David Laurila* noticed Jazz Chisholm and Jean Segura of the Marlins playing fast-pitch underhand catch and wondered if they played softball. Chisholm:

*National Treasure

“My grandma was a professional [fastpitch] softball player,” said Chisholm, who grew up in Nassau. “She played for the Bahamas National Team. That’s what really got me into baseball — I learned a lot of my baseball skills from softball — and she played until she was 60, too. She was just superhuman.”

FanGraphs.com

Segura talked about how it was rare to play the game in the Dominican Republic, except where he grew up. He says it helped his swing:

“The hitting is different,” said Segura. “In fastpitch you have to use your hands, and in baseball you have to use your body, with everything connected. In fastpitch, you’re too close to go back and then move forward; you have to just see the ball and throw your hands at it. That’s why I play that type of game; my swing carried to baseball. It’s why I’ve got quick hands.”

I wonder if it would be worthwhile for the Marlins to develop this underhand skill for the majors. They could designate them as two-way players, and bring them in certain situations to show a batter something new.