The lights were bright, the cleats were custom, and the anime bat was ready—but none of it could save New York Yankees infielder and torpedo bat user Jazz Chisholm Jr. from a historically bad night at the 2025 Home Run Derby.
New York’s second baseman came to Truist Park dripping with style, repping Demon Slayer-inspired cleats and a flashy bat in MLB’s latest anime collaboration. But when the timer started, Chisholm’s swing failed to match the vibe. He hit just three home runs total, falling short of even the lowest expectations in a performance that now sits near the bottom of Derby history.
A Derby to Forget
By the time Chisholm called his timeout—with only one homer on the board and 85 seconds left—it was clear things weren’t going to turn around. He finished with three total, the worst output in the event since the Home Run Derby adopted the timed format, per Matt Snyder of CBS Sports. Even Robinson Cano, whose seven-homer effort in 2016 had been mocked for years, looked like a slugger compared to Jazz’s showing.
To make matters worse, Chisholm had skipped pre-derby practice entirely, telling reporters, “I’m just going out there to have fun. I ain’t trying to think that hard about it.” That carefree approach might work in backyard BP, but under the stadium lights with the world watching, it came back to haunt him.
His stepfather and lifelong batting practice partner, Geron Sands, pitched to him as always, but even that familiarity couldn’t produce any lift. Chisholm couldn’t square the ball up with consistency, managing just one homer in the opening minute and visibly laboring through the round.
Not Even Anime Could Save Him
Chisholm wasn’t shy about his flair. Between the Demon Slayer gear, the “Ya like Jazz?” memes, and the hopes of becoming the fifth Yankee to win the Derby, he arrived with more fanfare than most. But the gap between marketing magic and actual production couldn’t have been wider.
Social media quickly turned on the Yankees’ All-Star. “Not a great start for Jazz. Uh oh.” Matt Snyder from CBS Sports quipped. Michael Dominski from The Athletic noted that Chisholm was voted the most overrated player in baseball in a 2024 poll—he may have reinforced that title in just under four minutes.
For all the talk about anime power and lifelong BP chemistry, Chisholm’s round felt more like cosplay than competition. Even the so-called “Torpedo Bat” couldn’t deliver. And while he avoided joining the “zero home runs“ club, that’s about the only silver lining.
The rest of the Derby field featured heavy hitters like Cal Raleigh, Matt Olson, and Oneil Cruz—players who came to crush, not cruise. While others racked up double-digit totals, Chisholm quietly bowed out with three dingers, a pat on the back from teammates like Aaron Judge, and a long walk off a short platform.
It could be about fun. Maybe he didn’t care about winning. But fans tuning in—especially Yankee fans—were expecting at least a little thunder to go with the lightning bolt style.
Instead, Jazz Chisholm’s Home Run Derby debut will go down as one of the worst performances in the event’s history. And no amount of swagger, drip, or Demon Slayer gear could disguise that.
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