Jazz Chisholm Jr., who joined the Yankees in a trade with the Marlins on Saturday, has a special connection to baseball Hall of Famer Derek Jeter.
Jeter, also known as “The Captain,” brought Chisholm to Miami during his time as co-owner and CEO of the Marlins.
“I talked to Jeter and he said, ‘You know what, I made the trade for you,'” Chisholm said on The Pivot podcast earlier this year. “‘If I hadn’t said yes, this trade wouldn’t have happened.'”
Chisholm, who coincidentally wore the number 2 jersey for the Marlins, revealed that he called Jeter in tears after learning of the death of his all-time idol, Kobe Bryant.
Chisholm, who can play third base, shortstop and second base in addition to the outfield, had attended the Mamba Academy in Los Angeles just two days before Bryant’s helicopter crash.
He was scheduled to meet Bryant the next day.
But before he could meet Bryant that Sunday, news of the tragic accident spread.
“It was like a dream come true, I was meeting someone I admired, and then the helicopter came,” Chisholm said. “I called Derek Jeter and I cried.
“I was like, bro, I was supposed to meet Kobe and he passed away.”
Chisholm, who Jeter said was his shortstop, then made a demand of his boss.
“After my idol passed away, I called him and said, ‘You have to be my idol,'” Chisholm said.
Chisholm said that from that day on, Jeter began treating him “like a son.”
