By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News
Major League teams drafted at least 13 Jewish amateurs in June and signed at least two undrafted players. Since then at least 10 have signed, pushing the current number of MOTs in the majors and minors to 65.
So who are the Fab 15? A complete list is included in the table below. Here are some other facts about them:
- Nine of the 15 were selected out of college, and the remaining six from high school.
- Four of the 15 decided to forego the pros temporarily in order to attend college. The only draftee we’re uncertain about is Macalester College alum Mitch Glasser. In a great interview with Rabbi Jeremy Fine, Glasser said he expected to sign with the White Sox and join the franchise in Spring 2013, but his status remains unconfirmed.
- Baseball America ranked recent high-school grads Alex Bregman and Rhett Wiseman among the top 150 amateurs available in the 2012 draft but correctly predicted that both would choose to attend college now. The publication said scouts “love (Wiseman’s) athleticism and raw tools,” and it pointed out that Bregman broke New Mexico’s single-season high-school home run record last year with 18.
- One recruit, Tampa Bay Rays prospect Sean Bierman, already has been promoted to Class A. Given the Rays’ reputation for finding bargains, it’s perhaps no surprise that Bierman received just $5,000 for signing.
- Max Fried, an 18-year-old pitcher from Van Nuys, Calif., was the 7th overall pick in the June 2012 draft, making him the fifth-highest Jewish draft pick of all time. He also earned a tidy $3-million bonus. Baseball America calls him “cerebral and determined,” as well as a possible No. 1 or No. 2 starter in the majors.
| Name (Pos) | DRAFTED BY (Round/Overall) | SIGNED? | CURRENT TEAM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Fried (P) | San Diego Padres (1/7) | Yes | AZL Padres (Rookie) |
| 2 | Jon Moscot (P) | Cincinnati Reds (4/142) | Yes | Billings Mustangs (Rookie) |
| 3 | Sean Bierman (P) | Tampa Bay Rays (10/332) | Yes | Bowling Green Hot Rods (A) |
| 4 | Maxx Tissenbaum (2B) | San Diego Padres (11/345) | Yes | Eugene Emeralds (A-short season) |
| 5 | Eric Jaffe (P) | Chicago White Sox (11/351) | Yes | Bristol White Sox (Rookie) |
| 6 | Sam Kimmel (C) | Baltimore Orioles (18/552) | Yes | Aberdeen Iron Birds (A-short season) |
| 7 | Jeremy Schaffer (1B) | St. Louis Cardinals (18/570) | Yes | Johnson City Cardinals (Rookie) |
| 8 | Jake Drossner (P) | Chicago Cubs (23/704) | No | Univ. of Maryland |
| 9 | Rhett Wiseman (OF) | Chicago Cubs (25/764) | No | Vanderbilt |
| 10 | Alex Bregman (2B) | Boston Red Sox (29/901) | No | LSU |
| 11 | Jacob Kapstein (P) | Detroit Tigers (35/1084) | Yes | GCL Tigers (Rookie) |
| 12 | Max Ungar (C) | Washington Nat'ls (36/1104) | No | Denison Univ. |
| 13 | Mitch Glasser (2B) | Chicago White Sox (39/1191) | Unkn | N.A. |
| 14 | Jacob Booden (P) | St. Louis Cardinals (undrafted) | Yes | Johnson City Cardinals (Rookie) |
| 15 | Tim Remes (C) | Detroit Tigers (undrafted) | Yes | Connecticut Tigers (A-short season) |
| Source: Jewish Baseball News, Jewish Sports Review, and reader input | ||||
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