPN. “It feels like I can finally give back to other kids and it feels like I can make a difference.”

In an injury-cut 2022, Chisholm hit .254/.325/.535 with 14 home runs, 12 stolen bases and 10 doubles in 60 games with a 2.5 bWAR. While he remains a centerpiece for the Marlins’ rebuilding, Chisholm has made headlines in recent years for his outgoing social media presence and on-field celebrations.

Chisholm said the inspiration for his signature Eurostep celebration came from his high school days.

“I was always kicking around people in the hallways, even teachers, just walking past them and trying to mess with them,” Chisholm said.

But after speaking with teammates Lewis Brinson and Monte Harrison in spring practice heading into 2021, Chisholm decided to make the switch to the field. Chisholm told his teammates he would start Euro-stepping after hitting his first home run, and after the celebration made waves on social media, a tradition was born.

“Everyone said you have to move on,” Chisholm said. “You can’t stop now.”

Chisholm was very excited to see the celebration animated on MLB the Show.

“My little brother sent it to me when it was in the trailer and I was like, ‘What?'” Chisholm said. “I saw it and bro I freaked out. I was like a little kid again.”

While his desire for personal self-expression has rubbed some in baseball the wrong way, Chisholm said he’s determined to remain himself regardless of the setting.

“You have to know what that entails, the noise,” Chisholm said. “You’re going to get spanked, you’re going to go on Twitter or Instagram and see stuff. You’ll have teammates who love it and who don’t like it. You just have to learn to break it off and realize that you’ve done it to be yourself and not overdo it.”

Chisholm said this is a learning curve for him.

“I was a lot worse when I was 18,” Chisholm said. “If I was 18 now, it would have been crazy.”

But being yourself can come with criticism. When rebuffed by players or fans, Chisholm recalls the criticism Ken Griffey Jr. received for wearing a baseball cap the wrong way round.

“Once I’ve done what I have to do, it shouldn’t be a problem,” Chisholm said. “You’re trying to be the person you watched growing up. No one is ever going to bash someone for trying to be like Derek Jeter for being so perfect, but when you find someone who’s like Ken Griffey Jr. it’s harder because he was The Kid. If you try to be like that, it might be too much for the world.

As baseball’s self-expression increases – from colorful cleats to chains to bat flips – Chisholm hopes to continue the push for a more accepted game, citing Julio Rodriguez, Michael Harris, Shohei Ohtani, Marcus Stroman and Francisco Lindor, among others, as the players who grow the culture of the game. However, according to Chisholm, the game could take more steps such as: B. Allowing painted bats during games.

Although the game has come a long way, there is still more to do.

“I’m just channeling the culture I come from,” Chisholm said. “I’m from the Bahamas, I’m black. So I try to channel everything from basketball to the Negro Leagues. I studied my history. it gives me love My name is already jazz, so I have to represent the culture.”