- College ace Ryan Prager (Texas A&M), chosen by the Angels in the third round of the 2024 MLB draft, took a huge risk when he refused to sign with the team after it rejected his $1.5-million bonus demand. In the prior 5 draft years, only 4 of 516 players selected in the first three rounds of the MLB draft matched Prager’s chutzpah, according to The Athletic. Could Prager repeat his 2024 magic in his final year of college? So far, he’s been even better. After earning a complete-game shutout of New Mexico State on Friday, Prager is 2-0, having given up just one earned run over a combined 23.1 innings, struck out 27, and maintained a microscopic 0.39 ERA (3/7/2025)
- Newly-minted Bostonian Alex Bregman (Red Sox) continued his dominant Spring in a 20-5 thrashing of Miami on Friday, going 2-for-2 with 2-run HR and a walk before being lifted for a pinch-runner in the 5th inning. The two-time All Star third baseman ranks #1 in the Majors with a .471 batting average (8-for-17), OBP of .542, and 1.542 OPS (3/7/2025)
- Baseball America recently published a list of the Top 200 Draft Prospects from the high-school Class of 2026, and three of the players are Jewish. California’s CJ Weinstein, listed at #14, has committed to play at LSU and is Prep Baseball Report‘s #1-ranked second baseman nationwide in his class. Ethan Bass, at #41, is a Wake Forest commit, Prep Baseball Report‘s #1-ranked Illinois prospect at any position, and the publication’s #7 shortstop nationwide. Spencer Krasner, at #157, is a South Carolina commit, Prep Baseball Report‘s #4-ranked LHP in Florida and #13 nationwide. Weinstein and Krasner both have participated in an Israel Baseball Academy showcase event (3/7/2025)
- OF Kevin Pillar (Rangers) went 3-for-3 with a double and one RBI in an 8-2 win over the Padres on March 6, but that didn’t stop Texas from reassigning him from MLB Spring Training to Double-A (3/6/2025)
- After pitching well for Dos Laredos Tecolotes of the Mexican League in 2024, former major-league RHP Robert Stock signed a minor-league contract with the Red Sox in January 2025 and invited him to MLB Spring Training. But he won’t make Boston’s Opening Day roster. Stock went 0-0 this Spring with a 12.00 ERA, 4 strikeouts, and 3 walks over a combined 3 innings of relief, leading the Red Sox to reassign him to Triple-A (3/6/2025)
- According to Sports Illustrated, LHP Colton Gordon (Astros/AAA) is competing for the final spot in Houston’s starting rotation. The 26-year-old made a strong case for himself in a 5-0 Spring Training loss to the Mets on February 27, striking out 3 batters over 2 scoreless innings while yielding no walks and a single hit. “He isn’t going to blow opponents away with high octane stuff, but keeps opponents off balance with a good mix of off-speed pitches and really solid control,” SI wrote. “His slider is truly devastating, which the New York Mets found out.” Click here for Gordon’s February 27 interview (3/4/2025)
- LHP Max Fried (Yankees) had his franchise debut in a 12-3 win over the Pirates on Monday, but it wasn’t the dominant start he might have hoped for. Fried, who signed an 8-year, $218-million contract with New York in December, lasted just 2.1 innings, yielding 2 earned runs on 2 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts on 49 pitches (3/3/2025)
- Our tally of Jews assigned to MLB Spring Training is up to 31, thanks to the addition of 1B Matt Mervis (Marlins/AAA) and LHP Colton Gordon (Astros/AAA). Through 3/3/2025, Mervis was hitting .286 (4-for-14) with a HR and 3 RBIs for his new franchise (3/4/2025)
- Want to know how Jewish players are performing in MLB Spring Training? Click here for stats thru games played March 1 (3/3/2025)
- RHP Dean Kremer (Orioles) tosses 3 scoreless innings in 5-4 loss to Phillies, yielding one hit and one walk while striking out 2 batters (3/2/2025)
- 3B Alex Bregman (Red Sox), playing for new franchise, goes 2-for-3 in 6-4 win over Mets but gets tossed out trying to stretch RBI single into double (3/2/2025)
- Free-agent 3B Alex Bregman finally signed a contract, reaching a 3-year deal with the Boston Red Sox on February 12 that will pay him a total of $120-million, including a $5-million signing bonus, $35-million in 2025, and $40-million both in 2026 and 2027. The deal, which came just 6 weeks before Opening Day, ended a months-loss process that led to at least 4 teams make contract offers and saw observers cast aspersions on Bregman agent Scott Boras for rejecting arguably good deals. Still just 30 years old, Bregman has played his entire 9-year career with the Houston Astros, the same team that made him the #2 overall pick in the 2015 draft. Reports speculate that Boston will move Gold Glove-winner Bregman, still just 30 years old, from third base to second base (2/12/2025)
- LHP Richard Bleier announced his retirement from baseball on February 11. Selected by the Texas Rangers in the 6th round of the 2008 draft, the Florida native spent 8 years in the minors before making his MLB debut with the New York Yankees in 2016. In each of his first 3 MLB seasons, one with the Yankees and two with the Baltimore Orioles, Bleier turned in a sub-2.00 ERA. In three postseason games with the Miami Marlins in 2020, he delivered a total of 2 perfect innings and earned a hold. Bleier ended up playing for a total of 4 franchises over a Major League career that lasted through 2023, when he pitched for the Boston Red Sox. According to MLB Trade Rumors, his “success was powered by outstanding control (3.9% career walk rate) and a knack for keeping the ball on the ground, as Bleier had a 60.9% grounder rate. Among all pitchers with at least 300 innings pitched between the 2016-23 seasons, only T.J. McFarland and Framber Valdez had a better grounder rate.” Bleier represented Team Israel in the qualifying round for the 2013 World Baseball Classic and in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Jewish Baseball News wishes Richard the best in post-pitching career (2/11/2025)
- The Minnesota Twins signed free-agent CF Harrison Bader to a one-year, $6.25-million contract on February 6, with a mutual option to extend the contract to 2026. A Gold Glove winner, the 30-year-old New York native was a 3rd-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2015 and made it to the Majors just 2 years later. Playing for the New York Yankees in the 2022 postseason, Bader hit .333 (10-for-30) with 5 HRs, 6 RBIs, and 4 walks. He played for the New York Mets in 2024, and Minnesota will be his fifth MLB franchise. Although Bader has played centerfield exclusively since 2019, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said he thinks “putting one of the best outfielders in the game in left field…makes some sense” (2/7/2025)
- 1B Rowdy Tellez, who was released by the Pittsburgh Pirates at the end of the 2024 regular season, remained an unsigned free agent as of 2/17/2025.
- OF Kevin Pillar, who spent his first six-plus MLB seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays and has played for eight more franchises since then, was granted free agency by the Los Angeles Angels after the 2024 season and remained unsigned as of 2/17/2025. The website Spotrac.com estimates that if Pillar does get a contract, it’ll likely be a one-year deal worth around $1-million.
