Author: scott

By Shel Wallman (Editor’s note: our original list of the top D-1 players was updated 8/5/2025 to add OF Harrison Feinberg, whom we inadvertently had omitted.) Welcome to our 2025 College All-America Team, which lists the top performers at every position among Jewish athletes playing Division 1 baseball. The squad includes 8 position players and…

By Scott Barancik, editor Welcome to the 2025 baseball season! Spring Training is well underway, and through March 3, the tally of Jews officially competing for an MLB team has reached 31. The group is nearly evenly divided between position players (16) and pitchers (11). (Updated 3/3/2025 to include Astros LHP Colton Gordon and Marlins…

Six of 18 Jews who played in MLB this season — CF Harrison Bader (Mets), 3B Alex Bregman (Astros), LHP Max Fried (Braves), RHP Dean Kremer (Orioles), RHP Max Lazar (Phillies), and C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) — make it onto a playoff roster, but three fall out when their teams are swept in 2-game Wild Card series. See ‘Jewish Box Score’ for details (10/2/2024) Of 18 Jews…

Phillies call-up RHP Max Lazar from Triple-A (10/1/2024) Cubs call-up 1B Matt Mervis from Triple-A (10/1/2024) Yankees reassign RHP Scott Effross to Triple-A (9/29/2024) Yankees call-up RHP Scott Effross from Triple-A (9/26/2024) Pirates release 1B Rowdy Tellez (9/25/2024) Pirates designate 1B Rowdy Tellez for assignment (9/24/2024) Yankees assign RHP Harrison Cohen (High-A) to Salt River Rafters of Arizona Fall League (9/25/2024) Dodgers assign 3B Jake Gelof (High-A) to Glendale…

By Scott Barancik, editor At least 28 Jewish athletes spent time at an MLB Spring Training camp in 2024. Sixteen were there by virtue of being on a 40-man roster, five received non-roster invitations, and eight were called-up from minor-league camp. (If we discover additional call-ups, we will add them here.) Here are some highlights:…

By Scott Barancik, editor A total of 21* Jews are at an MLB Spring Training camp this season, including 10 pitchers and 12 position players (see list below). Seventeen of the 22 are there by virtue of being on their team’s 40-man roster. The remaining five, including veteran outfielder and recent free-agent signee Kevin Pillar…

By Scott Barancik, editor A dozen of the 26 Jews who participated in this year’s MLB Spring Training have landed spots on an Opening Day roster. When the season begins today, the Atlanta Braves will lead the pack with three players. They include starting pitchers Max Fried and Jared Shuster along with veteran outfielder Kevin…

By Scott Barancik, editor Atlanta Braves star Max Fried is having a heckuva Spring. After finishing second last season in N.L. Cy Young Award voting, the 6’4″ All-Star is 3-0 this preseason with a perfect 0.00 ERA and 14 strikeouts over 11.1 innings. Yet it’s possible he won’t be the only Jewish pitcher in Atlanta’s…

By Scott Barancik, editor A 3rd-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2017 amateur draft, the University of Florida alum and 2021 Gold Glove winner is poised to begin his first full season with the Yankees and 7th season overall in the Major Leagues. Harrison Bader, a 28-year-old centerfielder with the New York…

By Scott Barancik, editor Colorado Rockies reliever Jake Bird, who made his MLB debut in June and later committed to represent Israel in next month’s World Baseball Classic, is the most recent Major Leaguer to be identified as Jewish. The 27-year-old California native starred at UCLA, his hometown school. In 2018, his senior year, Bird…