By Scott Barancik, Editor What, you may wonder, is going on lately in the Majors, Minors, and independent and foreign leagues? Well, ask and ye shall receive. The latest news about Jewish ballplayers follows below. Play ball! MLB 3B Alex Bregman (Cubs) is heating up. Over six games through July 20, he hit .320 (8-for-25) with 3…
By Scott Barancik, Editor A total of 613 amateur players—yes, the precise number of mitzvot in the Torah—were selected in last weekend’s 20-round MLB draft. At least three Jews made the cut. You can read about them below. In addition, there is a trio of draftees who have a Jewish parent but cannot be listed…
By Scott Barancik, Editor There’s a lot to report about the 13 Jews who have played Major League baseball so far this season, so let’s get right to it. But first: if you didn’t already know, the annual MLB Draft takes place this weekend. We’ll keep you posted on any Jewish draftees. Now, play ball!…
By Scott Barancik A freak injury on June 23 halted Zack Gelof‘s hit streak at 24 games. After flying out in the first inning against rival San Francisco, the Athletics utility man was trying to tag out runner Matt Chapman at second base when Chapman accidentally stepped on his throwing hand. Gelof left the game…
By Scott Barancik Athletics utility man Zack Gelof stretched his hitting streak to 23 games on June 19 in a dramatic 12-11 walk-off win over the Angels, delivering an RBI single and reaching base three times. Over the 23-game stretch, the 26-year-old has batted .360 (32-for-89) with 5 home runs, 6 doubles, 13 RBIs, a .412 OBP and a 1.008 OPS….
By Scott Barancik, Editor Jewish Baseball News is privileged to add three minor-league ballplayers to its roster this week. We are also thrilled to welcome back two athletes to affiliated baseball after stints in independent ball. (Note: Statistics cited below are current through games played June 16, 2026) Mazel Tov! Please join us in formally…
By Scott Barancik, Editor Balloting for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game began this week. beginning with fan voting for starting position players and designated hitters. Will any of the five Jewish players on the ballot—CF Harrison Bader (Giants), 3B Alex Bregman (Cubs), UT Zack Gelof (Athletics), 1B Spencer Horwitz (Pirates), and DH Joc Pederson (Rangers)—make…
By Scott Barancik, Editor That was quick. College baseball’s regular season ended May 16. Up next on Division 1 schedules are conference tournaments, followed by the NCAA’s 64-team tournament and College World Series. So, how did our Jewish collegians do during the regular season? Below are some highlights. One housekeeping note. Division I baseball conferences…
By Scott Barancik, Editor The minor-league season is more than a month old, so we decided it was about darn time to provide you an update. We begin by noting that at least six Jewish players are ranked among their franchise’s Top 30 prospects, according to MLB.com. First Name Last Name Level Team Rank 1…
By Scott Barancik, Editor Momentum is building for MLB Jews. Although only six Jewish players made it onto Opening Day rosters last month, the fewest in memory, four reinforcements have arrived: pitchers Colton Gordon (Astros), Dean Kremer (Orioles), and Jared Shuster (Cardinals), and catcher Garrett Stubbs (Phillies). Who will be the next call-up? Don’t forget to check the Jewish Box Score for in-game…
By Scott Barancik, Editor D-1 colleges have been at it for eight weeks—plenty of time to get a sense of the year’s top performers. Today, we lay it all out for you. Although the MLB season is a mere two weeks old, there’s enough news to merit an update. Mind you, it ain’t all good….
By Scott Barancik, Editor The 2026 MLB regular season debuted last night with a game featuring three Jews. It was an auspicious start to a season in which only six Jews appeared on Opening Day rosters—the lowest number in memory. Remember to check Jewish Baseball News for our Jewish Box Score, which updates in-game stats…
By Scott Barancik, Editor Backed by an error-free performance, Israel defeated the Netherlands 6-2 in World Baseball Classic action on March 10. Though the win was sweet—featuring a dramatic five-run 6th inning that erased a 2-0 deficit—both teams had already been mathematically eliminated from advancing to the next round. Israel finished the 2026 tournament with…
By Scott Barancik, Editor Baseball is coming back to life after its offseason slumber. Team Israel’s first game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic is this Saturday, March 7, at 7:00pm ET against Venezuela on FS2. MLB’s regular season starts March 25. NCAA baseball began three weeks ago. Jewish ballplayers across the sport are already…
By Shel Wallman (Note: Originally published on 6/16/2023, this article has been updated three times. On 6/27/2023, we added IF Hank Zeisler of the U. of Missouri and C Will King of Eastern Kentucky U. to our All-America team. On 7/12/2023, we added P Ben Simon of Elon U. to the team. On 7/16/2023, we…
By Scott Barancik, Editor Following a historic appearance in the 2020 Olympics, the Israel Association of Baseball is looking to refresh its roster and build a pipeline of future players. One solution? Sponsor a series of Player Evaluation Weekends across the U.S. to identify promising high-school athletes. The first such academy, aimed at scouting ballplayers…
By Scott Barancik, Editor The Jewish Baseball Card Book, a hardcover history of trading cards covering the 169 Jews who played Major League ball between 1871 and 2016, is now available for just $18. The coffee-table book initially cost $49.95. You can purchase single copies on Amazon. But the $18 offer expires March 27. And…
By Scott Barancik, editor Team Israel has several household names on its expanded Olympic roster, including former Major League stars Danny Valencia and Ian Kinsler. Minor legal issues. however, have prevented the organization from printing any names on its branded clothing. That is, until now. In a move backers hope will goose sales — and…
By Scott Barancik, editor Team Israel beat long odds to earn a spot in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. Qualifying tournaments were conquered. More than a dozen Jewish American ballplayers obtained Israeli citizenship in order to participate. The payoff will be national pride — and, hopefully, an awakening to the beauty of baseball. The team’s 24…
By Scott Barancik, editor (NOTE: This article was updated on March 6, 2021.) At least 15 least Jewish players are participating in Spring Training with a Major League team this season. Some are familiar names, including LF Joc Pederson (Cubs), CF Kevin Pillar (Mets), 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) and P Richard Bleier (Marlins). Both Pederson…
