• Cubs call-up 1B Matt Mervis from Triple-A. Undrafted recruit out of Duke U. made MLB debut in 2023 but returned to minors at end of May. He is hitting .288 with 4 HRs, 13 RBIs, OBP of .402, and 1.008 OPS (4/23/2024)
• P Max Fried (Braves), who struggled in three of first 4 starts this season, turns in best statistical outing of career in 5-0 victory over Marlins. For first time, lanky southpaw earns complete-game shutout with 3 or fewer hits, no walks, and 92 or fewer pitches. He also strikes out 6 batters. According to Associated Press, “Fried was so dominant the Braves didn’t have anyone in the bullpen even bother warming up” (4/23/2024)
• 3B Jake Gelof (Dodgers/A) goes 3-for-5 and 4 RBIs in 7-2 win over Padres affiliate, including game-tying double in 5th inning and go-ahead double in 7th inning. Younger brother of Oakland’s Zack Gelof is hitting .435 with 1.152 OPS over past 6 games and has poked hits in all but 2 of 14 games this season (4/23/2024)
• Dramatic 2-run HR by 2B Zack Gelof breaks up scoreless game in top of 9th inning en route to 2-0 win over Yankees at Yankee Stadium (4/22/2024)
• P Max Lazar (Phillies/AA) continues domination of Eastern League batters, giving up one hit over 1.1 scoreless innings and earning 3rd save in 3 chances as team beats Yankees affiliate 10-4. Single is first baserunner Lazar has allowed in 7.1. innings of relief this season. Despite record, Lazar is not among MLB’s Top 30 Philadelphia prospects (4/22/2024)
• DH Joc Pederson (Diamondbacks) scores game’s first run in 5-3 loss to Cardinals, ending day 2-for-3 with double and walk. Platooning Pederson has paid dividends for Arizona. Left-handed batter is hitting .300 (12-for-40) against right-handed pitchers, with one HR, 4 RBIs, OBP of .444, 10 walks against 3 strikeouts, and .894 OPS. Against left-handed pitchers, Pederson is 2-for-3 with solo HR, double, and walk (4/22/2024)
• LF/1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA), Toronto’s #16 prospect, goes 4-for-6 with 2 doubles and 3 RBIs in 16-4 win over Guardians affiliate. Horwitz ranks #2 among International League batters with .488 OBP, #5 with .353 batting average, and #24 (tied) with 13 RBIs (4/21/2024)
• LF Zach Levenson (Cardinals/High-A), St. Louis’s #22 prospect, belts 2-run, go-ahead HR in 4-2 win over top-ranked Royals affiliate. Blast is 2023 draftee’s first since promotion to High-A (4/21/2024)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA), Chicago’s #13 prospect, puts team on path to 9-3 win over Reds affiliate with solo HR in 1st inning. Mervis ranks #12 (tied) in International league with 5 HRs, #14 with 1.008 OPS, and #24 (tied) with 13 RBIs (4/21/2024)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) tosses 2 scoreless innings in 2-1 win over Mariners, yielding a hit and walk while striking out three (4/21/2024)
• CF Harrison Bader (Mets) goes 4-for-5 with double, RBI single, and 4th stolen base of season in 9-4 win over Dodgers. It’s his second 4-hit game in eight-year career and first since September 2021 (4/19/2024)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) leaves mound in 6th inning with 2 men on base, 2 outs, and Royals leading 1-0. Relief pitcher allows 5 runs to score in remainder of inning, and Kremer is tagged with loss in 9-4 final. In 4 starts, he is 0-2 with 4.91 ERA, 17 strikeouts and 5 walks across 22 innings, and 1.14 WHIP (4/19/2024)
• P Max Lazar (Phillies/AA) extends early-season perfection in 8-2 win over Mets affiliate, striking out 4 batters over 2 flawless innings. Lazar is 0-0 with 2 saves, 0.00 ERA, 12 strikeouts over 6 combined innings, and has not allowed a single baserunner (4/19/2024)
• 3B Jake Gelof (Dodgers/A), Los Angeles’s #22 prospect, goes 3-for-5 with 3 RBIs, including 2-run, go-ahead single, in 9-6 win over Angels affiliate (4/19/2024)
• A 2-run HR in 2nd inning by DH Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox/AA) gives team all the runs it needs in 2-1 win over Rays affiliate (4/19/2024)
• CF Harrison Bader (Mets) goes 1-for-4 with 2-run HR in 9-1 win over Pirates. The round-tripper, his first with Mets, exits bat at 106.3-mph (4/17/2024)
• DH Joc Pederson (Diamondbacks) enters game as pinch-hitter in 6th inning and strokes 402-foot HR in 9th inning of 5-3 loss to Cubs. Earlier in game, Pederson discusses what is “so special” about his new team (4/17/2024)
• P Max Fried (Braves) pitches 5 shaky innings in 5-4, extra-winning win over Astros but doesn’t get credit for victory, yielding 3 earned runs on 7 hits and 4 walks. He also loses battle against 3B Alex Bregman, giving up game-tying RBI single and 2 walks in 3 faceoffs (4/17/2024)
• The 2024 season has not been kind to P Max Fried (Braves). Through 4 starts, he is 1-0 with 7.71 ERA, 1.99 WHIP, 6.7 strikeouts per 9 innings, and 5.0 walks per 9 innings. Last year, by contrast, the 6’4″ southpaw went 2-0 with 0.45 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 8.1 strikeouts per 9 IP, and 1.8 walks per 9 IP. No reason to panic, though. In 2021, arguably Fried’s worst 4-game start, he went 1-1 with 8.44 ERA and 2.06 WHIP but ended season 14-7 with 2 shutouts, 3.04 ERA, and 1.087 WHIP (4/17/2024)
• C Jordan Dissin (Phillies/High-A) goes 1-for-2 with 2-run single and walk in 9-0 win over Brooklyn Cyclones. On other side of field, P Ben Simon tosses scoreless inning of relief, yielding one hit and striking out 2. With 8 RBIs, Dissin and LF Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox/High-A) are tied for #6 in South Atlantic League (4/17/2024)
• Israel Baseball launches new clothing line including hats, shirts, and hoodies (4/17/2024)
• CF Harrison Bader (Mets), batting 9th in lineup, strokes 2-run, tie-breaking double in bottom of 8th inning en route to 6-3 win over Pirates at home. Wearing belt with Star of David painted on it, newly-minted Met also is hit by pitch, records third SB of season, and makes running grab in deep left-center. On other side of field, cleanup hitter 1B Rowdy Tellez goes 0-for-4 (4/15/2024)
• Benjamin Hochman, sports columnist with St. Louis Post-Dispatch, eulogizes local Jewish legend Ken Holtzman, who died April 14 at age 78 (4/16/2024)
• Prep Baseball ranks OF/3B Nathan Eisfelder the #2 ballplayer among all high-school seniors in Tennessee, and #17 in his graduating class nationwide. The 6’2″ righthander committed to U. of Tennessee in August 2023 (4/17/2024)
• LF Dalton Guthrie (Red Sox/AAA), batting last in lineup, goes 2-for-4 with 3-run, tie-breaking HR and 4 RBIs in 7-4 win over Rays affiliate (4/16/2024)
• DH Joc Pederson (Diamondbacks) goes 1-for-2 with HBP, sac fly, and 2-run HR, his first round-tripper since signing free-agent deal with Arizona, in 12-11, extra-inning win over Cubs. Veteran is hitting .323 (10-for-31) with one HR, 4 RBIs, OBP of .465, and 9 walks against just one strikeout (4/16/2024)
• P Sam Delaplane, a former Mariners and Giants prospect whose promising career has been impacted by multiple injuries, signs free-agent contract with Long Island Ducks of independent Atlantic League (4/11/2024)
• Three-time World Series champion and two-time All Star Ken Holtzman, who also tossed 2 no-hitters (one, two) for the Cubs, passed away April 14 at age 78. Described in a tweet as “one of the best left-handed pitchers in Cubs history,” Holtzman played in four separate World Series with the Athletics, amassing an enviable 4-1 record with 2.55 ERA and helping himself at the plate by hitting .333 (4-for-12) with a HR and 3 doubles. Click here for more on Holtzman’s amazing career (4/15/2024)
• Israel Baseball launches new merchandise, including hats, shirts, and hoodies (4/17/2024)
• Batting leadoff, 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) reaches base in all 5 plate appearances in 17-0 crushing of Nationals affiliate, going 3-for-3 with 2 walks and RBI double. Horwitz is on a tear. He ranks #2 among International League hitters with .395 batting average, #1 with .559 OBP, and #9 with 1.094 OPS — two slots behind Cubs slugger Matt Mervis (4/14/2024)
• CF Harrison Bader (Mets) breakes scoreless tie in 8th inning with RBI single, thrilling the hometown crowd, and New York goes on to beat Royals 2-1. He finishes day 2-for-4 (4/14/2024)
• Batting cleanup, RF Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox) goes 3-for-5 with 2-run double, but it’s not enough to prevent 6-4 loss to Pirates affiliate (4/14/2024)
• P Max Lazar (Phillies/AA) remains perfect, tossing 2 innings without a hit or walk and striking out three in 9-5 loss to Red Sox affiliate. In 3 outings and a combined 4 innings this season, the untouchable righthander has fanned 8 of 12 batters (4/14/2024)
• P Evan Kravetz (Reds/AAA) strikes out 4 batters over 1.2 scoreless innings in 7-5 loss to Guardians affiliate. He has yet to give up a run in 5 outings this season (4/13/2024)
• 2B Chase Strumpf (Cubs/AAA) hits RBI single and 9th-inning HR to finish day 2-for-5 with 2 RBIs, but team falls 13-11 to Twins affiliate (4/14/2024)
• P Tanner Jacobson (Cardinals/High-A) throws 2 scoreless innings in 9-4 loss to Marlins affiliate, yielding one hit and no walks while striking out 2 batters (4/14/2024)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA) goes deep twice (one, two) in 6-0 win over Twins affiliate, including 2-run shot in 1st inning. It’s third time he has smacked 2 HRs in a game but first time in 2 years. Mervis is hitting .341 (15-for-44) with 3 HRs, 8 RBIs, OBP of .426, and 1.085 OPS (4/12/2024)
• P Max Fried (Braves) regains All-Star form after 2 tough outings, yielding one earned run on 4 hits and a walk over 6.1 innings while fanning 4 batters en route to 8-1 win over Marlins. Fried, who twice has finished within top 5 contestants for Cy Young Award, induces 10 groundouts against just 2 flyouts (4/12/2024)
• 3B Jake Gelof (Dodgers/A) opens scoring with 2-run single and scores walk-off run in bottom of 9th inning to beat Athletics affiliate 4-3. He ends day 1-for-3 with intentional walk and 2 RBIs, tying him for #1 in California League with 12 RBIs (4/12/2024)
• 1st-inning home run by C Jordan Dissin (Phillies/High-A) is his first since promotion and leads team to 4-0 win over Rangers affiliate (4/12/2024)
• It’s a bittersweet day for P Jacob Steinmetz (Diamondbacks/A), the only Orthodox Jew in organized baseball. The 6’6″ righthander goes 5 innings deep in first start of 2024, yielding just 3 hits and one walk on 63 pitches. But two things go wrong. With the score tied 0-0 in top of the 5th inning, Steinmetz makes a fielding error to load the bases, then gives up sacrifice fly. Furthermore, his team is held scoreless. Giants prevail 3-0, and Steinmetz absorbs the loss (4/11/2024)
• 3B Jake Gelof (Dodgers/A), batting cleanup, goes 1-for-3 with 2-run HR and walk in 7-3 win over Orioles affiliate. A 2nd-round pick in 2023 draft, Gelof has 10 RBIs in just 22 ABs, ranking him #3 in California League (4/11/2024)
• P Richard Bleier (Nationals/AAA) earns first major- or minor-league save since 2017 in 6-3, rain-shortened win over Blue Jays affiliate. It’s not Bleier’s finest performance — he yields solo HR and single in 2-inning stint — but MLB veteran does win Jew vs. Jew faceoff when he retires DH Spencer Horwitz on a groundout (4/11/2024)
• CF Harrison Bader (Mets) goes 2-for-5 and scores 3 runs in 16-4 shellacking of Braves (4/11/2024)
• 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) records 4th straight game of 2 or more hits, going 3-for-4 with bases-loaded walk, RBI single, and RBI double in 12-11 squeaker over Nationals affiliate. Performance leaves Horwitz among Top 10 Triple-A hitters in multiple categories, including #1 with .568 OBP, #5 with .424 batting average, #5 with 6.7 weighted runs above average, #6 (tied) with weighted runs created, #7 with 2.2 walk/strikeout ratio, and #7 (tied) with 25% walk percentage (4/10/2024)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Pirates) defends struggling pitcher David Bednar after All-Star is booed by fans. “This is the pride of Pittsburgh,” a smiling Tellez says in interview, his hand on Bednar’s shoulder. “What happened today is, I think, unacceptable…We just have to be be better” (4/9/2024)
• LF Hunter Bishop (Giants/AA) goes 3-for-5 with RBI single and stolen base in 6-3 loss to Guardians affiliate. Bishop, a 1st-round pick in 2019 draft, stole 20 of 22 bases in 2022 but was out all 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery (4/10/2024)
• DH Matt Mervis (Cubs/AA) goes 2-for-4 with double in 4-1 win over Twins affiliate, raising batting average to .361 (13-for-36), OBP to .457, and OPS to 1.040. Two-hit outing comes a day after he goes 4-for-5 with HR and double (4/10/2024)
• A day after recording first save of 3-year MLB career, P Jake Bird (Rockies) blows one. Entering game in top of 7th inning with Colorado leading Diamondbacks 3-2, Bird gives up one earned run on single and double before retiring side. Arizona goes on to win 5-3 (4/10/2024)
• CF Kevin Pillar (White Sox) goes 1-for-2 with 2-run double down left-field line in 7-5 win over Guardians (4/9/2024)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA), who was selected by Nationals in 39th round of 2016 draft but didn’t go pro until signing free-agent deal with Cubs in 2020, goes 4-for-5 with solo HR and double in 9-7 win over Twins affiliate. It is second 4-hit game of Mervis’s career (4/9/2024)
• Pitching for only second time this season, P Max Lazar (Phillies/AA) earns save #2 in home opener, a 9-8 win over Red Sox affiliate. Lazar has struck out 5 batters over 2 combined innings and has yet to give up a run, hit or walk (4/9/2024)
• P Evan Kravetz (Reds/AAA) continues excellent start to 2024 season, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings with 3 strikeouts in 13-4 loss to Guardians affiliate. In 4 games, reliever has yet to give up a run and has held opposing batters to a .105 average and 0.50 WHIP (4/9/2024)
• 3B Jake Gelof (Dodgers/A) goes 2-for-3 with triple, RBI single, sac fly, walk, and 2 RBIs in 6-4 loss to Orioles affiliate (4/9/2024)
• RF Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA), an undrafted free agent who signed with St. Louis in 2021, goes 3-for-4 with bunt single in 6-2 win over Twins affiliate. Springfield Cardinals are 4-0 this season (4/9/2024)
• There are 2 outs in 9th inning and bases loaded when P Jake Bird (Rockies) is called to mound. Bird answers call decisively, forcing flyout on second pitch to preserve 7-5 win over Arizona and, perhaps more momentously, to record first career save after blowing all 11 opportunities in 2023. On other side of field, pinch-hitter Joc Pederson grounds out in 8th inning (4/8/2024)
• P Jared Shuster (White Sox) performs well in first appearance for Chicago, tossing 3 innings of scoreless relief in 9-1 loss to Guardians. Shuster yields 3 hits and no walks while striking out three (4/8/2024)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) drives in first run of game with 1st-inning single. He ends day 3-for-5 with double and one RBI in 10-5 win over Rangers (4/8/2024)
• CF Dalton Guthrie (Red Sox/AAA) has good day at plate and even better one with glove in 9-0 win over Mets affiliate. In addition to going 1-for-3 with 2 walks and 2 RBIs, Guthrie earns outfield assist in 4th inning after catching fly ball and hurling it to first base for double play (4/8/2024)
• Call-up! White Sox recall P Jared Shuster from Triple-A. Southpaw made 11 starts for Braves in 2023, his rookie season (4/8/2024)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) is masterful in second start of season, yielding one unearned run on 5 hits, zero walks, and 6 strikeouts over 7 innings. Pirates comes from behind to win 3-2, but Kremer is not hit with the decision (4/7/2024)
• Great 2-day stretch for 2B Zack Gelof and his Athletics teammates. On April 6, Gelof goes 0-for-1 but scores 3 runs on 3 walks enroute to a 4-0 win over Tigers. Today, a 7-1 win over Detroit, Gelof goes 4-for-5 with RBI triple in 1st inning, 3-run HR in 2nd inning, and leaping grab in 4th inning (4/7/2024)
• 3B Jake Gelof (Dodgers/A), Zack’s younger brother, goes 1-for-4 with 3 RBIs in 14-7 win over Padres affiliate, including bases-loaded walk and 2-run single (4/7/2024)
• 1B Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox/High-A) goes 3-for-5 with 2-run HR, RBI double, and stolen base in 9-3 win over Astros affiliate (4/6/2024)
• 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA), the Buffalo Bisons’ 2023 MVP, reaches base six times in 10-6 win over Red Sox affiliate. Horwitz, who made MLB debut in 2023, goes 2-for-2 with RBI double, 4 walks, and stolen base (4/6/2024)
• P Kenny Rosenberg (Angels/AAA) tosses second straight gem in 2-1 win over Mariners affiliate. Southpaw yields one earned run on 4 hits over 7 innings, striking out 7 and walking none. In 2 starts this season, he is 2-0 with 1.38 ERA, 13 strikeouts, zero walks, and 0.62 WHIP (4/7/2024)
• 2B Chase Strumpf (Cubs/AAA) goes 3-for-3 with solo HR and RBI double in 9-6 win over Tigers affiliate. His teammate, 1B Matt Mervis, goes 1-for-4 with single and HBP (4/7/2024)
• DH Hunter Bishop (Giants/AA) goes 2-for-5 with 2-run HR in 13-3 victory over Yankees affiliate (4/6/2024)
• DH Joc Pederson (Diamondbacks) reaches base 3 times, going 2-for-4 with a walk, but team loses 6-5 to Braves in 10 innings. Pederson is hitting .500 (7-for-14) with a double, RBI, and .632 OBP. He has drawn 5 walks with zero strikeouts (4/5/2024)
• Interesting 2-day stretch for CF Harrison Bader (Mets). On April 4, Bader’s 8th-inning single breaks up no-hitter, and New York — which until then had gone 13 innings without a hit — goes on to beat Tigers 2-1. On April 5, Bader goes 1-for-3 with walk and a stolen base that produces decisive run in 3-2 win over Reds. But in another notable 8th-inning plate appearance, Bader, facing 0-2 count, earns automatic third strike due to timer violation (4/5/2024)
• One week after Triple-A season begins, teams in Double-A, High-A, and Single-A make their 2024 debuts. Among the day’s highlights: P Max Lazar (Phillies/AA) strikes out side in 9th inning of 5-2 win over Orioles affiliate to earn save. 2B Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA) goes 2-for-5 in 6-1 win over Mariners affiliate. And 3B Jake Gelof (Dodgers/A), younger brother of 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics), goes 1-for-5 with RBI single and sac fly in 11-5 loss to Padres affiliate (4/5/2024)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Pirates) reaches base 3 times in 7-4 win over Nationals, going 2-for-4 with 2-run single in 1st inning plus a walk. The 29-year-old is hitting .286 (4-for-14) with a HR, .444 OBP, and .944 OPS (4/4/2024)
• If you noticed a familiar face in Cleveland’s bullpen this season, you aren’t imagining it. Brad Goldberg, who had a cup of coffee with the White Sox in 2017 and pitched for Team Israel in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, is a new bullpen coach for the Guardians. The 34-year-old is no stranger to Ohio. A suburban Cleveland native, he played and coached at Ohio State U. and spent several years in the Guardians’ farm system as a pitching coach before his most recent promotion. In 2023, Goldberg guided the Akron RubberDucks (AA) to the Eastern League’s second-lowest ERA (4/5/2024)
• Cubs already have scored 3 runs in 6th inning when reliever Jake Bird (Rockies) takes mound with one out and runners on first and third. He needs just one pitch, a 95.1-mph sinker, to induce double play and end rally. Bird goes on to toss a scoreless 7th inning, but Colorado loses 9-8 (4/3/2024)
• Two Jewish teammates on Cardinals’ Single-A team are promoted to High-A on same day. P Tanner Jacobson, the first player in Queens U. of Charlotte history to be drafted by an MLB team, went 4-2 with 4.19 ERA in 2023 and averaged 12.41 strikeouts per 9 innings, #6 among all Florida State League pitchers with more than 50 innings thrown. LF Zach Levenson, a 2023 draftee, hit .268 (33-for-123) with 6 HRs, 22 RBIs, .331 OBP, and .811 OPS (4/3/2024)
• Things continue to look up for LF RJ Schreck, a 2023 draftee who hit .267 (24-for-90) with one HR and 12 RBIs during rookie season with Seattle’s Single-A team. After a surprise call-up to MLB Spring Training that saw him go 3-for-7 with a HR and 3 RBIs, Schreck is promoted to franchise’s High-A team (4/3/2024)
• P Kenny Rosenberg (Angels/AAA), who made MLB debut in 2023, delivers gem in first starting of season, an 8-2 win over Mariners affiliate. Southpaw yields one earned run on 4 hits over 6 innings while striking out 7 batters and walking zero (4/2/2024)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA), who made MLB debut in 2023, goes 1-for-3 with walk and game-tying double in 8th inning of 5-4 win over Tigers affiliate. Two-bagger strikes outfield wall and lands within inches of home run. Mervis is hitting .357 (5-for-14) with 3 doubles, 3 RBIs, OBP of .444 and 1.015 OPS (4/2/2023)
• P Dean Kremer makes season debut in start against Royals, yielding 3 earned runs over 5.1 innings on 3 hits (including 2 HRs), one walk, and 5 strikeouts, 3 of which came on cutters. Orioles go on to win 6-4, although Kremer is not credited with victory (4/1/2024)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez makes first HR as a Pirate count. His 3-run blast in 7th inning puts Pittsburgh ahead 7-6, en route to 10-inning, 9-7 win that seals four-game sweep of Marlins in Miami. The 425-foot shot comes on 9th pitch of at-bat and exits at 106.6-mph. “The vibes [in the Pirate clubhosue] are really good,” Tellez tells MLB.com. “I haven’t been here very long, but you can see the difference” (3/31/2024)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) bounces back from rough 2024 debut with perfect inning of relief, but Diamondbacks prevail 5-1 (3/31/2024)
• 2B Zack Gelof reaches base 4 times in 12-3 loss to Guardians, going 2-for-4 with double, walk, and HBP. He is robbed of triple when ball lodges (just barely) under fence padding and umps call hit a ground-rule double (3/30/2024)
• P Max Fried (Braves) is knocked out of game in 1st inning of season debut. He faces 7 batters, yielding 3 earned runs on 3 walks, 2 singles, and 2 SBs. Atlanta nevertheless prevails over Phillies, 12-4 (3/30/2024)
• In other Braves news, P Jared Shuster (AAA), who made MLB debut in 2023, absorbs loss in 10-3 defeat by Cardinals affiliate. He yields 7 earned runs over 4 innings, thanks in part to 4 HRs (3/30/2024)
• LF Joc Pederson, playing in first game with Diamondbacks, launches regular season with a bang, going 4-for-4 with a double and RBI in 7-3 win over Rockies. One of his singles comes at expense of Colorado reliever Jake Bird, who yields 2 earned runs over 2 innings. In 6 career plate appearances against Bird, Pederson is hitting .500, with a triple and one RBI (3/29/2024)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) puts Astros ahead 1-0 in first inning with RBI single, but Houston succumbs to Yankees 7-1. He finishes 1-for-2 with 2 walks and a stolen base (3/29/2024)
• 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) belts 2-run HR in first at-bat of season, but team loses 12-9 to Yankees affiliate. Horwitz ends day 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs (3/29/2024)
• Elsewhere in Triple-A ball, P Richard Bleier (Nationals/AAA) tosses 1.1 scoreless innings in 6-3 loss to Mets affiliate, and 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA) goes 2-for 5 with RBI in 5-4, extra-inning defeat by Royals affiliate (3/29/2024)
• It was an inauspicious Opening Day for MLB Jews. The four position players who made it onto the field went a combined 1-for-14. 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) managed the only hit, a single, but also made the final out in Houston’s 5-4 loss to Yankees. Two bright spots: 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) made a nifty play in the field, and Kevin Pillar marked his White Sox debut by serving as club’s Opening Day starter in right field (3/28/2024)
• At least 28 Jewish players attended major-league Spring Training, which ended March 26. If you’re interested in how they did, check out our highlights (3/29/2024)
• Ten Jewish players made it onto the Opening Day roster of an MLB team (see list below). Players with MLB experience who didn’t make the cut are P Richard Bleier (WAS), injured P Scott Effross (NYY), 1B Spencer Horwitz (TOR), 1B Matt Mervis (CHC), P Kenny Rosenberg (LAA), and injured Twins P Zack Weiss (3/28/2024)
• P Richard Bleier (Nationals) couldn’t have done much better this Spring. In 10 appearances totaling 10.2 innings, veteran went 1-1 with 2 holds, 1.69 ERA, top-notch 0.75 WHIP, 9 strikeouts and zero walks. But Nats send him to Triple-A anyway, and Bleier agrees to go, despite option to opt-out of contract (3/27)/2024)
• It’s Opening Day! As per usual, many MLB teams have not yet released their 26-man rosters. When all 30 rosters are released, we will post a list of here of the Jewish players on them (3/28/2024)
• It’s been a pinch-yourself Spring for LF RJ Schreck, a Mariners prospect who was drafted in 2023 and spent season in Single-A ball. Called up to Seattle’s MLB camp on March 14, the 23-year-old seized the surprising opportunity. In team’s final game, Schreck goes 2-for-3 with game-tying RBI to help Seattle edge Padres 7-6. He ends Spring with total of 3 hits in 7 ABs, a HR, and 3 RBIs (3/26/2024)
• According to The Forward, Red Sox organist Josh Kantor has not missed a Fenway Park game in 21 years, a streak stretching to 1,698 games. Kantor, who is Jewish, doesn’t just play the Seventh Inning Stretch. He accepts in-game requests via Twitter and has a side gig playing in rock bands (3/25/2024)
• Several years after giving Jewish Baseball News permission to list him, P Eli Morgan (Guardians) recently told Cleveland officials he does not identify as Jewish. Thus, we have removed him from our roster. We wish Eli all the best (3/26/2024)
• Jewish Baseball News welcomes the latest additions to our D-1 college roster. Caden Pearlman is a 6’3″ freshman pitcher at Cal-Poly in San Luis Obispo. Graham Biben is a 6’0″ freshman pitcher at Cornell, where brother August Biben also played (3/25/2024)
• Mazel Tov to OF Kevin Pillar, who signs a one-year MLB contract with White Sox as team’s fourth outfielder — and might be in starting lineup on Opening Day. Signing ends a mind-boggling 48 hours that began when Chicago released the 11-year veteran. “There’s a lot of things I’ve been through in this game, and that was not one of them,” Pillar tells MLB.com (3/24/2024)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) earns third straight multi-hit game, going 3-for-4 with 2 HRs, a double, and 6 RBIs in 13-5 win over Mets. On other side of field, CF Harrison Bader (Mets) goes 0-for-1 with a walk (3/23/2024)
• Shame on Jewish Baseball News for missing this one: P Max Lazar, a 6’1″ right-hander who finished 2023 on Brewers’ AA squad, signed minor-league, free-agent deal with Phillies in December and was called up to team’s MLB Spring Training on March 3. Since then, Lazar has made 7 appearances, maintaining 0.00 ERA over combined 5.2 innings, striking out 7, and earning 2 saves in 2 chances, including one today (3/24/2024)
• LF RJ Schreck (Mariners), a Single-A prospect, goes 1-for-4 with 2-run, game-tying blast in 9-9 tie against Cubs. Homer comes in fourth MLB Spring Training at-bat (3/24/2024)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) tosses perfect inning of relief in 6-2 loss to Reds, lowering ERA to 3.38 and WHIP to 1.00 (3/23/2024)
• P Richard Bleier (Nationals) accomplishes rare feat in 13-4 win over Cardinals. Entering game in 8th inning, Bleier retires side on minimum-possible 3 pitches, inducing 2 groundouts and one flyout. In MLB-leading 10 appearances this spring, Bleier is 1-1 with 1.69 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 9 strikeouts, and zero walks over combined 10.2 innings (3/20/2024)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 2-for-4 in rare tie game, a 3-3 draw against Marlins. In last 6 games, Bregman has hit .474 (9-for-19) with 2 doubles, 2 walks, and 2 RBIs (3/19/2024)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) yields one earned run and strikes out 5 over 3.2 innings to earn win in 13-4 victory over Phillies, making him one of only nine MLB pitchers with 3 or more wins this Spring. On other side of field, C Garrett Stubbs goes 0-for-1 with 2 walks. In only face-off between the two men, Stubbs draws walk on 4 pitches (3/20/2024)
• A new not-for-profit organization, Israel Baseball Americas, is launched to promote baseball among Jewish youth in North America and Latin America — and to create a pipeline of players for Team Israel. Programming will include youth camps, travel teams, high-school showcases, and adult fantasy camps (3/18/2024)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Pirates) rebounds from meager Spring, going 2-for-4 with 3-run, 418-foot HR in 11-2 win over Phillies. It is his first home run as a Pirate (3/18/2024)
• C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) plays backup, but the popular player is outplaying starting catcher J.T. Realmuto this Spring, hitting .368 (7-for-19) with a .455 OBP and .876 OPS, versus .286/.310/.739 for Realmuto. But both men need to watch out for veteran backstop Aramas Garcia, who is hitting .449 (11-for-25) with a HR, 5 doubles, 7 RBIs, .517 OBP, and 1.277 OPS (3/18/2024)
• C CJ Stubbs (Astros/AA), younger brother of Phillies C Garrett Stubbs, earns first hit in nine MLB Spring Training at-bats. A defensive replacement who enters game in 8th inning, the 27-year-old singles off P Dylan Floro, but Astros succumb to Nationals 10-1. Teammate Alex Bregman goes 0-for-1 with 2 walks (3/18/2024)
• CF Harrison Bader (Mets), batting 9th in lineup, goes 2-for-3 with game-tying solo HR and a double in 7-6 win over Marlins. It is his secon dstraight 2-for-3 game (3/17/2024)
• For the second consecutive appearance, Reds prospect Evan Kravetz strikes out the two batters he faces with the minimum-possible 3 pitches apiece. He thus has struck out 4 consecutive batters on a grand total of 12 pitches, a rare feat. This is the 6’8″ southpaw’s first MLB Spring Training (3/17/2024)
• Four Jewish players makes MLB.com’s list of Top 300 Fantasy Draft picks. P Max Fried (Braves) leads with a #50 ranking, followed by 3B Alex Bregman (Astros), 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) and OF Joc Pederson (Diamondbacks)
• Despite hitting .281 with .410 OBP this Spring, 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs) is optioned to Triple-A. First basemen are expected to produce power, and Mervis had only one extra-base hit and 2 RBIs in 39 plate appearances (3/17/2024)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) has lifted batting average from .067 to .323 since March 7. In most recent game, a 5-3 win over Phillies, veteran goes 3-for-4 with double and RBI single (3/15/2024)
• P Richard Bleier is tied for #1 among all MLB pitchers this Spring with 8 appearances. In most recent game, a 5-3 win over Astros, he tosses 0.2 scoreless innings to earn 4th hold (3/14/2024)
• P Dean Kremer fans 3 batters in 7-2 loss to Rays, yielding one earned run on 2 hits and a walk (3/15/2024)
• P Evan Kravetz (Reds/AAA), a 6’8″ southpaw playing in his first MLB camp, improves his record to 2-0 in 19-11 win over Giants. Kravetz needs the bare-mininum 6 pitches to strike out the two batters he faces. Non-roster invitee is perfect in a combined 2 innings over 3 appearances this Spring (3/13/2024)
• LF RJ Schreck (Mariners/A), a 9th-round pick out of Vanderbilt U. in the 2023 draft, makes MLB Spring debut in 4-2 win over Brewers. After entering game as a defensive substitute in 6th inning, Schreck records 3 outs in left field and grounds out on first and only pitch he sees (3/14/2024)
• OF Kevin Pillar (White Sox), who signed minor-league deal with Chicago in February, goes 2-for-3 with 2-for-3 with 2 doubles and 2 RBIs in 15-4 drubbing of Brewers (3/13/2024)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs) goes 1-for-2 in 8-3 win over Guardians. Prospect is 4-for-7 in his last 5 appearances, lifting his batting average from .188 to .304. Thanks to 6 walks against 5 strikeouts this Spring, he is sporting a .448 OBP (3/13/2024)
• P Richard Bleier (Nationals), who signed minor-league deal with Washington in February, tosses perfect inning of relief and strikes out one to earn hold in 2-1 win over Marlins. In 7 appearances this Spring, veteran has held opponents scoreless 6 times, posted 2.35 ERA, earned 3 holds, and struck out 7 while walking zero (3/13/2024)
• Jewish Baseball News welcomes C Josh Janove, a sophomore catcher at Towson U., to our roster of D-1 college players (3/13/2024)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) continues to come up big in Spring Training, going 2-for-3 with 2-run, go-ahead HR that propels Oakland to 4-2 win over Mariners. Gelof now leads Majors with 1.312 OPS, is tied for #2 with 4 HRs, and ranks #4 with .412 batting average. Check out Gelof’s MLB Tonight interview here (3/12/2024)
• Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) goes 2-for-2 with ground-rule double, walk, and one RBI in 9-7 win over Pirates. Backup catcher is hitting .429 with .529 OBP and 1.029 OPS (3/10/2024)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) ranks #3 among all A.L. batters in OPS, at 1.030 (3/10/2024)
• P Evan Kravetz (Reds/AAA), a 6’8″ prospect playing in his first major-league Spring Training, has been perfect in 2 relief appearances, yielding no walks or hits over a combined 1.1 innings and earning the win in a one-pitch performance on March 4 (3/10/2024)
• C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) and brother CJ Stubbs (Astros/AA) play on same diamond for first time as pros. When Garrett comes to home plate in 6th-inning for only at-bat of game, he hugs catcher CJ and then singles on first pitch. In 9th inning, CJ bats for only time in game and flies out on first pitch. Their parents are watching from the stands (3/8/2024)
• LF Joc Pederson (Diamondbacks), who signed one-year contract with Arizona in January, goes 2-for-3 with 2-run, first-pitch HR and 3 RBIs in 7-5 win over Cubs (3/8/2024)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) is off to a hot start at spring training. The second-year Major Leaguer is hitting .381 (8-for-21) with 2 HRs, 3 doubles, 3 walks, and a team-leading 1.268 OPS (3/7/2024)
• Richard Bleier (Nationals) and Jake Bird (Rockies) both are enjoying strong spring performances. Bleier, who signed a minor-league contract with the Nats in February, has been near-perfect in 4 appearances, yielding just one hit and no walks while striking out 4 batters over a combined 4 innings. Bird has nearly identical numbers, except for yielding 2 hits and striking out 3 (3/7/2024)
• SS/2B Justin Rubin, a college junior who transferred to Pepperdine U. after two years at U. of Virginia, is hitting .452 (14-for-31), ranking him #57 among all D1 players (3/5/2024)
• Jewish Baseball News offers a warm welcome to two new arrivals on our list of D-1 players (3/5/2024)
  • P Zach Mizrahi, a junior transfer at Penn State U. Mizrahi previously played at Tallahassee Community College and Daytona State College
  • P Jacob Fried, a senior pitcher at Loyola Marymount U.
• P Harrison Cohen (Yankees/AA), an undrafted signee who made his pro debut in 2023 and ended the season in Double-A, made his MLB Spring Training debut on March 1, and it was a memorable one. Cohen, relieving 2023 Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole, entered the game with 2 outs in the bottom of the 3rd inning, 2 runs already in, a man on third, and Blue Jays CF Nathan Lukes facing a 1-2 count. Cohen tossed one pitch, a 94.8-mph fastball, to retire the side (3/1/2024)
• A total of 22 Jews are at an MLB Spring Training camp this season, including 10 pitchers and 12 position players. For more details, see our article (2/28/2024)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) plays against brother Jake Gelof (Dodgers/A), a 2023 draftee and third baseman experiencing major-league Spring Training for the first time. “I can’t remember the last time I played against him,” Zack says after the game. “Maybe like practicing against each other. But we’ve always been on the same team or different age groups, so this is pretty cool” (2/25/2024)

• P Nelson Berkwich, a senior transfer at SUNY-Binghamton, is a new addition to JBN’s list of D-1 players. Now enjoying his first season as a starter, the Florida native is 2-4 with 5.77 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, and 8.86 strikeouts per 9 innings. A former ballplayer at U. of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Vanderbilt U., Berkwich won a gold medal with USA Baseball’s 15-and-under team at the 2017 Pan-Am Games (4/17/2024)
• IF Jake Rainess, a senior transfer playing his first season at U. of Houston, is a new addition to JBN’s list of D-1 players. The Maryland native is hitting .237 (22-for-93) with 3 HRs, 15 RBIs, 8 stolen bases, and a .321 OBP. As a redshirt junior at U. of Maine, Rainess was a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Award, which honors the country’s top college shortstop. That year, Rainess hit .321 with 16 HRs, 47 RBIs, 38 SBs, a .448 OPB, and 1.071 OPS (4/17/2024)
• P Eric Orloff, a junior reliever at #21-ranked U. of Arizona, is 1-2 with a 4.02 ERA, slim 1.15 WHIP, and 9.77 strikeouts per 9 innings. During his senior year of high school, Perfect Game named Orloff the #1 prospect in Illinois among left-handed pitchers in his class. The 6’3″ southpaw majors in literacy learning and leadership with an emphasis on community education (4/15/2024)
• IF Michael Snyder, a 6’4″ redshirt senior who transferred from U. of Washington to U. of Oklahoma after 2023 season, is hitting .316 with 6 HRs, a team-leading 12 doubles, OBP of .424, and 1.030 OPS. Snyder’s 37 RBIs are #1 both among his teammates and among all Jewish players at D1 colleges (4/12/2024)
• P Charlie Beilenson, a second-year grad student at Duke U., is his team’s closer. The 24-year-old is 2-2 this season with a 2.70 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 12.3 strikeouts per 9 innings. Meanwhile, his 8 saves are tied for #3 among all Division 1 pitchers. Beilenson played for Brown U. as an undergrad, and in 2023, his first season at Duke, he broke the school record for appearances with 39 (4/11/2024)
• C Ethan Swidler, a sophomore at Lafayette College, is hitting .295 (28-for-95) with 5 HRs (tied for #1 on team), 21 RBIs (#2), 33 walks (#1), strikeout-to-walk ratio of 0.61 (#1), OBP of .473 (#1), and 1.010 OPS (#1). In 4/7/2024 win over Navy, Swidler went 1-for-1 with 4 walks and an RBI, while teammate Corey Savedoff tossed perfect inning of relief. A native of San Diego, Swidler is majoring in economics (4/11/2024)
• P Josh Blum, a junior at U. of Southern California, is 2-0 with 2 saves, a 3.38 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and average of 14.16 strikeouts per 9 innings. Blum’s best game so far this season came in March 1 loss to Texas Christian U., when he struck out 5 batters over 2 perfect innings. A native of Belleaire (TX) who was All-District in high-school football, Blum is majoring in real-estate development (4/9/2024)
• OF Dylan Drumke, a redshirt junior at Eastern Illinois U., is hitting .329 (27-for-82) and leads Panthers in multiple categories, including 9 HRs, 30 RBIs, a .450 OBP, and 1.170 OPS. Drumke’s best game of the season came in March 19 win over Lindenwood U., when he went 2-for-3 with HR, walk, and 6 RBIs. A native of Libertyville (IL), Drumke is majoring in sports management (4/8/2024)
• IF Justin Rubin, a junior at Pepperdine U. who transferred this year from U. of Virginia, is hitting .471 (16-for-34) with 3 doubles, 3 RBIs, a .524 OBP, and 1.083 OPS. Rubin was out for a month with shoulder injury but returned to action on April 5, going 2-for-1 with 3 walks in 5-4, walk-off win over U. of San Francisco (4/5/2024)
• Two Jewish grad students are playing outsized role on U. of Georgia’s baseball team (23-6), which is ranked #24 in nation by USA Today’s Baseball Coaches Poll. Charlie Goldstein, a 23-year-old starter, is 4-0 with 4.08 ERA and 1.47 WHIP. Atlanta native Brian Zeldin, a 24-year-old transfer from U. of Pennsylvania, leads Georgia’s bullpen with 2-0 record, 4 saves, 1.23 ERA, and 1.02 WHIP. Goldstein is pursuing a degree in risk management and insurance, while Zeldin chases graduate certificate in entrepreneurship (4/4/2024)
• P Justin Rosner, a senior at SUNY-Binghamton, is 0-0 with a save, 3.37 ERA, and 1.03 WHIP in 6 appearances this season. The 21-year-old righthander has shown remarkable control, striking out 16 batters over 10.2 innings while walking just one (4/2/2024)
• Redshirt junior OF Sam Biller (Loyola Marymount U.) is hitting .308 (33-for-107) with 26 RBIs. He leads Lions in multiple categories, including HRs (9), ABs per HR (11.89), stolen bases (14), OBP (.441), slugging (.598), and OPS (1.039). Biller attended Harvard-Westlake H.S. (Los Angeles, CA), whose MLB alums include P Max Fried (Braves) and retired 1B/3B Josh Satin (4/2/2024)
• Sophomore 2B Henry Godbout (U. of Virginia) is hitting .380 (35-for-92) with 3 HRs, team-leading 13 doubles, 26 RBIs, .478 OBP, and 1.120 OPS for #15-ranked Cavaliers. Godbout hit .286 as freshman and was ranked #46 on D1Baseball’s 2024 preseason list of Top 50 Second Basemen (4/1/2024)

• 2011: 1B Josh Satin (New York Mets/AA) is named Eastern League Player of the Week after hitting .643 (9-for-14) with HR, 4 doubles, 3 walks, and 3 RBIs. He makes MLB debut later in season
• 2009: 1B Kevin Youkilis (Boston Red Sox) hits walk-off HR in 11th inning to seal 5-4 win over rival New York Yankees. “Greek God of Walks” finishes day 2-for-4 with HR, double, 2 walks, and one RBI
• 2002: C/3B Nate Fish (U. of Cincinnati), roommate of Kevin Youkilis, ties Conference USA record by going 6-for-6 with HR and 3 RBIs in 18-3 victory over Miami U. of Ohio. In 2024, Fish will become founding CEO of Israel Baseball America
• 1965: 1B Mike Epstein (Baltimore Orioles/A) hits first pro HR and adds 4 singles and 4 RBIs in 14-4 win over California Angels affiliate
• 1962: P Sandy Koufax (Los Angeles Dodgers) strikes out 18 batters in 10-2 rout of Chicago Cubs. Feat ties MLB record Koufax already shares with Bob Feller for 9-inning game
• Cubs call-up 1B Matt Mervis from Triple-A to join the Major League roster (4/23/2024)
• Cubs place 2B Chase Strumpf (AAA) on 7-day injured list (4/20/2024)
• White Sox option P Jared Shuster to Triple-A (4/18/2024)
• White Sox recall P Jared Shuster from Triple-A (4/17/2024)
• White Sox option P Jared Shuster to Triple-A (4/16/2024)
• Long Island Ducks of independent Atlantic League sign former Mariners and Giants prospect P Sam Delaplane to free-agent contract (4/11/2024)
• Twins transfer P Zack Weiss (AAA) from 15-day injured list to 60-day injured list (4/9/2024)
• White Sox call-up P Jared Shuster from Triple-A (4/8/2024)
• Astros reassign C CJ Stubbs to Double-A (4/7/2024)
• Yankees place P Harrison Cohen (High-A) on 7-day injured list (4/5/2024)
• Yankees assign P Harrison Cohen to High-A (4/5/2024)
• Cardinals promote P Tanner Jacobson to High-A (4/3/2024)
• Cardinals promote LF Zach Levenson to High-A (4/3/2024)
• Mariners promote LF RJ Schreck to High-A (4/3/2024)
• Mets promote P Ben Simon to High-A team (4/1/2024)
• Mets promote C Jordan Dissin to High-A team (3/29/2024)
• White Sox assign SS Shawn Goosenberg to High-A team (3/29/2024)
• Astros place P Colton Gordon (AAA) on 7-day injured list (3/29/2024)
• Braves place C Will King (High-A) on full-season injured list (3/28/2024)
• Twins place P Zack Weiss on 15-day injured list due to right shoulder strain (3/28/2024)
• Nationals assign P Richard Bleier to Triple-A (3/27/2024)
• Astros assign C CJ Stubbs to Triple-A (3/24/2024)
• White Sox sign OF Kevin Pillar to major-league contract (3/24/2024)
• White Sox release OF Kevin Pillar, who was non-roster invitee to MLB Spring Training (3/23/2024)
• Yankees place P Eric Reyzelman (High-A) on 60-day injured list (3/20/2024)
• Orioles place P Daniel Federmna (High-A) on full-season injured list (3/20/2024)
• Braves option P Jared Shuster to Triple-A (3/17/2024)
• Cubs option 1B Matt Mervis to Triple-A (3/17/2024)
• Mariners assign LF RJ Schreck (AA) to major-league Spring Training camp (3/14/2024)
• Cardinals assign OF Zach Levenson (A) to major-league Spring Training camp (3/13/2024)
• White Sox assign LF Shawn Goosenberg (AA) to major-league Spring Training camp
• Giants assign OF Hunter Bishop (A) to major-league Spring Training camp (3/10/2024)
• Angels option P Kenny Rosenberg to Triple-A from MLB Spring Training (3/7/2024)
• Red Sox assign OF Dalton Guthrie to Triple-A (3/7/2024)

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:

• After a rough start that saw him hitting just .067 after six games, 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) ended the Spring on a tear, finishing among A.L. leaders in batting average (.383) and OPS (1.027), while accumulating 2 HRs, 4 doubles, and 8 RBIs.
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) traveled the opposite trajectory. Twelve games into Spring, the second-year player was among MLB leaders in batting average (.412), home runs (4), and OPS (1.312), but he came back to Earth afterward. Still, Gelof finished more than respectably, mounting a .288 batting average, OPS of .928, 4 HRs, 8 RBIs, and 3 doubles. Somewhat concerning were his 20 strikeouts in 57 plate appearances.
• Garrett Stubbs, the Phillies’ beloved back-up catcher, hit .320 with a double, 3 RBIs, and .798 OPS.
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA) hit .286 with a .405 OBP. But he managed only one extra-base hit in 32 plate appearances before being sent back to Triple-A.
• LF RJ Schreck (Mariners/A), a second-year player called up to MLB camp on March 14, made the most of a surprising opportunity. In 7 games, he hit .429 (3-for-7) with a HR and 3 RBIs.
• P Richard Bleier (Nationals) couldn’t have done much better this Spring. In 10 appearances totaling 10.2 innings, the veteran went 1-1 with 2 holds, a 1.69 ERA, top-notch 0.75 WHIP, 9 strikeouts, and zero walks. The Nats send him to Triple-A anyway.
• P Evan Kravetz (Reds/AAA) acquitted himself well after a February 24 call-up from the minors, his first time at an MLB Spring Training camp. In five appearances covering a combined 3.2 innings, he went 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA and 0.60 WHIP, struck out 6 batters while walking none, and held opposing batters to a .167 batting average.
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) went 2-1 in 5 starts, earning a 3.94 ERA and 1.29 WHIP on 14 strikeouts and 5 walks over a combined 14 innings.
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) finished the Spring with a 1-1 record, a save and a hold, 3.38 ERA, and 1.00 WHIP.
• P Max Lazar (Phillies/AA), who was called up to MLB Spring Training camp on March 3, maintained a 0.00 ERA over a combined 5.2 innings across 7 appearances, earning 2 saves in 2 chances and striking out 7 batters. 

Four players who made it to MLB camp didn’t get playing time. They are non-roster invitees P Zack Weiss (Twins) and P Colton Gordon (Astros), and mid-Spring call-ups 2B Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox/AA) and OF Zach Levenson (Cardinals/A).

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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 (Diamondbacks), are non-roster players who were summoned to MLB camp.

Jewish pitchers are off to a fast start. Through February 27, they have combined for 2-1 record and 0.90 ERA on 4 hits, one walk, and 12 strikeouts over 10 innings.

P Evan Kravetz (Reds), a 6-foot-8-inch southpaw who attended Rice University and finished the 2023 season in Triple-A, is the only member of Class of 2024 who is making his MLB Spring Training debut.

To track these players’ Spring Training stats, click this link and select “Spring Training” from the drop-down menu.

1. CF Harrison Bader (Mets) — Active

2. P Jake Bird (Rockies) — Active

3. P Richard Bleier (Nationals) — Active

4. 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) — Active

5. P Max Fried (Braves) — Active

6. 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) — Active

7. 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays) — Active

8. P Evan Kravetz (Reds) — Active

9. P Dean Kremer (Orioles) — Active

10. 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs) — Active

11. OF Joc Pederson (Diamondbacks) — Active

12. P Kenny Rosenberg (Angels) — Active

13. P Jared Shuster (White Sox) — Active

14. C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) — Active

15. 1B Rowdy Tellez (Pirates) — Active

16. P Zack Weiss (Twins) — Active

17. P Colton Gordon (Astros) — NRI

18. OF Dalton Guthrie (Red Sox) — NRI

19. OF Kevin Pillar (White Sox) — NRI

20. IF Chase Strumpf (Cubs) — NRI

21. C CJ Stubbs (Astros) — NRI

# # #

NRI = Non-roster invitee
Active = On team’s 40-man roster

* In March 2024, Jewish Baseball News removed P Eli Morgan from its list of Jewish players, including those participating in Spring Training, after he declared he no longer identified as Jewish

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• Neither of this year’s World Series combatants had a Jewish player on roster. In fact, it’s been a decade since either team did. But Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks both have some Jewish history (11/6/2023):
  • Beginning with OF Elliot Maddox (1972-73), who was on original roster, Rangers have fielded total of 9 Jewish players since franchise’s debut in 1972. Others are P Lloyd Allen (1973-74), 1B Mike Epstein (1973), P Wayne Rosenthal (1991-92), P Al Levine (1998), RF Gabe Kapler (2000-02), P Aaron Poreda (2014), P Scott Feldman (2005-2012), and,2B Ian Kinsler (2006-2013)
  • Diamondbacks have had 6 Jewish players since 1998 debut. First was P Mike Koplove (2001-06), followed by RF Shawn Green (2005-06), 1B Josh Whitesell (2008-09), P Scott Schoeneweis (2009), P Jason Marquis (2011), and P Craig Breslow (2012)
• MiLB.com, the website of minor-league baseball, names OF Noah Mendlinger (AA) a 2023 St. Louis Cardinals Organization All-Star. An undrafted free agent who played for Team Israel in World Baseball Classic, Mendlinger led Cards’ farm system in OBP (.425), walk-to-strikeout ratio (1.27), and strikeout frequency (11.1%) across Double-A and High-A in 2023 (11/3/2023)
• Three major-league veterans declare free agency: DH Joc Pederson (Giants), CF Harrison Bader (Reds), and LF Kevin Pillar (Braves). Cincinnati claimed then-Yankee Bader off waivers in August 2023, but injuries limited him to 14 games with new team. Pillar spent one season with Atlanta, while Pederson spent to with San Francisco (11/2/2023)
• Final 2023 Playoff Stats (10/24/2023)
  • 3B Alex Bregman (Astros): hit .220 (9-for-41) with 4 HRs, 1 triple, 1 double, 7 walks, 7 RBIs, OBP of .347, and OPS of .932. Had zero errors over 99 innings
  • LF Kevin Pillar (Braves): hit .000 (0-for-5) with 2 walks, OBP of .286
  • C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies): played one inning behind plate in Game 2 of N.L. Championship Series. Did not bat
  • P Dean Kremer (Orioles): earned loss in Game 3 of A.L. Division Series after giving up 6 earned runs over 1.2 innings
  • P Max Fried (Braves): yielded 3 earned runs over 4 innings in Game 2 of N.L. Division Series but did not get credit for win
• With both Astros (3B Alex Bregman) and Phillies (C Garrett Stubbs) defeated in League Championship Series, no Jews will play in 2023 World Series (10/24/2025)
• Diamondbacks beat Phillies 4-2 in Game 7 of N.L. Championship Series to advance to World Series against Texas Rangers. C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) does not play. Arizona had been down 3-2 in series but won final 2 games, both in Philadelphia (10/24/2023)
• Two former minor-league pitchers who played for Team Israel in 2020 Summer Olympics are drafted to played in inaugural season of Baseball United, a new league that will feature teams from India, Pakistan, and United Arab Emirates. Alex Katz, who had stints with Cubs, Orioles, and White Sox franchises, is drafted #47 overall by Abu Dhabi Wolves. Meanwhile, ex-Phillies prospect Matt Soren is drafted #75 overall by Abu Dhabi Falcons. Other notable draftees include ex-major leaguers SS Didi Gregorious, 2B Robinson Cano, 3B Pablo Sandoval, and 50-year-old P Bartolo Colon (10/23/2023)
• Rangers pave way to World Series — and leave Astros in dust — with 11-4 win in Game 7 of A.L. Championship Series. 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 2-for-4 with 393-foot HR, double, walk, and RBI. Home run is Bregman’s 4th postseason blast of 2023 and 19th of career, most in MLB history among third basemen. Seven-game ALCS sees visiting team win all 7 games and Astros squander 3-2 series lead. “Tip your hat to them,” Bregman says afterward about Rangers. “They played a heck of a series” (10/23/2023)
• Diamondbacks beat Phillies 5-1 in Game 6 of N.L. Championship Series to force 7th and final game. C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) does not play (10/23/2023)
• Rangers topple Astros 9-2 in Game 6 of A.L. Championship Series to even series at 3 games apiece and force seventh and final game. 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 0-for-3 with walk (10/22/2023)
• Astros pull off dramatic 5-4 victory over Rangers in Game 5 of A.L. Championship Series to earn third straight win. 3B Alex Bregman (Astros), who ends day 1-for-4 with walk and RBI, gets scoring going in 1st inning with 416-foot home run. Round-tripper is Bregman’s 18th postseason HR, an MLB record for third basemen (10/20/2023)
• Diamondbacks ride 3-run 8th inning to beat Phillies 6-5 in Game 4 of N.L. Championship Series and earn second straight win. C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) does not play (10/20/2023)
• Current and former Major Leaguers — including 3B Alex Bregman (Astros), 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics), LF Ryan Braun, IF Kevin Youkilis, C Garrett Stubbs, 2B Ian Kinsler, C Brad Ausmus, 3B/1B Danny Valencia, and RF Shawn Green — declare “I am a Jew” in video released on social media. Players decry anti-Semitism and declare support for Israel (10/19/2023)
• Astros beat Rangers 10-3 in Game 4 of A.L. Championship Series for second straight win. 3B Alex Bregman (Astros), who goes 1-for 3 with 2 walks, gets scoring going in 1st inning with 2-run triple. He earns three-bagger with aggressive baserunning and diving slide into 3rd base (10/19/2023)
• Phillies lead Diamondbacks 1-0 entering bottom of 9th inning in Game 3 of N.L. Championship Series, but Arizona scores 2 runs to earn walk-off win. C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) does not play (10/19/2023)
• Astros bounce back with 8-5 win over cross-state rival Rangers in Game 3 of A.L. Championship Series. 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 1-for-4 with walk, but biggest Jewish story at Globe Life Field in Arlington is retired second baseman and Rangers Hall of Fame member Ian Kinsler. Kinsler — who obtained Israeli citizenship before playing for Israel in 2020 Summer Olympics and managing team in 2023 World Baseball Classic — throws out ceremonial first pitch wearing Israel baseball jersey and Rangers ballcap (10/18/2023)
• Phillies trounce Diamondbacks 10-0 before hometown crowd in Game 2 of N.L. Championship Series. In first appearance of 2023 playoffs, C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) serves as defensive replacement in 9th inning but does not get opportunity to bat (10/17/2023)
• Rangers score 4 runs in 1st inning and hold on to beat Astros and 3B Alex Bregman 5-4 in Houston in Game 2 of A.L. Championship Series. Bregman goes 1-for-4 with 360-foot, solo HR to dead left-field. “I think everyone’s gonna regroup and focus on winning the next pitch,” he says in post-game interview. “You’ve gotta take it pitch by pitch in the postseason when you’re playing against a great team.” In 6 playoff games, Bregman is hitting .217 (5-for-23) with 2 HRs, 3 RBIs, one walk, one HBP, and 6 strikeouts (10/16/2023)
• Phillies beat Diamondbacks 5-3 at home in Game 1 of N.L. Championship Series. Backup catcher Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) has yet to make appearance in postseason. Regular catcher J.T. Realmuto is hitting .269 (7-for-26) in playoffs with 2 HRs, 2 doubles, 7 RBIs, and .898 OPS (10/16/2023)
• Rangers blank Astros and 3B Alex Bregman 2-0 in Game 1 of N.L. Championship Series. Bregman, who goes 1-for-4, nearly ties game with 8th-inning blast that has Houston fans jumping out of their seats. But Rangers LF Evan Carter makes leaping grab at wall and then throws out baserunner to complete double play (10/15/2023)
• Phillies knock Braves out of playoffs with 3-1 win in Game 4 of N.L. Division Series. C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) and P Max Fried (Braves) do not play. LF Kevin Pillar (Braves) goes 0-for-3 and draws walk on pitches that top out at 100.5-mph (10/12/2023)
• Phillies dominate Braves 10-2 in Game 3 of N.L. Division Series. LF Kevin Pillar (Braves) draws pinch-hit walk in 6th inning and plays 2 innings in left field. C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) and P Max Fried (Braves) do not play (10/11/2023)
• Astros slip by Twins 3-2 to clinch A.L. Division Series in 4 games and advance to A.L. Champion Series. 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 0-for-4 but makes slick play on 106-mph rocket (10/11/2023)
• Astros, backed by offensive outburst from 3B Alex Bregman, crush Twins 9-1 in Game 3 of N.L. Division Series. Bregman goes 2-for-5 with solo HR and RBI single. Round-tripper is his 16th in postseason, #5 among active MLB players (10/10/2023)
• Orioles and P Dean Kremer, a dual American-Israeli who has family and friends in besieged Israel, lose 7-1 to Rangers and thus are eliminated from playoffs. Playing in first-ever postseason game, Kremer yields 6 earned runs on 7 hits and one walk before being pulled after 1.2 innings. It is only second time in 71 career starts Kremer has given up 6 or more earned runs in a start lasting under 3 innings, and first time in career he has failed to strike out a single batter. Rangers win A.L. Division series 3 games to zero and advance to A.L. Championship Series (10/10/2023)
• C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) stays on bench, but Philadelphia beats Marlins 7-1 to sweep N.L. Wild Card series. Team advances to N.L. Division Series, where it will face ace P Max Fried and OF Kevin Pillar (10/4/2023)
• Brewers and Blue Jays are eliminated from playoffs after losing Game 2 of Wild Card series. Losses end season for 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) and 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays), both of whom were left off Wild Card rosters (10/4/2023)
• Next games: October 7
  • Orioles (P Dean Kremer) face Rangers in Game 1 of A.L. Division Series
  • Braves (P Max Fried, OF Kevin Pillar) face Phillies (C Garrett Stubbs) in Game 1 of N.L. Division Series
  • Astros (3B Alex Bregman) face Twins in Game 1 of A.L. Division Series
• Jewish Telegraphic Agency publishes first annual list of 36 Jewish Student Athletes to Watch. Writeup features bios of high-school and collegiate athletes across multiple sports and countries (10/4/2023)
• Back-up C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) stays on bench in team’s 4-1 win over Marlins. Stubbs is only Jewish player on a Wild Card roster. Philadelphia leads Miami 1-0 in best-of-3 series, with Game 2 to take place October 4 (10/3/2023)
• P Max Fried (Braves), whose finger blister has kept him out of commission since September 21, tossed 5 innings in “moderated” game on October 3 and is expected to take mound in Game 2 of N.L. Division Series on October 9. According to Braves Beat, questions remain about how often Atlanta’s ace will be able to pitch during playoffs (10/4/2023)
• Brewers shock fans by leaving 1B Rowdy Tellez off roster for N.L. Wild Card matchup against Diamondbacks. The 6’4″, 270-pound veteran hit just .189 (7-for-37) during final month of regular season, with one double, no HRs, and 3 RBIs, while striking out 13 times. According to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Tellez effectively is replaced by Jesse Winker, who hit just .199 in Majors this season and hasn’t played in MLB since July 24 (10/3/2023)
• Player profile: 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) has sneakily good year at plate in 2023, clocking most HRs (25) and RBIs (98) since 2019, best WAR (4.9) since 2019, and ranking #1 in A.L. in walk/strikeout ratio and times on base. As for playoffs, Bregman is ranked #3 among active A.L. players with total of 47 RBIs and is tied for #5 with 15 HRs, leading MLB Network to compare Bregman and teammates to horror-movie characters. Game 1 of Houston’s A.L. Division Series match against Twins takes place October 7 (10/3/2023)
• Congratulations to Israel, which finished 6th out of 16 teams in 2023 European Baseball Championship. Although a step down from the team’s 2nd-place finish in 2021, Israel fielded nine native-born players this year, a substantial increase and a sign of improving home-grown talent (10/2/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman of playoff-bound Astros goes 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs in final regular-season game of 2023, an 8-1 win over Diamondbacks. For only 3rd time in 966 MLB appearances, Bregman hits HR and triple in same game. Houston will begin playoffs on October 7, when team faces either Rays or Rangers in Game 1 of A.L. Division Series (10/1/2023)
• C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) goes 2-for-3 in final game of regular season, a 9-1 win over Mets. Described by franchise as the BBCIB, shorthand for Best Backup Catcher in Baseball, Stubbs racks up 2 RBI singles, walk, and stolen base. Phillies face off against Marlins on October 3, in Game 1 of N.L. Wild Card series (10/1/2023)
• Two other relevant teams play Wild Card games on October 3. Brewers and 1B Rowdy Tellez take on Diamondbacks, while Blue Jays — whose Triple-A prospect, 1B Spencer Horwitz, made MLB debut this season — tackle Twins (10/2/2023)
• Former MLB outfielder Gabe Kapler, who took over as Giants manager in 2020 and led club to franchise-best 107-55 record in 2021, is fired with 3 games remaining in regular season. San Francisco stood 13 games above .500 on August 4 but currently is 4 games under (9/29/2023)
• Which Jewish players will be in MLB playoffs? 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers), C Garrett Stubbs and current minor-league OF Dalton Guthrie (Phillies), P Dean Kremer (Orioles), and P Max Fried, OF Kevin Pillar, and current minor-league P Jared Shuster (Braves) are on teams headed to post-season. Astros and 3B Alex Bregman must win at least one of 2 remaining games to earn third and final A.L. Wild Card spot. 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs) and 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays) both made MLB debuts this season and are with franchises that have a slim chance of making playoffs. 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics), OF Joc Pederson (Giants), current minor-league P Zack Weiss (Red Sox), and pitchers Kenny Rosenberg (Angels), Jake Bird (Rockies), and Eli Morgan (Guardians) all are with franchises that have been eliminated from contention (9/30/2023)
• P Ryan Sherriff, who sported 2.70 ERA in 5 games with Red Sox this season, tossed 2 no-hit innings for Rays in 2020 World Series, and has represented Israel in international competition, announces retirement. “I can definitely hang my cleats up knowing I gave it all I can,” Sherriff writes on Instagram (9/29/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 2-for-4 and scores Houston’s first run in 2-1 win over Diamondbacks (9/29/2023)
• RF Kevin Pillar (Braves) goes 2-for-4 with RBI single in 10-6 loss to Nationals (9/29/2023)
• Israel faces Czech Republic today in team’s European Baseball Championship finale. Winner places 5th in 16-team tourney, while loser places 6th (9/30/2023)
• Israel beats Sweden 6-4 in European Baseball Championship playoffs. RF Zev Moore leads the way, going 3-for-5 with double and 2 RBIs, while reliever Bubby Rossman strikes out 4 batters over 3 perfect innings. Victory in tomorrow’s finale against winner of today’s France/Czech Republic game would land Israel in 5th place out of 16 teams (9/29/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) is dominant in final regular-season outing, a 2-0 victory over Red Sox. He yields just 2 hits and one walk over 5.1 innings while striking out 8 to finish 2023 with 13-5 record. Win is Baltimore’s A.L.-leading 100th of season (9/28/2023)
• Mazel Tov to Blue Jays rookie Spencer Horwitz. On September 22, Toronto named 25-year-old the MVP of its Triple-A team (Buffalo Bisons) in recognition of “record-breaking season at the plate,” including leading International League in OBP and shattering Buffalo’s own OBP record by 26 points. Meanwhile, International League managers polled by Baseball America named Horwitz “Best Defensive 1B” in magazine’s September issue (9/29/2023)
• Conclusion of Triple-A playoffs marks end of 2023 minor-league. Regular-season play resumes in late March 2024 (9/28/2023)
• Israel, ranked #18 worldwide, loses 12-2 to #7-ranked Netherlands in quarterfinal of European Baseball Championship. Israel faces Sweden on Friday, September 29, in bid to place 5th in tournament (9/28/2023)
• C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) opens up scoring with first HR of season, a 3-run shot that narrows deficit to 5-4 en route to 7-6 win over Pirates. Stubby – whom Philadelphia recently dubbed “BBCIB,” or Best Backup Catcher in Baseball, in a tweet – was interviewed after game (9/27/2023)
• With Braves behind 6-0 in 6th inning, LF Kevin Pillar starts rally by crushing 425-foot HR, which happens to be Atlanta’s 300th round-tripper of season. Braves go on to edge Cubs 7-6 (9/26/2023)
• Not every MLB pitcher gets attention from Jewish baseball analyst Rob Friedman, whose Pitching Ninja videos draw more than a million followers on social media and recently spawned a Jewish Telegraphic Agency article. But on September 23, Ninja honored a strikeout pitch that Angels rookie Kenny Rosenberg tossed en route to a shutout that same day. Wrote Friedman: “Kenny Rosenberg, Dirty 86mph Cutter…and Sword” (9/28/2023)
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch publishes article about prospect Noah Mendlinger (AA), a versatile OF/IF who led Texas League in OBP (.422) and walk/strikeout ratio (1.28) this season. Springfield Cardinals manager Jose Leger credits that success to “chip on his shoulder” – Mendlinger went undrafted out of college — and strong work ethic. “He’s the first one in the cages and the last one out,” Leger says. “He wants to be better. He’s been working really hard and it’s paying off” (9/26/2023)
• Israel takes early 9-2 lead against Belgium and holds on to win 11-8 in third and final game of round-robin portion of European Baseball Championship. SS Benjamin Rosengard goes 2-for-4 with HR, walk, and 2 RBIs, 1B Brett Holtz goes 3-for-4 with double, walk, and one RBI, and C Ryan Lavarnway goes 0-for-1 with 2 walks, 2 sacrifice flies, and 2 RBIs. Israel’s next game will take place Thursday, September 28, against a yet-to-be-determined opponent (9/26/2023)
• Israel strikes out 13 times in 2-0 loss to Germany, evening its record at 1-1 in round-robin portion of European Baseball Championship. P Alex Katz strikes out 3 over 1.1 perfect innings, while P Bubby Rossman strikes out side in 8th inning (9/25/2023)
• Israel scores 8 runs in first 2 innings and goes on to beat Switzerland 14-1 in first game of round-robin portion of European Baseball Championship. Pitchers Itai Spinoza and David Feins together yield one earned run on 3 hits and 5 walks over 7 innings while striking out 8 batters (9/24/2023)
• For first time since being drafted out of high school in 2013, 1B Rowdy Tellez takes mound in professional game, holding Marlins scoreless in bottom of 9th inning to earn 16-1 win and clinch playoff spot. Tellez yields lone hit on 47-mph eephus, strikes out RF Jesus Sanchez swinging on 63.4-mph fastball, and retires side on 13 total pitches at speeds topping out at 71.1-mph. According to Elias Sports, Tellez is first position player in MLB history to help team clinch playoff by closing out deciding game on mound. Tellez is interviewed after game (9/22/2023)
• P Kenny Rosenberg (Angels) tosses 5 shutout innings in 1-0 win over Twins, yielding 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5. It is rookie’s second straight winning start (9/23/2023)
• RF Kevin Pillar (Braves) goes 1-for-4 with 2-run, go-ahead HR in Game 2 of doubleheader en route to 8-5 win over Nationals. In Game 1 loss to Washington, Pillar goes 1-for-2 with RBI on sacrifice fly and is caught trying to steal second after singling (9/24/2023)
• P Max Fried (Braves) is placed on 15-day injured list due to nagging blister on left index finger, thus ending his regular-season play. Atlanta hopes star pitcher will return in time for N.L. Division Series (9/22/2023)
• Minor-league season is over for all but one Jewish player: P Rob Kaminsky (Mariners/AA), who pitches scoreless inning in opening-game loss to Diamondbacks affiliate in Texas League Championship Series. Game 2 takes place Tuesday, September 26 (9/24/2023)
• P Max Fried (Braves) runs season record to 8-1 in 10-3 win over Nationals, yielding one earned run on 3 hits and one walk over 6 innings while striking out 7. Fried left game after 6th inning due to ongoing issue with blister. Braves have best record in MLB and have clinched home-field advantage through N.L. Championship Series (9/21/2023)
• DH Joc Pederson (Giants) hits game-tying solo HR, a 430-foot bomb, in 7-2 loss to Dodgers. Round-tripper is 15th of season but first against southpaw. It also is 58th go-ahead HR of Pederson’s career. San Francisco’s chances of securing final N.L. Wild Card spot are dwindling (9/21/2023)
• P Eli Morgan (Guardians) tosses 2 perfect innings and strikes out 3 in 5-2 win over A.L. East-leading Orioles. Cleveland is unlikely to secure final A.L. Wild Card spot (9/21/2023)
• Team Israel discloses roster for European Baseball Championship, which takes place next week in Czech Republic. List of players includes several former major- and minor-leaguers, current or former collegians, and encouraging number of native Israelis (9/21/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) goes 2-for-4 with 408-foot HR and stolen base in 6-3 loss to Mariners. Gelof is one of only 7 first-year players in MLB with 13+ HRs and 13+ SBs, despite having fewest ABs among them. Oakland has been eliminated from 2023 playoffs (9/20/2023)
• DH Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays) goes 1-for-4 with bases-loaded, go-ahead walk in 8th inning and 2-run single in 9th inning of 6-1 victory over Yankees. Win is 5th straight for Toronto, which is in tight fight for A.L. Wild Card spot (9/20/2023)
• P Zack Weiss (Red Sox) tosses no-hit inning in 5th straight scoreless appearance, yielding one walk and striking out 2 on 13 total pitches as Boston loses 15-5 to Rangers. Last-place Red Sox are unlikely to make playoffs (9/20/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis and 2B Chase Strumpf (Cubs/AAA) combine for 2 HRs, 2 walks, and 5 RBIs in 11-7 win over Reds affiliate. Mervis goes 1-for-4 with 2-run HR, while Strumpf goes 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs (9/20/2023)
• C Jordan Dissin (Phillies/A) goes 1-for-4 and tags out runner trying to score on flyout, but team loses Florida State League championship final to Marlins affiliate, 7-4 (9/20/2023)
• Update on minor-league playoffs: Single-A and High-A playoffs are over. Triple-A still is in regular season. Double-A playoffs are underway and feature 5 Jewish players: SS Shawn Goosenberg (Braves/AA) is facing off against P Harrison Cohen (Yankees/AA), P Rob Kaminsky (Mariners/AA) is squaring off against 3B Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA), and P Sam Delaplane (Giants/AA) also is active (9/21/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 1-for-3 with walk and solo HR in 9-5 loss to Orioles. Round-tripper is 24th, tying him for #22 in AL. Houston is in 1st place in A.L. west, half game in front of Mariners and Rangers. Magic number is 11 to win division
• DH Joc Pederson (Giants) goes 1-for-3 with walk and solo HR in 8-4 loss to Diamondbacks. San Francisco is in 3rd place in AL West (9/19/2023)
• LF Kevin Pillar (LF) goes 1-for-2 with 2-run single in 4th inning in 9-3 win over C Garrett Stubbs’ Phillies. Pinch-hitter who replaces Pillar in 5th inning strikes out. Atlanta, in 1st place in N.L. East, has clinched division title. Philadelphia is in 2nd place in same division (9/19/2023)
• P Eli Morgan (Guardians ) tosses perfect inning of relief in 7-6 loss to Guardians. Cleveland is in 2nd place in A.L. Central (9/19/2023)
• P Zack Weiss (Red Sox) tosses scoreless inning on one walk in 6-4 loss to Rangers. Boston is in last place in A.L. East. (9/19/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA) goes 2-for-3 with double and 2 RBIs in 8-4 win over Reds affiliate (9/19/2023)
• C Jordan Dissin (Phillies/A), who is interviewed for article in Prospects1500, goes 1-for-3 with walk but gives up 4 stolen bases in 3-1 win over Marlins affiliate to force third and deciding game Wednesday for Florida State League championship (9/19/2023)       
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) goes 1-for-3 with walk and stolen base, but Mariners prevail 5-0. Oakland is dead last in A.L. West at 46-104 and out of playoff race (9/18/2023)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) tosses scoreless inning of relief in 11-9 defeat by Padres, yielding no hits and one walk while striking out one. Colorado is in last place in N.L. West at 56-94 and not playoff-bound (9/18/2023)
• Register to join Team Israel manager Nate Fish, captain Ryan Lavarnway, and pitcher/coach Josh Zeid for live video conversation at 9:00am ET on September 21 from Czech Republic, where they are preparing for 2023 European Baseball Championship. Israel will kick off series when it takes on Switzerland in televised game (payment required) at 5:00am ET on September 24 (9/19/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) yields one earned run on just 2 hits, 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts over 5 innings but doesn’t get credit for 5-4 win over Rays. Playoff-bound Baltimore has won 12 of Kremer’s last 13 starts (9/17/2023)
• DH Joc Pederson (Giants) goes 2-for-5 with RBI double in 11-10 win over Rockies, leaving San Francisco 2 games behind in race for Wild Card playoff spot (9/17/2023)
• C Jordan Dissin (Phillies/A) goes 1-for-3 with RBI double and walk in Game 1 of Florida State League Championships, but Marlins affiliate prevails 8-7 (9/17/2023)
• RF Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA), who leads Texas League with .422 OBP, reaches base in 4 of 5 plate appearances, going 2-for-3 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored in 7-5 win over Padres affiliate (9/17/2023)
• P Harrison Cohen (Yankees/AA) tosses scoreless inning in second Double-A appearance, a 7-1 win over Blue Jays affiliate (9/17/2023)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) goes 2-for-2 with walk and RBI in 9-5 win over Nationals (9/16/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) goes 1-for-4 with 398-foot HR, RBI, and diving catch in 5-2 loss to Padres (9/16/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 3-for-4 with walk, RBI, and error in 10-8 loss to Royals (9/16/2023)
• 2B Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA) goes 2-for-3 with walk and game-tying single in 8th inning, but team loses 7-6 to Padres affiliate (9/16/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA) goes 1-for-4 with RBI double in 1st inning and 3B Chase Strumpf goes 2-for-4 with solo HR in 7-5 win over twins affiliate (9/16/2023)
• P Rob Kaminsky (Mariners/AA) tosses 2 scoreless innings to earn win in 10-1 victory over Royals affiliate, yielding one hit and no walks while striking out 2. After struggling at Triple-A level, where he went 2-0 with blown save, 7.52 ERA, and 1.92 WHIP, Kaminsky – a 1st-round pick who pitched briefly for Cardinals in 2020 – is 4-1 with 3.00 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in Double-A (9/16/2023)
• We failed to report last month that C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) was named a winner of 2023 Heart and Hustle Awards on August 3. Annual honor is presented to member of each MLB team who most “demonstrates a passion for the game of baseball and best embodies the values, spirit and traditions of the game” (9/16/2023)
• SS Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox/AA) goes 1-for-4 with walk and solo HR in second game since promotion to Double-A, a 10-6 loss to Reds affiliate (9/15/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA) goes 2-for-4 and opens bottom of 1st inning with RBI single. Meanwhile, teammate and 2B Chase Strumpf goes 1-for-3 with 2-run single that puts team ahead for good in 7-6 win over Twins affiliate (9/15/2023)
• LF Dalton Guthrie (Braves/AAA) provides only run needed to defeat Marlins affiliate, a 5th-inning single to center field in 2-0 win (9/15/2023)
• Retired Phillies and Mets IF/OF Ty Kelly speaks to reporter about news that minor leaguers have joined MLB players union (9/15/2023)
• 3B Jake Gelof (Dodgers/A) is named California League Player of the Week (September 4-10) after hitting .360 with 4 HRs, 16 RBIs, and 1.327 OPS. Earlier in 2023, Gelof broke school records at U. of Virginia for HRs and RBIs, including both single-season and career totals (9/12/2023)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies), who suffered 10th blown save of season on September 12 by yielding 2-run HR to Cubs, is first MLB pitcher since at least 1914 to have 10 or more save opportunities in season and blow all of them. He has blown more saves in 2023 than all but one other MLB reliever, P Emmanuel Clase (Guardians). And Clase leads the Majors with 40 successful saves (9/15/2023)
• LF Kevin Pillar (Braves) helps Atlanta clinch N.L. East title in 4-1 win over Phillies, going 2-for-4 with RBI double (9/13/2023)
• P Zack Weiss (Red Sox) tosses 2 scoreless innings of relief in 8-5 loss to Yankees, yielding one hit and one walk (9/14/2023)
• P Max Lazar (Brewers/AA) enters game in 8th inning with no outs and men on 2nd and 3rd bases but quickly ends rally, then tosses scoreless 9th in 4-2 loss to Rays affiliate (9/13/2023)
• Now, some news on three undrafted prospects:
  • RF Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA) goes 2-for-4 with HBP and stolen base in 10-2 win over Padres affiliate. He ranks #1 in Texas League with .413 OBP, and #9 with .292 BA (9/14/2023)
  • 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA) goes 2-for-2 with 427-foot HR to dead center field, game-tying double, HBP, and 2 RBIs. He has 20 HRs in Triple-A this season, plus 3 in Majors (9/14/2023)
  • P Harrison Cohen (Yankees/AA) earns save in Double-A debut, allowing just one baserunner over 2.1 scoreless innings en route to 6-2 win over Blue Jays affiliate (9/14/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) goes 2-for-5 with 2 doubles and 2 runs scored in 6-2 win over Astros. With 18 doubles in 207 ABs this season, rookie is averaging one double every 11.5 ABs, good enough to rank him #4 among all MLB batters with at least 15 doubles. On other side of field, 3B Alex Bregman goes 0-for-3 with walk (9/12/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Reds) goes 2-for-4 with 2-run, go-ahead double to help team gain on Diamondbacks in hunt for Wild Card playoff spot. Although teammate who pinch-hits for Bader in 10th inning strikes out, Cincinnati goes on to beat Detroit 6-5 (9/12/2023)
• P Max Fried (Braves) yields one earned run over 5 innings in 7-6, extra-inning win over Phillies but does not get decision, striking out 6 batters while allowing 4 hits and 2 walks. His 2.64 ERA ranks #5 among all N.L. pitchers with at least 10 starts (9/12/2023)
• P Zack Weiss (Red Sox) delivers in 2nd outing for Boston, a 4-1 loss to Yankees. Entering game in 7th inning with one out and men on 1st and 2nd, Weiss ends threat by getting DH Aaron Judge and 2B Gleyber Torres – who have 56 HRs between them — to strike out swinging (9/12/2023)
• P Rob Kaminsky (Mariners/AA) tosses 2 innings of near-perfect relief to earn win in 15-3 triumph over Diamondbacks affiliate, yielding no hits and one walk while recording one strikeout (9/12/2023)
• Talk about a tall order: LF Kevin Pillar (Braves), who hasn’t had at-bat since August 30, comes to plate as pinch hitter with score tied 8-8 in 10th inning and faces Phillies reliever José Alvardo, who ranks #3 in strikeout frequency and #6 in ERA among N.L. pitchers with 30+ innings. But Pillar prevails, connecting with 91.3-mph cutter for go-ahead single in 10-8 win. On other side of field, C Garrett Stubbs goes 0-for-4 but erases one of two stolen-base attempts by MLB steal leader Ronald Acuña Jr. (9/11/2023)
• DH Joc Pederson (Giants) goes 2-for-4 with walk and game-tying single in 5-4 win over Guardians (9/11/2023)
• DH Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays) rockets pinch-hit single and scores run in 10-4 loss to Rangers (9/11/2023)
• JBN welcomes four more collegians to our list of Division 1 ballplayers (9/12):
  • P/IF Dylan Banner (U. of Albany) is a 6’5”, 245-pound sophomore out of Plainview, NY. In 2022, Banner was voted Diamond Award Pitcher of the Year by the Nassau Baseball Coaches Association and was named Newsday’s Nassau Player of the Year after going 7-0 with 2 no-hitters and 2 one-hitters while hitting .475 with 7 HRs and 34 RBIs
  • UF Jacob Steinberg (James Madison U.) is a 6’1”, 220-pound graduate student from Germantown, MD, who is playing for his second college team. Steinberg hit .355 with .438 OBP and .986 OPS at JMU in 2023
  • OF Myles Kallinger (U. of San Francisco) is a 5’8”, 155-pound freshman from Agoura Hills, CA. In 2023, Kallinger was named Second Team All-Marmonte League
  • P Slaide Naturman (U. of Miami) is a 6’2”, 184-pound junior transfer who has played for 2 other college teams. At Gulf Coast Community College in 2023, Naturman was 6-2 with 6.65 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, and 11.74 strikeouts per inning
• P Kenny Rosenberg (Angels) delivers best start of brief MLB career, tossing 5 innings of one-run ball on 6 hits, an intentional walk, and 4 strikeouts to earn first career win in 2-1 victory over Guardians. Rosenberg caps off 5th and final inning by striking out batter with 2 outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd bases (9/10/2023)
• 3B Jake Gelof (Dodgers/A) continues offensive assault, going 2-for-5 with HR, double, and 5 RBIs in 8-6 win over Diamondbacks affiliate. The younger brother of Athletics rookie Zack Gelof has homered in 5 of last 7 games, during which he has hit .333 with 17 RBIs and 1.275 OPS. Of all 614 amateurs selected in 2023 draft, Gelof’s 27 RBIs are tied for 7th place with #2 overall pick Dylan Crews (9/10/2023)
• P Ben Simon (Mets/A), a 13th-round pick in 2023 draft, pitches inning of scoreless relief in 13-4 loss to Reds affiliate, yielding no hits and one walk while striking out two (9/10/2023)
• Bash brothers: 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) and 3B Jake Gelof (Dodgers/A) both homer today. Zack goes 2-for-4 with walk and 2-run HR in 7th inning to tie game at 2-2, but Oakland ends up losing 3-2 to Rangers. Meanwhile, Jake goes 1-for-4 and homers for 4th game in last six, a 2-run shot in 8-5 win over Diamondbacks affiliate (9/9/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Reds) goes 1-for-3 with RBI single, walk, and 19th stolen base in 4-3 loss to Cardinals (9/9/2023)
• P Zack Weiss, recently grabbed off waivers, makes Red Sox debut in 13-12 loss to Orioles. Weiss tosses perfect 5th inning but gives up 2 hits in 6th inning, both of them solo HRs (9/9/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA) goes 2-for-3 with 19th HR, 2 walks, and 2 RBIs in 8-3 win over Royals affiliate (9/9/2023)
• P Jared Shuster (Braves/AAA) earns 7-1 win over Red Sox affiliate in 6-inning start, yielding one earned run on 3 hits and 5 walks while striking out 7 (9/8/2023)
• C CJ Stubbs (Astros/AA) goes 3-for-4 with 14th HR, 2 doubles, and 3 RBIs in 8-2 win over Twins affiliate (9/8/2023)
• On surface, DH/LF Joc Pederson (Giants) doesn’t appear to be at his best. Tenth-year pro is hitting .246 with 12 HRs, 45 RBIs, .357 OBP, and .785 OPS in 297 ABs. But Pederson’s plate discipline, measured by walk/strikeout ratio, is career best 65%. So too is .377 XWOBA, which measures expected on-base percentage independent of defense. And Pederson’s exit velocity exceeds 95-mph nearly 52% of time, placing him in 94th percentile of all MLB batters (9/8/2023)
• P Max Fried (Braves) raises record to 7-1 in win over Cardinals, yielding 3 earned runs on 6 hits and 2 walks over 6 innings while striking out 4. Fried also tosses out would-be base stealer at 2nd base. His career win-loss percentage of .701 ranks #3 among all active pitchers with 50 or more decisions (9/7/2023)
• Zack Weiss (Red Sox/AAA) throws 1.1 scoreless innings in 5-4 loss to Braves affiliate, yielding no hits and one walk while striking out 3. Weiss has yet to give up a run since Boston claimed him off waivers from Angels, tossing total of 4 scoreless innings over 4 appearances on 2 hits, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts (9/7/2023)
• 2B Chase Strumpf (Cubs/AAA) reaches base in all 4 plate appearances, singling twice and walking twice in 10-2 loss to Royals affiliate. Strump also steals 1st base of season and 4th overall in 1,108 career ABs (9/7/2023)
• C CJ Stubbs (Astros/AA) goes 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in 3-2 loss to Twins affiliate. His 35.5% strikeout rate is 3rd highest among all Texas League batters with 300 or more plate appearances (9/7/2023)
• OF RJ Schreck (Mariners/A) goes 3-for-4 with double and 2 RBIs in 8-0 win over Rockies affiliate. The 2023 draftee also throws out runner at 2nd base (9/7/2023)
• P Max Fried (Braves) has 60-26 career record with Atlanta, equivalent to win/loss percentage of .698. That’s best W-L% of any pitcher in history of Braves franchise, which dates back to 1876. Hall of Fame P Greg Maddux ranks third on list, at .688 (9/6/2023)
• One day after smashing grand-slam HR and driving in 5 runs, 3B Jake Gelof (Dodgers/A) goes 1-for-3 with 3-run HR and 4 RBIs in 6-2 win over Diamondbacks affiliate. It is third straight game the 2023 draftee has homered (9/6/2023)
• P Rob Kaminsky (Mariners/AA) tosses 2 no-hit innings on just 23 pitches to earn win in 15-3 victory over Diamondbacks affiliate (9/6/2023)
• Big day for 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics). After hitting .286 with 7 HRs and 15 RBIs in August, the 2021 draftee is named A.L Rookie of the Month. Gelof also goes 2-for-4 with double and participates in 3 double plays in 7-1 loss to Blue Jays (9/5/2023)
• Not to be outdone by older brother Zack, 3B Jake Gelof (Dodgers/A) goes 3-for-5 with RBI single, double, grand-slam HR, and 5 RBIs in 11-0 cakewalk over Diamondbacks affiliate. Double and RBI single come off losing P Jacob Steinmetz, who yields 5 earned runs on 5 hits, 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts in 4.2-inning start (9/5/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) tosses 4.2 scoreless innings in 5-4 victory over Angels, yielding 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 5. Although Kremer doesn’t get decision, his 12 victories are tied for #5 in A.L., and his .706 win/loss percentage is tied for #3
• LF Joc Pederson (Giants) goes 3-for-4 with 2 doubles, walk, and one RBI in 11-8 loss to Cubs. His RBI double to deep right field ties score at 4-4 in 6th inning (9/5/2023)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) tosses perfect inning and strikes out 2 in 3-2 win over Diamondbacks to earn 11th hold of season. Bird’s 62 appearances are tied for #5 in N.L. (9/5/2023)
• P Colton Gordon (Astros/AAA) dominates Dodgers affiliate in 7-0 win, yielding just 4 hits and one walk over 6 shutout innings. MLB.com ranks Gordon #7 among Houston’s top prospects and projects he will reach Majors in 2024 (9/5/2023)
• LF Dalton Guthrie (Braves/AAA) goes 1-for-1 with 2-run HR, sacrifice fly, walk, HBP, and 3 RBIs in 6-5 win over Red Sox affiliate (9/5/2023)
• C Jordan Dissin (Phillies/A) erases 1 of 3 stolen-base attempts and goes 2-for-4 with double and three-run HR in 7-3 win over Cardinals affiliate. On other side of field, LF Zach Levenson goes 1-for-4 (9/5/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 4-for-4 with double, 2 game-tying singles, and 2 RBIs in 13-6 win over Rangers, his second 4-for-4 outing of career and eighth 4-hit game overall. Bregman has been on fire since All-Star break. Of all A.L. hitters with at least 150 PAs since then, his .330 average ranks #6, his .427 OBP ranks #5, his .996 OPS ranks #5, and his .966 walk-to-strikeout ratio ranks #3 (9/4/2023)
• Two rookies face off in Toronto’s 6-5, extra-inning win over Athletics. 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) goes 2-for-5 with bunt single and stolen base, while 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays) goes 1-for-4 with RBI double, HBP, and one RBI. Gelof’s SB is his 10th, making him one of only 5 rookies to make MLB debut in 2023 and hit 10 or more HRs while also stealing 10 or more bases — and he does so in only 176 ABs. But Gelof’s stolen base is erased when he is picked off, and he ends Toronto’s 10th-inning rally by hitting into double play (9/4/2023)
• After brutal 3rd inning in which he yields 3 earned runs on 5 hits, P Kenny Rosenberg (Angels) settles down in 6-3 loss to Orioles, tossing 3 scoreless innings on 2 hits and one walk (9/4/2023)
• Playing in only 5th MLB game, rookie 1B Spencer Horwitz (Toronto Blue Jays) goes 3-for-4 with HR, RBI single, walk, and 2 RBIs in 7-5 win over Rockies. His 442-foot moon shot to right field is first Major League round-tripper. After win, Horwitz gets beer shower from teammates and gives home-run ball to older brother Ben (9/3/2023)
• LF Dalton Guthrie (Braves/AAA) goes 3-for-4 with walk and game-tying single in 6-5 win over Cardinals affiliate (9/3/2023)
• P Tanner Jacobson (Cardinals/A) strikes out all 4 batters he faces in 3-1 loss to Pirates affiliate. His average of 12.49 strikeouts per 9 innings ranks #6 among all Florida State League pitchers with at least 50 innings under belt. Meanwhile, teammate LF Zach Levenson goes 1-for-2 with walk (9/3/2023)
• 3B Jake Gelof (Dodgers/A), a 2023 draftee, goes 1-for-5 with go-ahead HR in 8-7 loss to Athletics affiliate. Round-tripper is Gelof’s first at Single-A level (9/3/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Reds) doesn’t get at-bat or play outfield, but he earns critical role in walk-off win over Cubs. After teammate doubles in bottom of 9th inning with Cincinnati down 1-0, Bader enters game as pinch runner, promptly steals third base, and comes home on single to earn 1-1 tie. RF Hunter Renfroe – who like Bader was claimed off waivers by Reds this week – subsequently drives home winning run with groundball forceout (9/2/2023)
• 3B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) goes 2-for-3 with double and 3 RBIs in 5-3 win over Astros affiliate. In last 3 games, Scheiner has hit .500 (5-for-10) with 2 HRs, double, 2 walks, and 10 RBIs, boosting his minor-league leading RBI total to 105
• P Evan Kravetz (Reds/AAA), a reliever, makes second start of season in 5-2 win over Royals affiliate. The 6’8” southpaw yields one unearned run on 2 hits and one walk over 3.2 innings while striking out 3 batters (9/2/2023)
• P Max Fried (Braves) dominates Dodgers 6-3, striking out 10 and yielding 3 hits and 2 walks over 7 scoreless innings to raise record to 6-1. It is fourth time in 7-year career that Fried has recorded double-digit strikeouts, and third time he has yielded 5 or fewer baserunners over 7+ innings (9/1/2023)
• Blue Jays prospect Spencer Horwitz, hitting a blistering .337 with .450 OBP in Triple-A, is called-up by Toronto for second time this season. The 5’10” first baseman made MLB debut in June, going 2-for-8 with 2 walks and one RBI over 3 games (9/1/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Reds), claimed off waivers from Yankees on August 31, makes franchise debut in doubleheader against Cubs, going 0-for-3 in Game 1 loss and serving as pinch runner in Game 2 win. Bader says he didn’t know he’d been placed on waivers until he saw it on ESPN, leading sportscasters to criticize New York’s handling of farewell (9/1/2023)
• After enduring 3-for-28 slump on road trip, 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) rebounds in 9-2 win over Angels, going 2-for-5 with 2 doubles and 2 RBIs (9/1/2023)
• 3B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) goes 2-for-3 with HR, walk, and 3 RBIs in 4-2 win over Astros affiliate but also makes 2 errors. His 30 HRs rank #3 among all minor-league hitters, and his 102 RBIs rank #2 (9/1/2023)
• P Max Lazar tosses 1.1 no-hit innings to earn save in 4-3 win over Cubs affiliate, his third save in 3 chances this season and first since promotion to Double-A. Lazar’s first strikeout of day helps team match single-season record of 1,235, and his second strikeout sets new high (9/1/2023)
• DH Joc Pederson (Giants) goes 2-for-4 and opens scoring with RBI single in 3rd inning as San Francisco triumphs 7-2 over Padres (8/31/2023)
• 3B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) goes 1-for-4 with HR and 4 RBIs in 5-3 win over Astros affiliate. His 29 HRs rank #3 among all minor-league hitters, while his 99 RBIs rank #2. The 28-year-old has never gotten a Major League call-up (8/31/2023)
• Infield duo of 2B Chase Strumpf and 1B Matt Mervis combine for 5 RBIs to help Iowa Cubs (AAA) achieve 10-7, come-from-behind win over Tigers affiliate. Strump ties game in 4th inning with HR, while Mervis breaks tie in 5th inning with RBI double (8/31/2023)
• LF RJ Schreck (Mariners/A), a 2023 draftee, goes 3-for-3 with 2 doubles, walk, and go-ahead RBI in 5-2 win over Angels affiliate. He also tosses out runner at home plate to end 8th-inning threat (8/31/2023)
• It’s rare that a national publication like the Washington Post profiles a minor-league player, but P Jacob Steinmetz (Diamondbacks/High-A), an Orthodox Jew, is exception. Article addresses challenges of keeping kosher and honoring Sabbath while playing pro ball (8/31/2023)
• Breaking news: CF Harrison Bader, placed on waivers by Yankees earlier this week, has been claimed by a Cincinnati Reds team in hot pursuit of playoff spot. Bader joined New York in August 2022 trade and went on to hit 5 HRs that postseason. “It just means so much to me to be a New York City kid playing in The Bronx for the Yankees,” Bader tells reporters today. Says teammate Aaron Judge: “It’s tough…We’ve grown to have a great relationship these past two years…He just wants to win” (8/31/2023)
• Is he or isn’t he? News reports say Yankees have placed CF Harrison Bader on waivers, making him available to playoff-bound teams, but New York hasn’t confirmed. Meanwhile, Bader goes 1-for-3 with walk and 17th stolen base in 6-2 win over Tigers (8/30/2023)
• LF Kevin Pillar (Braves) goes 2-for-4 and opens scoring with 443-foot HR, the second-longest of career, in 3rd inning of 7-3 win over Rockies. It is 11th time Pillar has homered and stolen base in same game but first time in 2 years. His HR comes on day Atlanta sets franchise record for most round-trippers in a season. On other side of field, P Jake Bird strikes out one in perfect inning of relief (8/30/2023)
• 3B Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA) continues on-base assault, going 4-for-5 with HR, ground-rule double, bunt single, and 2 RBIs in 6-5 win over Royals affiliate. Since promotion from High-A in early May, his 1.24 walk-to-strikeout ratio ranks #3 among Texas League hitters with 300+ plate appearances, his .416 OBP ranks #4, and his 14 HBPs rank #6 (8/30/2023)
• P Colton Gordon (Astros/AAA) earns second Triple-A win, tossing 4 innings of scoreless relief in 12-1 drubbing of Mariners affiliate. Normally a starter, it is Gordon’s third relief stint of season across 2 leagues and first since May 26. On other side of field, 3B Jake Scheiner goes 1-for-2 and draws walk in lone faceoff with Gordon (8/30/2023)
• P Zack Weiss (Red Sox/AAA) makes debut with Boston franchise, throwing 1.1 scoreless innings on one hit, one walk, and 2 strikeouts in 7-3 loss to Orioles affiliate (8/30/2023)
• Multiple other minor-league pitchers also fare well. Harrison Cohen (Yankees/High-A) strikes out 6 over 2 innings of scoreless relief in 9-3 loss to Nationals affiliate, yielding 2 hits and 2 walks. Evan Kravetz (Reds/AA) strikes out 2 in perfect inning amid 4-2 loss to Royals affiliate. Sam Delaplane (Giants/AA) tosses 2 scoreless innings to earn 3rd hold in 5-4 win over Rockies affiliate. And Rob Kaminsky (Mariners/AA) earns win with 2 perfect innings and one strikeout in 12-2 victory over Dodgers affiliate (8/30/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) doesn’t get ‘W’ in Baltimore’s 9-3 win over White Sox but certainly deserves the credit, yielding one earned run on 6 hits, zero walks, and 5 strikeouts over 6 innings. Baltimore has won 9 of Kremer’s last 10 starts (8/29/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 3-for-5 with 2 RBIs and opens scoring with 1st-inning HR, his 22nd round-tripper, in 6-2 win over Red Sox. Among all A.L. batters in August, Bregman is tied for #4 in Wins Above Replacement (8/29/2023)
• LF Kevin Pillar (Braves) goes 1-for-4 with 2 RBIs and go-ahead sacrifice fly in 6th inning of 14-4 win over Rockies (8/28/2023)
• P Eli Morgan (Guardians) strikes out 4 of 6 batters he faces, 3 of them swinging, in 10-6 win over Twins (8/28/2023)
• 3B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) goes 2-for-4 with league-leading 28th HR and RBI double in 5-0 win over Astros affiliate, boosting his RBI total to #1-ranked 95. The round-tripper is 100th of Scheiner’s minor-league career (8/29/2023)
• P Jacob Steinmetz (Diamondbacks/A), coming into game with 0-17 career record, earns first pro win in 8-3 victory over Rockies affiliate. In 5 innings of relief, the 6’6” righty yields one earned run on 3 hits, 2 walks, and one HBP while striking out three (8/29/2023)
• 3B Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA) goes 1-for-3 with walk, HBP, and one RBI in 5-3 win over Royals affiliate. An undrafted Georgia native who signed with St. Louis in 2021, Mendlinger gets on base any way he can. Since promotion from High-A in early May, his 1.24 walk-to-strikeout ratio ranks #3 among Texas League hitters with 300+ plate appearances, his .410 OBP ranks #7, and his 14 HBPs rank #6 (8/29/2023)  
• OF Zach Levenson (Cardinals/A), one of 614 amateurs selected in 2023 draft, is tied for #2 among peers in HRs, with 6, and tied for #6 in RBIs, with 21 (8/29/2023)
• Happy Birthday to P Mike Koplove, who went 15-7 with 3.82 ERA over 7-year MLB career, nearly all of it with Arizona Diamondbacks. Older brother of former minor league and Team Israel pitcher Kenny Koplove turns 47 (8/30/2023)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) enters as pinch-hitter and comes through with 2-run, bases-loaded double to tie game. Milwaukee goes on to beat Padres 10-6 (8/27/2023)
• 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) goes 2-for-5 with go-ahead double, 10th HR, and 3 RBIs in 5-2 win over Mets affiliate to boost batting average to .339 (8/27/2023)
• 3B Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA) goes 3-for-5 with 3 RBIs and 2-run single in 9th inning to aid come-from-behind win over Astros affiliate. On other side of field, designated hitter CJ Stubbs goes 2-for-3 with double and 3 walks. After hitting .139 with one HR, 0 doubles, 4 walks, and 3 RBIs in July, Stubbs is hitting .266 with 4 HRs, 9 doubles, 10 walks, and 14 RBIs in August (8/27/2023)
• LF Zach Levenson (Cardinals/A) goes 3-for-6 with HR and 2 RBIs in 12-1 crushing of Yankees affiliate. The 2023 draftee is hitting .283 (28-for-99) with 6 HRs, 21 RBIs, OBP of .345, and OPS of .880 (8/27/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) reaches base in 5 of 6 tries, going 3-for-4 with HR, 2 doubles, 2 walks, and 4 RBIs in 9-2 win over Tigers. Since All-Star break, the 29-year-old is hitting .303 with .407 OBP and .555 slugging percentage. Before break, he hit .240 with .338 OBP and .387 slugging (8/26/2023)
• P Max Fried (Braves), who finished 2nd in N.L. Cy Young Award balloting last year, strikes out season-high 8 batters across 6 innings in 7-3 win over Giants, yielding 2 earned runs on 6 hits and 2 walks. San Francisco PH/LF Joc Pederson entered game after Fried left and grounded-out twice (8/26/2023)
• DH Rowdy Tellez provides all runs Brewers need in 7-3 win over Padres, going 2-for-4 with 406-foot HR and 4 RBIs. It was first base-clearer in 128 at-bats for Tellez, who led Milwaukee last year with 35 HRs (8/25/2023)
• C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) hits 2-run double to tie score at 2 and scores go-ahead run in 7-2 win over Cardinals (8/25/2023)
• In last 2 games, 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) goes 6-for-8 with double, 2 walks (including one intentional), stolen base, and one RBI, pushing batting average to .338 and OBP to International-League high .450 (8/25-8/26/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) goes 1-for-4 with 2-run, go-ahead HR in 7th inning to secure 8-5 win over White Sox. Rookie’s round-tripper is 10th in 35 games, surpassing Mark McGuire as fastest Oakland rookie to reach mark. Gelof also makes nifty play at second base in bottom of 9th inning (8/24/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) goes 0-for-5 and strikes out 4 times for second time in 7-year MLB career as New York loses 6-5 to Nationals. But flyout to warning track for final out of game, barely caught, nearly ties score  (8/24/2023)
• C CJ Stubbs (Astros/AA) and RF Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA) face off in Cardinals affiliate’s 12-10 win. Mendlinger goes 1-for-2 with 3 walks and RBI, while Stubbs goes 3-for-5 with 12th HR, double, and 4 RBIs (8/24/2023)
• PH/1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA) goes 1-for-3 with 2 RBIs and game-tying HR in 9th inning, but team loses 10-9 to Pirates affiliate. Home run is 3rd in last 6 games (8/24/2023)
• P Rob Kaminsky (Mariners/AA) tosses 1.2 perfect innings and strikes out 2 in 4-1 loss to Twins affiliate (8/24/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) masters Blue Jays 6-0 to earn 12th victory, tying him for #2 in American League. Righthander tosses 6 shutout innings, yielding 5 hits and no walks while striking out 5. It is second time this season Kremer has pitched 6+ scoreless innings and allowed just 5 baserunners. So far in August, he is 2-1 with 2.25 ERA and 1.069 WHIP (8/23/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) goes 2-for-3 with double, walk, and 2 stolen bases in 9-1 win over Nationals. His 16 SBs rank #18 in A.L., and his average of one SB per 16.75 ABs ranks #13 among A.L. batters with at least 15 SBs (8/23/2023)
• LF RJ Schreck (Mariners/A), a 2023 draftee, hits first HR in 39 Single-A bats as team defeats Giants affiliate 5-4. He previously launched one in rookie league (8/23/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) masters Blue Jays 6-0 to earn 12th victory, tied for #2 in American League. Righthander tosses 6 shutout innings, yielding 5 hits and no walks while striking out 5. It is second time this season Kremer has pitched 6+ scoreless innings and allowed just 5 baserunners (8/23/2023)
• Happy Birthday to DH/1B Ron Blomberg, very first player picked in 1967 amateur draft and 8-year veteran of New York Yankees. Blomberg, who turns 75, is perhaps best remembered as first MLB player to bat as designated hitter, in 1973 (8/23/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) is having one of his best defensive seasons and is dark horse contender for Gold Glove award, according to MLB.com. Says bench coach Joe Espada: “He secures the ball barehanded better than anyone I’ve seen” (8/23/2023)
• With one more HR and 2 more stolen bases, 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) would become 8th player to make MLB debut this season and record at least 10 HRs and 10 stolen bases. While Gelof has 128 ABs, other players on list have anywhere from 260 to 448 ABs (8/22/2023)
• LF Joc Pederson (Giants) goes 2-for-3 with 2-run double that puts San Francisco ahead 3-2 in the 5th inning, but Phillies’ 2-run 9th inning secures 4-3 win (8/22/2023)
• Trio of Cubs infielders immortalized for double-play prowess in 1910 newspaper column ended up in Baseball Hall of Fame. If you like refrain “Tinkers to Evers to Chance,” how about “Strumpf to Mervis and Bleier”? All three men on Cubs’ AAA team contribute to 10-4 win over Pirates affiliate today. 1B Matt Mervis goes 2-for-4 with HR, walk, and 2 RBIs, 3B Chase Strumpf goes 1-for-3 with double and walk, and reliever Richard Bleier retires 2 batters (8/22/2023)
• C CJ Stubbs (Astros/AA) goes 2-for-4 with 2 doubles and 3 RBIs in 10-4 win over Cardinals affiliate. He also erases only attempted theft (8/22/2023)
• Happy Birthday to CF Mark Gilbert, a Cubs draftee who played for White Sox in sole MLB season and turns 67 today. Gilbert hit .273 (6-for-22) with double, 3 RBIs, and .385 OBP in 1985 (8/22/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) goes 1-for-5 with 428-foot HR to right center in 6-4 win over Royals. Among the 28 players who have made their MLB debut this season and accumulated at least 100 ABs, Gelof ranks high in multiple categories. His .304 batting average, .994 OPS, and one HR per 13.9 ABs all rank #1. His .370 OBP is #4, 1.6 WAR is #7, and nine HRs are #9 (8/21/2023)
• DH Joc Pederson (Giants) goes 2-for-2 with walk and 110.6-mph HR in 10-4 loss to Phillies. But he is thrown out by a mile when trying to stretch a 3rd-inning single into a double (8/21/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) reaches bases in all 5 plate appearances as Houston beats Red Sox 9-4. Bregman doubles, singles twice, draws 2 walks, and records one RBI (8/21/2023)
• Happy birthday: P Jason Marquis, who played on 9 MLB teams during 15-year career as well as Team Israel, turns 45 years old (8/21/2023)
• Pinch-hit, bases-loaded walk by Joc Pederson (Giants) in top of 9th inning puts San Francisco ahead for good in 4-3 win over Braves. On other side of field, Braves starter Max Fried yields 3 earned runs over 5.2 innings, and CF Kevin Pillar goes 1-for-4 (8/20/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) doubles, triples, is hit by pitch, and drives in run in 7-6 loss to Mariners. It is Bregman’s 7th multi-hit game in last 12 (8/20/2023)
• SS Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox/High-A) goes 2-for-3 with 2-run HR and double in 8-4 win over Red Sox affiliate. In past 7 games, Northwestern alum has raised batting average 25 points by stroking 3 hits three times, 2 hits twice, and one hit twice (8/20/2023)
• For first time since signing P Richard Bleier, Iowa Cubs (AAA) lineup features 3 Jewish players. 3B Chase Strump goes 2-for-4 with double, 10th HR, and 2 RBIs, DH Matt Mervis goes 0-for-4, and Bleier gives up 2 earned runs over 1.2 innings of relief in 9-8 loss to Reds affiliate (8/20/2023)
• Phillies mic’d-up Garrett Stubbs during visit with youth team. Always-entertaining catcher signs autograph for kid – and then asks kid for his (8/20/2023)
• P Justin Guiliano (Canisius College-D1) is named summer Appalachian League’s top left-handed pitcher for second straight year after going 2-0 with 1.99 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, opponent batting average of .142, and 36 strikeouts and 9 walks across 31.2 innings. Guiliano was starting pitcher in All-Star game and MVP of League Championship (8/15/2023)
• In other sports: Israeli MMA fighters are drawing attention. Last week, UFC lightweight Natan Levy and former Dana White’s Contender Series welterweight Shimon Smotritsky sparred with online trolls who support Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes — and gave them mild whipping. Tomorrow night, middleweight Eli Aronov will fight for UFC contract when he takes on fellow undefeated fighter Zach Reese in Contender Series main event (8/21/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) reaches base in 4 of 5 plate appearances, singling and walking twice apiece in 7-2 loss to Orioles (8/19/2023)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) closes out 11-5 win over White Sox with scoreless inning of relief, yielding one hit and striking out 2 (8/19/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hits 20th HR and draws walk in 10-3 loss to Mariners (8/19/2023)
• LF/1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) boosts OBP to .442 (tied for #2 in International League) and raises average to .327 (tied for #7) in 7-1 win over Nationals affiliate, going 1-for-2 with double and 2 walks (8/19/2023)
• C CJ Stubbs (Astros/AA) contributes 2-run, go-ahead double in 7-5 win over Royals affiliate. A day prior, he goes 2-for-3 with 109mph HR, double, walk, and 2 RBIs in 9-8 thriller over same team (8/19/2023)
• P Rob Kaminsky (Mariners/AA) earns win in come-from-behind, 7-5 win over Diamondbacks affiliate, yielding 2 hits and striking out one over 1.2 scoreless innings (8/19/2023)
• Addition of P Richard Bleier to bullpen makes him third Jewish player on Iowa Cubs (AAA) roster, joining 1B Matt Mervis and 2B Chase Strumpf
• A warm welcome to JBN’s latest addition: OF/1B Jasper Adelman, who will play at Lehigh U
• No MLB Jews were active on 8/17/2023
• 3B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) hits solo HR in 9-0 win over Giants affiliate. He leads Pacific Coast League with 90 RBIs, and his 27 HRs are tied for #1 (8/17/2023)
• LF RJ Schreck (Mariners/A), a 2023 draftee, goes 2-for-5 with RBI in 18-1 slaughter of Rockies affiliate (8/17/2023)
• P Josh Wolf (Guardians/High-A) earns win in 2-0 shutout of Cardinals affiliate. Righthander yields 2 hits and an HBP over 2.1 innings while striking out one batter
• Jewish Baseball News welcomes 7 more collegians to our list of D1 ballplayers:
  • Adam Agresti (C), St. John’s U.
  • Cal Amborn (P), U. of San Francisco
  • Aaron Bock (IF), Manhattan College
  • Drew Charney (C/OF), Butler U.
  • Max Kaufer (C), Texas A&M
  • Max Toporek (OF/2B), U. of San Francisco
  • Jake Toporek (P), Wagner College
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) notches 4 hits for second time this week, stroking 2 doubles, 2 singles, and driving in 2 runs in first 4 ABs as Oakland beats Cardinals, 8-0. He also tallies 7th steal in just 109 ABs. Gelof is first player in A’s history – and only fourth MLB rookie since 2000 – to produce at least 20 extra-base hits and 20 runs in first 28 games of career (8/16/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 2-for-5 with 413-foot HR, double, and 3 RBIs in 12-5 win over Marlins. He is one of only 5 A.L. batters with at least 19 HRs and 79 RBIs this season (8/16/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) suffers first loss since June 30 as Baltimore falls to Padres, 5-2. Righthander yields 3 earned runs on 5 hits, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts over 6 innings (8/16/2023)
• P Jared Shuster (Braves/AAA), who has struggled since returning from Atlanta to Triple-A, yields 5 earned runs over 5.1 innings in 6-1 loss to Rays affiliate. Prior to May call-up, southpaw was 2-0 with 3.28 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and .215 opponent batting average over 5 starts. Since return to minors, Shuster is 2-5 with 7.32 ERA, 1.83 WHIP, and .327 opponent average (8/16/2023)
• P Josh Wolf (Guardians/High-A) earns win with 2.1 scoreless innings of relief in 2-0 victory over Cardinals affiliate, yielding 2 hits and no walks while striking out 2 (8/16/2023)
• P Jacob Steinmetz (Diamondbacks/A) enjoys best-ever performance, tossing 6 shutout innings of relief on 2 hits, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts, and pick-off at first base. 3B Jake Gelof (Dodgers/A) is among victims, striking out in both at-bats against 20-year-old righty. But 5-3 loss to Dodgers affiliate denies Steinmetz his first pro win against 16 career losses (8/15/2023)
• 1B Shawn Goosenberg goes 3-for-5 with 2 RBIs in 14-4 win over Red Sox affiliate. He also steals 32nd base, tied for #5 in South Atlantic League (8/15/2023)
• LF Zach Levenson (Cardinals/A) goes 3-for-4 with stolen base but gets thrown out at home in 9-2 loss to Twins affiliate. The 2023 draftee out of U. of Miami is hitting .311 with 4 HRs and 14 RBIs in 61 ABs, along with .384 OBP and .941 OPS (8/15/2023)
• P Sam Delaplane (Giants/AA) delivers third straight scoreless appearance and earns hold in 5-4 win over Nationals affiliate, yielding one hit and one walk over 2 innings and recording one strikeout (8/15/2023)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) goes 2-for-5 with double and RBI in rehab game with Triple-A team, a 7-4 loss to White Sox affiliate (8/16/2023)
• P Max Fried (Braves) and CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) play against one another, and both have their moments. Bader hits RBI groundout off Fried in 1st inning, flies out in 4th, and singles off Fried in 6th. But Fried gets revenge when he picks-off Bader at first base to end inning and goes on to defeat New York 11-3, yielding 2 earned runs on 8 hits and one walk over 6 innings while striking out two (8/14/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) goes 1-for-5 with game-tying double in 7th inning, but Cardinals prevail by 7-5 score (8/14/2023)
• C Will King (Braves/rookie) goes 3-for-4 with first pro HR and 2 RBIs in 13-5 romp over Twins affiliate. A last-round pick in 2023 amateur draft, King is hitting .381 (8-for-21) with one HR, 4 RBIs, .483 OBP, and 1.007 OPS. He also has erased 3 of 8 stolen-base attempts (8/14/2023)
• P Ben Simon (Mets/rookie), last of this year’s Jewish draftees to be assigned a team, tosses scoreless inning in pro debut, giving up one hit and no walks while striking out one batter in 15-3 win over Cardinals affiliate (8/14/2023)
• Astros name P Colton Gordon (AAA) the franchise’s Minor League Pitcher of the Month. In 5 starts in July, Houston’s #7 prospect went 2-1 with 2.25 ERA, held Double-A opponents to .174 batting average and 0.96 walks/hits per inning, and struck out 37 batters over 24 innings while walking 8 (8/2/2023)
• OF/C Jakob Goldfarb (Tri-City ValleyCats) is enjoying solid season in independent Frontier League, hitting .278 with 11 HRs, 51 RBIs, and 24 SBs. But former minor-league prospect stands out most in being hit by pitches. Goldfarb’s body has absorbed a league-leading 22 pitches this season (8/13/2023)
• Check out profile of Elon University alum Ben Simon, a right-handed pitcher selected by New York Mets in 13th round of July’s amateur draft (8/9/2023)
• SS Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox/High-A) goes 3-for-4 with 2 doubles, walk, and one RBI in 7-2 win over Braves affiliate. Third-year pro also participates in 3 double plays, one of them unassisted (8/13/2023)
• P Kenny Rosenberg (Angels/AAA) becomes 19th Jewish athlete to play in MLB this season, yielding 4 earned runs on 7 hits and 5 walks over 5 innings of relief while striking out 4 in 11-3 loss to Astros. 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) faces Rosenberg twice, drawing walk and grounding into forceout (8/11/2023)
• Bash brothers: 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) goes 4-for-5 with 2 HRs – including 433-foot shot to center field — in 8-7, walk-off loss to Nationals. Meanwhile, 3B Jake Gelof (Dodgers/A), a 2023 draftee, goes 2-for-4 with 2 doubles, walk, and 2 RBIs in 12-8 win over Angels affiliate (8/13/2023)
• Athletics rookie 2B Zack Gelof continues to tally impressive stats (8/13/2023):
  • OPS of .978 since MLB debut on July 14 ranks #4 among A.L. batters with 100 or more plate appearances, behind Shohei Ohtani (Angels), Corey Seager (Rangers), and Aaron Judge (Yankees)
  • Eight HRs since July 14 debut are tied for #6 in A.L.
  • Seven HRs since July 28 are #1 in MLB
  • Home-run frequency rate of one per 12 ABs ranks #1 among Athletics teammates, #1 among MLB rookies with 8 or more HRs, and #5 among all A.L. hitters with 8 or more HRs
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) sets all-time Oakland record with solo HR in 2-0 win over Rangers. Rookie’s 409-foot shot is 6th HR in 22 games, making him the fastest player to reach that number since franchise’s debut in 1901 (8/9/2023)
• 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) continues hot streak, going 3-for-4 with 2 doubles and RBI in 5-4 loss to Red Sox affiliate. In last 5 games, Horwitz has hit .632 (12-for-19) with 2 HRs, 4 doubles, 7 RBIs, and .696 OBP. His .449 OBP ranks #1 in International League, and his .332 batting average ranks #4 (8/9/2023)
• Batting dead last in order, 2B Chase Strumpf (Cubs/AAA) goes 3-for-4 with 2 HRs, 2 walks, and 7 RBIs in 20-1 drubbing of Royals franchise. The HR and RBI totals are career highs (8/9/2023)
• P Jared Shuster (Braves/AAA), who has struggled since return to minors, is dominating in 9-3 win over White Sox affiliate. Southpaw yields 2 hits and no walks over 7 innings while striking out 2 (8/9/2023)
• P Eli Morgan (Guardians) tosses 2 scoreless innings in 1-0 loss to Blue Jays, giving up one hit and no walks while striking out 4 (8/9/2023)
• Red Sox release P Richard Bleier two days after designating him for assignment. Lefty reliever has pitched for five teams over 8-year MLB career, amassing 15-6 record and 3.27 ERA. MLB Trade Rumors says Bleier is likely to be signed by another team this season (8/9/2023)
• Orioles starter Dean Kremer takes on Alex Bregman’s Astros today in Baltimore (8/10/2023)
• P Colton Gordon (Astros/AAA) earns win in Triple-A debut, an 18-1 blasting of Padres affiliate. Second-year player out of Central Florida tosses 5 shutout innings, giving up 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3 (8/8/2023)
• 1B Mike Rothenberg (Tigers/A) goes 2-for-5 with pair of HRs and 5 RBIs, including 3-run, walk-off shot that clinched 9-7 win over Blue Jays affiliate (8/8/2023)
• Kevin Pillar (Braves), who enters game as pinch hitter in 6th inning, hits game-tying single in top of 9th inning and then scores from first base on double to aid 8-6 win over Pirates (8/8/2023)
• LF Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) goes 2-for-4 with pair of HRs, walk, and 4 RBIs in 10-9 loss to Red Sox affiliate. It is his second multi-HR game in 3 weeks (8/8/2023)
• DH Zach Levenson (Cardinals/A) goes 1-for-3 with 3-run HR, 2 walks, HBP, and 3 RBIs in 15-4 win over Mets affiliate. Home run is his third in 40 minor-league at-bats (8/8/2023)
• 1B Mike Rothenberg (Tigers/A) goes 2-for-5 with pair of HRs and 5 RBIs, including 3-run, walk-off shot that clinched 9-7 win over Blue Jays affiliate (8/8/2023)
• P Graham Firoved (Orioles/High-A) tosses 3 innings of one-hit ball and strikes out 3 batters in 3-2 loss to Orioles affiliate (8/8/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) goes 3-for-4 with double and stolen base in first 3-hit game of career, an 11-9 win over Giants. On other side of field, LF Joc Pederson (Giants) goes 0-for-1 with 2 walks (8/6/2023)
• 1B Mike Rothenberg (Tigers/A) goes 2-for-4 with 17th HR of season and 2 RBIs in 8-4 win over Phillies affiliate. On other side of diamond, C Jordan Dissin (Phillies/A) goes 1-for-4 with RBI single (8/6/2023)
• P Harrison Cohen (Yankees/High-A) tosses 2 perfect innings of relief and strikes out 3 batters in 3-1 win over Nationals affiliate. Since promotion on April 16, Cohen’s 2.10 ERA ranks #8 among South Atlantic League hurlers with at least 30 innings pitched (8/6/2023)
• P Sam Delaplane (Giants/AA) earns win in second game since promotion to Double-A, yielding no hits and one walk while striking out 3 in 13-4 win over Pirates affiliate (8/6/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) and CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) each go 0-for-3 with walk in Houston’s 7-3 victory, but Bregman also drives in run when hit by pitch with bases loaded. Such events are rare: only 38 of 1,416 hits by pitch so far in 2023 have resulted in RBI (8/4/2023)
• C Jordan Dissin (Phillies/A) hits 2-run double to tie score at 6-6, and team goes on to beat Detroit affiliate 7-6 in 10 innings. On other side of field, DH Mike Rothenberg (Tigers/) goes 2-for-5 with 2-run double of his own (8/4/2023)
• 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) goes 3-for-4 with double, walk, and RBI in 7-6 win over Phillies affiliate. Horwitz, who made MLB debt earlier this season, ranks #4 among International League hitters with .439 OBP, #5 with 1.00 walk-to-strikeout ratio, and #9 with .320 batting average (8/4/2023)
• Seventh-inning single by 3B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) provides winning run in 4-3 victory over Astros affiliate (8/4/2023)
• In first MLB outing since straining left forearm on May 5, P Max Fried (Braves) dominates Cubs over 6 scoreless innings, yielding just 3 hits and no walks while striking out 8, including former teammate Darby Swanson. Atlanta cruises to 8-0 win (8/4/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) goes 2-for-4 with solo HR in 8-2 loss to Dodgers, his 5th HR in 66 MLB at-bats (8/3/2023)
• Two AAA Cubs prospects homer in 9-8 loss to Tigers affiliate. DH Matt Mervis goes 1-for-2 with 3-run HR, 2 walks, and 3 runs scored. Meanwhile, slumping 2B Chase Strump goes 1-for-2 with solo HR, walk, and 2 RBIs (8/3/2023)
• OF Zach Levenson (Cardinals/Single-A) goes 1-for-5 with 2-run HR in 8-1 win over Marlins affiliate. Round-tripper is 2023 draftee’s first as pro (8/3/2023)
• RF Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA) goes 2-for-3 with walk and game-tying double in bottom of 9th inning. Team goes on to defeat Royals affiliate 4-3 (8/2/2023)
• Home run by 1B CJ Stubbs (Astros/AA) puts team within one run of Diamondbacks affiliate in 7th inning of 13-11 win. In 2nd inning, Stubbs also gets hit by pitch, steals second, and scores on double (8/2/2023)
• P Justin Guiliano, a Canisius College student currently playing in Appalachian summer league, earns MVP honors in championship-game win after tossing 5 shutout innings and striking out 6 batters (8/2/2023)
• Warm welcome to Wagner College P Jake Toporek, brother of U. of San Francisco OF Max Toporek (8/3/2023)
• Happy 25th birthday to Braves prospect P Jared Shuster (8/3/2023)
• Add Gelof brothers to short list of Jewish siblings to homer on same day. 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) goes 2-for-4 with solo shot in 7-4 loss to Dodgers, while DH Jake Gelof (Dodgers/rookie-league) hits first HR as pro, a 3-run shot in 15-4 win over Guardians affiliate. Zack’s round-tripper makes him one of only three MLB rookies to debut in 2023 and hit 4 HRs in first 15 games (8/1/2023)
• RF Harrison Bader (Yankees) drives pinch-hit double in 9th inning and later scores, but Rays prevail 5-2 (8/1/2023)
• LF Zach Levenson (Cardinals/A) goes 1-for-2 with walk, sacrifice fly, and RBI in 5-3 win over Marlins affiliate. U. of Miami draftee is hitting .381 (8-for-21) with 2 doubles, 4 RBIs, OBP of .423, and one stolen base (8/1/2023)
• To say that P Eli Morgan (Guardians) pitches better in Cleveland would be an understatement. In 20 home games this season, Morgan is 3-0 with 1.11 ERA, 7 strikeouts for every walk, opponent batting average of .140, and .479 opponent OPS. In 21 away games, the 27-year-old is 1-2 with one save, 6.16 ERA, strikeout-to-walk ratio of 1.33, opponent batting average of .378, and .991 opponent OPS (7/31/2023)
• P Aaron Cohn (Athletics/rookie league) tosses 2 perfect innings of relief and strikes out 2 in 10-2 loss to Reds affiliate (7/31/2023)
• Warm welcome to OF Max Toporek, a recent Tarbut V’Torah Community Day School graduate who will join baseball team at U. of San Francisco this Spring (8/1/2023)
• In rare outfield start, LF Joc Pederson (Giants) hits walk-off single in 11th-winning to give San Francisco a 4-3 victory over Red Sox. P Richard Bleier (Red Sox) retires Pederson in perfect 9th inning (7/30/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) goes 2-for-3 with sacrifice fly in 9-3 loss to Orioles. Both singles come off Baltimore starter Dean Kremer, who lasts only 4 innings en route to no-decision (7/30/2023)
• C CJ Stubbs (Astros/AAA) goes 3-for-4 with double in Triple-A debut, a 14-7 loss to Athletics affiliate. Younger brother of C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) also throws out one of three attempted base-stealers (7/30/2023)
• DH Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) reaches base 4 times and drives in 2 runs in 11-8 win over Yankees affiliate, going 2-for-3 with walk and hit-by-pitch (7/30/2023)
• P Sam Delaplane (Giants/High-A) tosses 2 perfect innings and strikes out three in 6-5 loss to Rockies affiliate. Delaplane has thoroughly dominated hitters since promotion to High-A, going 1-0 with one save, 1.59 ERA, WHIP of 0.79, groundout/flyout ratio of 0.44, and average of 17.36 strikeouts per 9 innings – or just under 2 per inning (7/30/2023)
• LF Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox/High-A) goes 1-for-3 with 3-run HR and throws out runner at third base in 7-4 win over Pirates affiliate (7/30/2023)
• Band of brothers: Rookie 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) goes 2-for-6 in 11-3 win over Rockies, crushing home run for second straight game, stealing 2 bases, and safely reaching first base after catcher drops strikeout pitch. Meanwhile, 3B Jake Gelof (Dodgers/rookie-league) goes 2-for-3 with triple and double in second pro game since amateur draft, a 3-2 win over Guardians affiliate (7/29/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 1-for-3 with 2-run HR, draws 2 walks, and throws out runner at home plate in 17-4 crushing of Rays. Bregman, who has homered in 6 of last 12 games, ranks #6 in A.L. with 56 walks and is one of only two A.L. batters with at least 25 walks who have walk-to-strikeout ratio of 1 or better (7/29/2023)
• LF RJ Schreck (Mariners/rookie-league) homers and draws walk in 11-10 loss to Royals affiliate. Round-tripper is first pro hit and comes in fifth pro at-bat since amateur draft (7/29/2023)
• Recent draftee OF Zach Levenson (Cardinals/A) goes 2-for-5 with 2 doubles and RBI in 9-2 win over Twins affiliate (7/29/2023)
• Second-round draft pick 3B Jake Gelof (Dodgers/rookie league) makes pro debut in 10-4 loss to Athletics affiliate. Serving as DH and batting third in order, U. of Virginia alum goes 0-for-3 with 2 walks – including one against Aaron Cohn — and scores 2 runs (7/27/2023)
• P Colton Gordon (Astros/AA) earns win in 13-2 victory over Padres affiliate. Backed by catcher CJ Stubbs, Gordon yields 2 earned runs on 3 hits and a walk over 5 innings while striking out 7, thus upping his league-leading strikeout count to 116 (7/26/2023)
• Former Marlins P Jake Fishman earns hold in debut with independent Long Island Ducks, a 10-8 win over Spire City Ghost Hounds. Coming on in 6th inning with one out and runners on first and third, Fishman induces pop out and swinging strikeout to end threat (7/26/2023)
• P Harrison Cohen (Yankees/High-A) is profiled in article titled “Is undrafted pitcher in Yankees organization a Cinderella story in the making?” In 21 relief appearances, first-year pro is 2-1 with 2.60 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, opponent batting average of .198, and 37 strikeouts over 27.2 innings (7/27/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) goes 3-for-4 with double and scores 2 runs in 3-1 win over crosstown rival Mets (7/26/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 2-for-3 with 3-run HR in 13-5 loss to rival Rangers. The round-tripper, Bregman’s 17th, ties him for #12 in A.L. and marks 4th game in last 7 that he has homered (7/26/2023)
• P Justin Guiliano, a Canisius College student currently playing in Appalachian summer league, tosses scoreless first inning in All-Star Game en route to 3-2 win. Guiliano is 2-0 in regular season play and ranks #1 with 0.76 WHIP, #2 with .142 opponent batting average, and #4 with 1.99 ERA (7/25/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA) goes 2-for-4 with 3-run HR in 10-7 win over Cardinals affiliate (7/26/2023)
• P Ryan Sherriff (Dodgers/AAA) tosses scoreless inning to earn win in franchise debut, a 13-7 victory over Diamondbacks affiliate (7/26/2023)
• P Sam Delaplane (Giants/High-A) is perfect in 6-3 win over Rockies affiliate, yielding no hits or walks over 2.1 innings while striking out 5 batters. Since promotion to High-A, the 28-year-old is 1-0 with one save, 1.93 ERA, WHIP of 0.96, and 16 strikeouts over just 9.1 innings (7/26/2023)
• Congrats to 1B/LF Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) on being named International League Player of the Week (July 17-23) after hitting .536 (15-for-28) with 3 HRs and 9 RBIs. Through 7/25/2023, Horwitz leads team with .322 batting average, .433 OBP, .902 OPS, and 0.96 walk/strikeout ratio (7/25/2023)
• According to Inside Edge analytics company, 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) ranks #2 among MLB hitters in most called strikes that were out of strike zone. This may be due more to Bregman’s tendency to draw out at-bats than to umpire bias (7/24/2023)
• RF Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA) goes 1-for-2 with double and 2 walks in 5-3 loss to Dodgers affiliate. Among Texas League hitters with at least 150 at-bats, Mendlinger ranks #4 in strikeout ratio, at just 10.8%, #6 in walk/strikeout ratio, at 0.96, #15 in OBP, at .392, and #23 in batting average, at .282 (7/25/2023)
• P Jared Shuster (Braves) tosses 6 shutout innings in 9-3 win over Marlins affiliate, yielding 3 hits and 6 walks while striking out 3 batters (7/25/2023)
• P Eric Reyzelman (Yankees/A) tosses perfect inning of relief to record first career save, a 2-1 win over Blue Jays affiliate in rookie-league rehab assignment (7/25/2023)
• Warm welcome to P Aaron Davenport (Guardians/High-A), a 6th-round pick out of U. of Hawaii-Manoa in 2021 draft. The 22-year-old starter pitches alongside reliever Josh Wolf and is younger brother of former U. of Washington pitcher Adam Davenport (7/25/2023)
• C Will King (Braves/rookie league), plucked out of Eastern Kentucky U. in final round of 2023 amateur draft, is perfect in pro debut. Entering game as pinch hitter in 6th inning, King singles and later draws 2 walks (7/24/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) dominates Phillies over 7 innings, yielding one earned run on 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3. Baltimore prevails 3-2, but late Philadelphia run denies Kremer what would have been a league-leading 11th win (7/24/2023)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) opens bullpen game against Nationals with 2 scoreless innings, yielding one hit and no walks in 10-6 win. Appearance is 46th of season, tying Bird for #5 in N.L. in just his second MLB season (7/24/2023)
• A final goodbye to former Astros P Larry Yellen, who died July 18 at age 80. In oral history Matzoh Balls and Baseballs, Yellen talks about graduating from the same high school as Sandy Koufax and facing future Hall of Fame hitters Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell in MLB debut (7/25/2023)
• DH Joc Pederson (Giants) hits pinch-hit HR and draws walk in 6-1 loss to Nationals. After 23-game drought, Pederson has homered in 2 of last 3 games (7/23/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) goes 1-for-4 with double while 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 0-for-3 with walk in Houston’s 3-2 victory. With bases loaded in 3rd inning, Gelof grounds into double play started by Bregman. Gelof has reached base in 8 of 9 games since call-up July 14 (7/23/2023)
• DH Mike Rothenberg (Tigers/A) goes 2-for-5 with pair of HRs and 4 RBIs in 10-4 win over Blue Jays affiliate. The 6’3” switch hitter has total of 16 HRs across Single-A and rookie-league teams this season (7/23/2023)
• P Josh Wolf (Guardians/High-A) earns win in career-best relief appearance, striking out 4 batters over 3 perfect innings to secure 2-1 victory over Padres affiliate (7/23/2023)
• Another faceoff between Astros and Athletics sees Oakland and 2B Zack Gelof prevail 4-1 over Houston and 3B Alex Bregman. Both men single and hit significant HRs. Gelof’s homer off 98-mph fastball in bottom of 7th inning is first in MLB, and his 106.3-mph single in 6th inning breaks up Athletics no-hitter. “Zack got us going there in the sixth with a great at-bat,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay says. Bregman’s HR in top of 6th inning marks third straight game he has homered and fourth in last 6 games (7/22/2023)
• DH Joc Pederson (Giants) doubles twice and walks in 10-1 rout by Rangers (7/21/2023)
• DH Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) and 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA) both were sent back to AAA after brief MLB debuts this season, and both have played well. Since 3-game stint in Majors, Horwitz is batting .370 (27-for-73) with 5 HRs, 14 RBIs, OBP of .467, and OPS of 1.083, with more walks than strikeouts. Mervis is hitting .299 (23-for-77) with 3 HRs, 10 RBIs, OBP of .460, and OPS of .966 since 27-game premiere in Chicago (7/22/2023)
• P Max Lazar (Brewers/AA) is doing better since his promotion to AA than he was in High-A. In eight innings across 4 appearances, the 24-year-old righty has recorded 2.25 ERA, held opposing batters to .179 batting average and 5 hits, and struck out 14 (7/22/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 2-for-4 with 2-run HR in 6-4 win over Athletics, the second straight game he has homered and third game in last five. On other side of field, 2B Zack Gelof goes 1-for-3 with 2 walks (7/21/2023)
• DH Joc Pederson (Giants) hits 2-run, game-tying HR in 3rd inning, but San Francisco goes on to lose 5-3 to Nationals. Round-tripper, which travels 429 feet, comes after 23-game drought (7/21/2023)
• DH Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) belts 2 HRs with walk and 3 RBIs in 8-6 loss to Mets affiliate on 7/20/2023, his first 2-HR day in 358 minor-league games. In last 5 games, through 7/21/2023, Horwitz is hitting .522 (12-for-23) with 3 HRs, 7 RBIs, and 2 walks (7/21/2023)
• P Colton Gordon (Astros/AA) earns win in finest start of 2-year pro career, tossing 5.1 innings of one-hit, scoreless ball and striking out 9 in 6-3 win over Athletics affiliate. The 6’4” southpaw leads Texas League with 3.28 ERA, 109 strikeouts, 11.54 strikeouts per 9 innings, .206 opponent batting average, and 0.64 flyout/groundout ratio (7/21/2023)
• OF Zach Levenson (Cardinals/Single-A), a second-round pick in this month’s amateur draft, goes 1-for-2 with RBI single in pro debut, an 8-1 win over Mets affiliate (7/21/2023)
• P Eric Reyzelman (Yankees/A) tosses 1.2 perfect innings and strikes out 3 in rehab game with rookie-league team, his first appearance of season (7/21/2023)
• P Max Fried (Braves) takes loss in Triple-A rehab start against Orioles affiliate, yielding 3 earned runs on 6 hits and zero walks over 3.1 innings while striking out five (7/21/2023)
• Warm welcome to OF Noah Rabin (Illinois State U.), the latest athlete to join our list of Division 1 college ballplayers. A juco transfer who joined ISU this season, Rabin hit .292 with 2 HRs, 22 RBIs, .385 OBP, and .826 OPS (7/20/2023)
• LF Kevin Pillar (Braves), who enters game in 8th inning as pinch hitter, makes running, sliding catch in 9th inning to rob LF Corbin Carroll (Diamondbacks) of extra bases, but Arizona prevails 5-3 (7/19/2023)
• It’s not often a reliever earns both a blown save and a win in same game, but P Tanner Jacobson (Cardinals/Single-A) does just that. Entering game in 8th inning with 6-3 lead, two men on base, and no outs, Jacobson gives up 4 runs on 2 singles and costly error by teammate. In 9th inning, however, Queens College alum holds Mets affiliate scoreless, and Cardinals score 2 to achieve 8-7 victory (7/19/2023)
• A total of 87 minor leaguers have hit exactly 8 HRs this season, but none matches catcher CJ Stubbs (Astros/AA) for anemic run productivity. The average RBIs among the 87 batters is 33, ranging from a high of 55 to Stubbs’ 14, the lowest (7/19/2023)
• DH Joc Pederson (Giants) rips pinch-hit, go-ahead double in 10th-inning to propel San Francisco to 4-2 win in first game of two against Reds (7/18/2023)
• P Richard Bleier (Red Sox) tosses scoreless inning in 3-0 loss to Athletics, his first MLB appearance since going on injured list in May due to left shoulder inflammation (7/18/2023)
• Former MLB and Korean Baseball Organization pitcher Robert Stock (Long Island Ducks) tosses complete-game no-hitter against Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, the #1 independent league. No-hitter is second in Ducks history and first since 2001 (7/18/2023)
• 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) goes 5-for-6 with one RBI and stolen base in 13-4 win over Mets affiliate. His .427 OBP is tied for #6 in International League (7/18/2023)
• P Richard Bleier (Red Sox) tosses scoreless inning in 3-0 loss to Athletics, his first MLB appearance since going on injured list in May due to left shoulder inflammation (7/18/2023)
• 3B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) goes 1-for-2 with HR, 2 walks, and 4 RBIs in 5-2 win over Athletics affiliate. Scheiner now ranks #1 among all minor-league hitters in RBIs, with 82, and #1 (tied) in HRs, with 24 (7/18/2023)
• P Harrison Cohen (Yankees/High-A) throws 1.1 perfect innings with 3 strikeouts in 7-4 loss to affiliate of rival Mets. Cohen’s 11.91 strikeouts per 9 innings rank #6 among South Atlantic League pitchers who have tossed at least 20 innings, and his 2.78 ERA ranks #7 (7/18/2023)
• P Justin Alintoff (Long Island Ducks) of independent Atlantic League earns team’s Pitcher of the Week award after delivering three scoreless relief appearances (7/17/2023)
• C Jakob Goldfarb (Tri-City Valley Cats) of independent Frontier League goes 2-for-4 with 2-run double in 5-0 win over Evansville Otters. Two-bagger leaves Goldfarb’s bat at 109-mph, earning him Top Exit Velocity status (7/16/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) caps Houston’s comeback win over Angels with 2-run, go-ahead HR in 9th inning. Four-hit game is 7th of his career and first in nearly a year. On other side of diamond, L.A. reliever Zack Weiss strikes out 4 over 1.2 innings while yielding just 2 singles – including 6th-inning blooper by Bregman (7/16/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) goes 2-for-4 with RBI double in 5-4 loss to Twins. In 3 games since call-up, rookie is hitting .333 (4-for-12) with triple, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, and 2 stolen bases (7/16/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) goes 1-for-4 with game-tying sacrifice fly in top of 9th inning, but Rockies prevail 8-7 in extra innings (7/16/2023)
• Despite going 0-for-3, DH Joc Pederson (Giants) generates 2 runs in 10-inning, 8-4 win over Pirates. Pederson scores run in 3rd inning after being hit by pitch, then delivers 10th-inning sacrifice fly that puts San Francisco ahead 4-3 (7/16/2023)
• P Max Lazar (Brewers/AA) tosses 2 perfect innings of relief and strikes out 2 batters in 7-3 win over Angels affiliate (7/16/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) goes 1-for-4 with triple in 10-7 loss to Twins. Rookie’s 2 stolen bases in bottom of 6th inning set him up to score on game-tying sacrifice fly by SS Nick Allen (7/15/2023)
• 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) goes 3-for-5 with double, HR, and 2 RBIs in 8-2 win over Tigers affiliate (7/15/2023)
• 3B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) goes 2-for-4 with HR, walk, and 3 RBIs in 5-3 loss to Rangers affiliate. The round-tripper, Scheiner’s third in past 6 games, leaves him with 23, tied for #2 among all minor league hitters. The 27-year-old also ranks #2 nationwide in RBIs, with 78. But MLB.com does not include Scheiner in its ranking of Seattle’s Top 30 Prospects (7/15/2023)
• P Colton Gordon (Astros/AA) throws 4 innings of one-run ball in 2-0 loss to Mariners affiliate, but don’t let his 2-5 record fool you. The 6’4” southpaw leads Texas League in several categories, including ERA at 3.39 (tied), strikeouts per 9 innings at 11.30, and flyout/groundout ratio at 0.65. And he’s only getting better. So far in July, Gordon is 0-1 with 1.98 ERA across 13.2 innings, and 21 strikeouts versus 5 walks (7/15/2023)
• P Max Fried (Braves) tosses 3 scoreless innings in rehab outing with High-A team, yielding 2 hits and no walks while striking out 3 (7/15/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics) goes 1-for-4 with game-tying RBI single in Major League debut, a 5-4 loss to Twins. The 23-year-old also starts 8th-inning double play that erases a Minnesota rally. Gelof’s ascension to Oakland makes him 18th Jewish player in MLB this season, an all-time record (7/14/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) dominates Marlins over 6 innings to become one of only four A.L. pitchers to record 10 or more wins this season. Israeli-American yields one earned run on just 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 8 to power 5-2 victory. Article by MLB.com calls performance “another terrific showing” (7/14/2023)
• P Harrison Cohen (Yankees/High-A) tosses scoreless inning in 7-4 loss to Rays affiliate, giving up one hit and no walks while striking out 3. Since promotion to High-A earlier this rookie season, undrafted free agent is 2-1 with 2.95 ERA, 27 walks in 21.2 innings, and .224 opponent batting average (7/14/2023)
• P Richard Bleier (Red Sox) tosses perfect inning in third rehab appearance with Boston’s AAA team. Veteran has been near-perfect in stint, yielding one hit and no earned runs or walks over 3.2 combined innings while striking out 3 (7/14/2023)
• P Jared Shuster (Braves/AAA) yields 8 earned runs over 0.2 innings in 10-5 loss to Cardinals affiliate. Promising southpaw has struggled since recent demotion, going 0-3 with 14.40 ERA and .460 opponent batting average (7/14/2023)
• Happy birthday to P Steve Stone, who turns 76 today. Stone’s 107 career wins rank #4 all-time among Jewish pitchers (7/14/2023)
• At least five Jewish collegians were selected in this week’s MLB draft: C Will King (Eastern Kentucky U.) by Braves (Round 20, #609 overall); P Ben Simon (Elon U.) by Mets (Rd 13, #396); OF RJ Schreck (Vanderbilt U.), by Mariners (Rd 9, #277); OF Zach Levenson (U. of Miami) by Cardinals (Rd 5, #158); and 3B Jake Gelof (U. of Virginia) by Dodgers (Rd 2, #60) (7/11/2023)
• C Will King was leading Yarmouth- Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League with .354 batting average (23-for-65) when Braves selected him in Round 20 of amateur draft (7/11/2023)
• Through All-Star break, DH Joc Pederson (Giants) is on pace for career highs with .365 OBP, 53.7% hard-hit balls, and 116.6-MPH maximum exit velocity (7/12/2023)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) ranks #5 among N.L. first basemen in two fielding categories. He has made just 2 errors and maintained a .996 fielding percentage (7/11/2023)
• Although 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) is on pace for career lows in slugging percentage, OPS, and several other offensive categories, he is tied for #3 in A.L. with 50 walks, ranks #7 with 12.5% strikeout frequency, and is tied for #8 with 56 RBIs (7/11/2023)
• OF Kevin Pillar (Braves) is on pace to hit career high with .485 slugging percentage. So far in 2023, has produced 6 HRs, 6 doubles, and 17 RBIs in 103 at-bats (7/11/2023)
• P Colton Gordon (Astros/AA), who leads Texas League in ERA (3.45) and ranks #2 in strikeouts per 9 innings (11.71) and #3 in walks/hits per inning (1.15), has been dominant in last 10 outings, mustering 2.28 ERA, amassing 59 strikeouts vs. 14 walks, and holding opponents to .196 batting average (7/9/2023)
• P Max Fried (Braves) strikes out first batter he faces and deals 1.1 scoreless innings in rehab start with Triple-A team, his first trip to mound since May 5 forearm injury (7/9/2023)
• Dodgers select 3B Jake Gelof (U. of Virginia) in 2nd round of MLB draft (#60 overall). Gelof owns Virginia’s career and single-season records in both HRs and RBIs. Older brother Zack Gelof (Athletics/AAA) was drafted #60 in 2021 (7/9/2023)
• 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) records 3 walks and RBI in 8-2 win over Nationals affiliate. He is one of just 5 International League batters with more walks than strikeouts (7/9/2023)
• P Max Fried (Braves), out since May 5 with left forearm strain, is set to return to mound for first time today, a rehab start with Gwinnett Stripers, Atlanta’s AAA team (7/9/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) hits 2-run double in 6-3 win over Cubs (7/8/2023)
• In first MLB appearance since May 20, Zack Weiss tosses one inning of relief and yields one of 5 Dodgers home runs, a solo shot, in 10-5 loss. Angels teammate Shohei Ohtani homers, triples, and drives in 3 runs (7/8/2023)
• P Kenny Rosenberg (Angels/AAA) matches career high with 10 strikeouts and raises record to 7-4 in 14-6 win over Giants affiliate. Rosenberg, who turns 28 on July 9, leads Pacific Coast League with 97 strikeouts (7/8/2023)
• P Richard Bleier (Red Sox), out since May 21 with left shoulder inflammation, earns ‘hold’ in AAA rehab appearance, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings in 8-4 win over Mets affiliate (7/8/2023)
• P Colton Gordon (Astros/AA), who leads Texas League with 3.45 ERA and ranks #2 in strikeouts per 9 innings (11.71), has been dominant in last 10 outings, mustering 2.28 ERA, amassing 59 strikeouts vs. 14 walks, and holding opponents to .196 batting average (7/8/2023)
• DH Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox/High-A) goes 4-for-5 with triple, HBP, and 5 RBIs in 16-1 laugher over Rangers affiliate (7/8/2023)
• SS Zack Gelof (Athletics/AAA) gets back on home-run train with 2-run, 417-foot shot in 11-7 win over Padres affiliate. For the day, Oakland’s #3 prospect goes 3-for-5 to raise batting average to .299. Earlier this month, Gelof homered in 4 straight games (7/7/2023)
• 3B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) homers for second consecutive game in 9-4 win over Diamondbacks affiliate. In May, he was named Mariners Minor League Player of the Month after hitting .360 with 7 HRs, 20 RBIs, .442 OBP, and 1.117 OPS (7/7/2023)
• DH Andy Yerzy (Reds/AA) enjoys magnificent night in 29-3 win over Angels affiliate. A day after turning 25, the 6’3” lefty goes 4-for-5 with 2 HRs, double, 2 walks, and 9 RBIs. The final frame is especially crazy. After hitting grand-slam HR in top of 9th inning, Yerzy takes mound in bottom of inning, strikes out 2 batters, and retires side on 13 pitches (7/6/2023)
• 3B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) goes 3-for-4 with HR, 2 doubles, sacrifice fly, and 4 RBIs in 17-5 win over Diamondbacks affiliate. Scheiner ends day ranked #2 among Pacific Coast League batters in RBIs, with 73, and #3 in home runs, with 21 (7/6/2023)
• P Colton Gordon (Astros/AA), backed by RBI single from C CJ Stubbs, posts another strong start, yielding one earned run over 4 innings while striking out 7. But bullpen’s 10th-inning meltdown leads to 6-2 loss to Padres affiliate. Gordon’s 3.45 ERA ranks #1 in Texas League (7/6/2023)
• Rf Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA) goes 2-for-3 with double, walk, and stolen base in 5-3 win over Diamondbacks affiliate. His RBI single in 7th inning proves to be game-winner (7/6/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) pitches 7-inning gem en route to 6-3 win over Yankees, giving up one earned run on 4 hits and a walk while striking out career-high 10 batters. Kremer’s 9 wins tie him for #3 in NL (7/5/2023)
• P Eli Morgan (Guardians) ranks #3 among A.L. pitchers with 1.77 ERA (7/5/2023)
• 1B/LF Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA), who made MLB debut this season, ranks #7 among International League batters with walk/strikeout ratio of 0.96, and is tied for #10 with .420 OBP (7/5/2023)
• P Eli Morgan (Guardians) tosses 1.1 scoreless innings in 6-5, walk-off win over first-place Braves, yielding one hit and no walks while striking out two (7/4/2023)
• P Sam Delaplane (Giants/Single-A), whose injuries kept him idle all of 2020 and 2021 and limited him to 4 appearances in 2022, records first save since 2019 in 3-0 win over Angels affiliate. Delaplane throws scoreless inning on no hits, 2 walks, and a strikeout (7/4/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) completes New York’s comeback from 3-0 deficit by hitting 3-run, 415-foot home run in 8th inning that puts team ahead 6-3 for good. Round-tripper comes 2 pitches after manager Aaron Boone signals Bader, who is hitting .356 with runners in scoring position, to attempt sacrifice bunt. A day prior, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Bader receives standing ovation from former team’s fans (7/3/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics/AAA) homers for 4th straight game in 10-7 loss to Rangers affiliate (7/3/2023)
• RF Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA) goes 2-for-4 in 8-6 loss to Mariners affiliate. The 22-year-old former Division 2 player was signed to minor-league contract in 2021 after going undrafted. Mendlinger recently was profiled by Atlanta Jewish Times (7/3/2023)
• C Mike Rothenberg (Detroit Tigers/High-A) goes 2-for-5 with 2 doubles and 2 RBIs in 5-4 win over Twins affiliate. In 4 games since returning from epic rookie-league stint, Rothenberg is hitting .500 (8-for-16) with HR, 2 doubles, 5 RBIs, and 1.391 OPS (7/3/2023)
• Three Jews play in Triple-A matchup between affiliates of Angels (P Kenny Rosenberg, P Zack Weiss) and Mariners (3B Jake Scheiner). Rosenberg – aided by inning of scoreless relief from Weiss – earns team-leading 6th win in 7-2 victory after giving up 2 earned runs over 5.2 innings. Scheiner draws 2 walks, one off each pitcher (7/2/2023)
• P Richard Bleier (Red Sox) tosses one inning of relief in rehab assignment with AA team, yielding no runs on one hit and 2 strikeouts. He hadn’t pitched since May 21 (7/2/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics/AAA) homers for third straight game in 13-2 loss to Rangers affiliate, accounting for both of his team’s runs. Oakland’s #3 prospect also doubles and steals 19th base, tying him for #5 in Pacific Coast League (7/2/2023)
• DH Joc Pederson (Giants) is operating at a career-high OBP of .381, despite a 22-point drop in batting average from 2022 to 2023 (.274 to .252). How? Pederson is drawing walks in 15.3% of plate appearances, up from 9.7% in 2022 (7/2/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) joined elite company when he stroked 3 grand-slam HRs last month. According to Baseball Almanac, only 9 other players in MLB history have hit 3 grand slams in single month. Most recent before Bregman was CF Carlos Beltran (Mets), who did it in July 2006 (7/2/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics/AAA) goes 3-for-5 with 2-run HR and walk-off single in 8-7 win over Rangers affiliate. It is his second round-tripper in 2 days (7/1/2023)
• P Colton Gordon (Astros/AA) is dominant in 5.2-inning start, yielding one earned run on just 3 hits and one walk while striking out 9, one shy of career high. Team loses 4-3 to Athletics affiliate, but Gordon is not tagged with loss (7/1/2023)
• P Max Lazar (Brewers/AA) throws 2.1 scoreless innings in AA debut, giving up one hit and 3 walks while striking out 4 in 11-5 loss to Braves affiliate (7/1/2023(
• P Sam Delaplane (Giants/High-A) tosses 2 scoreless innings in High-A debut, yielding one hit and no walks while striking out 3 in 4-2 loss to Mariners affiliate (7/1/2023)
• P Zack Leban (Marlins/AAA) hurls 2 innings of no-hit relief, yielding one walk and striking out 3 in 15-5 loss to Rays affiliate (6/30/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 3-for-5 with walk and grand-slam HR in 14-0 laugher over Cardinals, his third bases-clearing dinger this month. Career grand slam #7 matches Houston’s all-time record. With one game left, Bregman’s 24 RBIs this month rank #3 in MLB, behind Shohei Ohtani and Corey Seager (6/29/2023)
• Good day overall for MLB Jews, who have been underperforming Major Leagues this season in batting average (.236 vs .248). Four Jewish hitters go combined 8-for-14 with HR, double, 3 walks, and 5 RBIs (6/29/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) goes 3-for-4 with double and RBI single in 10-4 win over Athletics (6/29/2023)
• P Graham Firoved (Orioles/High-A) tosses 2 scoreless innings with 3 strikeouts to earn third save in 6-2 win over White Sox affiliate (6/29/2023)
• P Tanner Jacobson (Cardinals/Single-A) throws 2 scoreless innings to earn win in 5-3 triumph over Marlins affiliate (6/29/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) goes 2-for-5 with double in Domingo German’s perfect-game win over Athletics, perfecto #24 in MLB history. Sandy Koufax (Dodgers) threw #8 in 1965 (6/28/2023)
• 1B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) hits 3-run HR in 11-6 win over Angels affiliate. Scheiner’s 19 HRs and 64 RBIs each rank #3 in Pacific Coast League (6/28/2023)
• P Evan Kravetz (Reds/AA) tosses 3 no-hit innings and strikes out six in 11-10 squeaker over Cubs affiliate. The 6’8” southpaw is 3-0 with a save and 2.40 ERA. Subtract his forgettable first game of 2023, and Kravetz’s ERA drops to 1.61 (6/28/2023)
• P Sam Delaplane (Giants/Single-A) is turning things around. Reliever delivered 11.57 ERA in May while walking 10 batters over 4.2 combined innings. So far in June, Delaplane has mustered 0.96 ERA, held opposing batters to 1.18 WHIP, and struck out 19 over 7 appearances totaling 9.1 innings (6/28/2023)
• P Jacob Steinmetz (Diamondbacks/Single-A) sees record fall to 0-6 despite strong performance. The 19-year-old yields one earned run over 5 innings on 5 hits, walk, and four strikeouts but loses 5-1 to Dodgers affiliate (6/28/2023)
• Jewish Baseball News has added two newly-identified players to our 2023 College All-America Baseball Team. IF Hank Zeisler (U. of Missouri), a sixth-year grad student, hit .291 (51-for-176) with 15 HRs, led Tigers with 57 RBIs and .441 OBP, and was named to SEC’s Baseball Community Service Team. C Will King (Eastern Kentucky U.) led Colonels with .346 batting average (63-for-182), hit 12 HRs with 47 RBIs, and erased 41.2% of attempted base-stealers. King was named All-ASUN Conference second team and All-Midwest Region second team (6/28/2023)
• Correction: JTA’s new “Jewish Student Athletes to Watch” list will include both high-school and college students. Click here to nominate a player (6/28/2023)
• C Jakob Goldfarb of independent Tri-City ValleyCats (Frontier League) is named Marcella’s Appliance Center Hot Zone Player of the Week after hitting 4 HRs, including 2 on his birthday. His parents and sister flew in for the game (6/24/2023)
• C Mike Rothenberg (Single-A) rejoined Lakeland Flying Tigers after historic stint with Detroit’s rookie-league team. The 6’3” switch hitter smashed 7 HRs in just 23 at-bats while rehabbing (6/27/2023)
• On 4/25/2023, three Jewish players – 3B Alex Bregman (Astros), DH Joc Pederson (Giants), and 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) –- batted cleanup for their respective teams. A New York cantor asks: was this a record? No. Preliminary research by Bob Wechsler of Jewish Baseball Museum has revealed at least one date in which four Jews batted cleanup. Hank Greenberg (Tigers), Harry Danning (Giants), Morrie Arnovich (Phillies), and Phil Weintraub (Reds) all held the #4 spot on 5/21/1937 (6/27/2023)
• The Jewish Telegraphic Agency is launching “Jewish Student Athletes to Watch.” The project will recognize standout Jewish high schoolers and collegians who demonstrate excellence and leadership both on and off the field. Candidates include athletes from any sport who may have won statewide championships or set records, played in national or international competition, or have inspiring personal stories that transcend sports. JTA is accepting nominations through July 12. Click here to fill out a form for yourself or a student you know (6/27/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) hits 2 doubles, including 2-run, go-ahead shot in 8^th inning, but New York loses to Rangers 5-3 (6/25/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hits clutch, go-ahead single in top of 11^th inning to secure 6-5 win over Dodgers (6/25/2023)
• SS Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox/High-A) goes 2-for-5 with single and grand-slam HR in 11-6 win over Pirates affiliate. Third-year pro out of Northwestern U. also steals 26^th base, ranking him #5 in South Atlantic League (6/25/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) has lost a step or two on basepath the past few years. In 2017 and 2018, according to Baseball Savant, Bader’s sprint speed averaged 30.1 feet per second, #9 among all MLB players with at least 25 competitive runs. This season, he is averaging 28.6 FPS, or #62 in MLB. A hamstring strain likely contributed, but downward trend began in 2019 (6/25/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hits grand-slam HR for 5-3 lead, but 8^th inning balk provides the winning run in Dodgers’ 8-7 victory. Bases-loaded shot to left is his 2^nd in three weeks and 6^th in career  (6/24/2023)
• DH Joc Pederson (Giants) goes 2-for-4 with triple and 2 RBIs in 7-6 win over Diamondbacks (6/24/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) pitches 7 strong innings in extra-inning win over Mariners but doesn’t get decision, yielding 3 earned runs over 7 innings on 5 hits (including 3 solo HRs), one walk, and 3 strikeouts (6/24/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) goes 1-for-4 and tosses out runner in 1-0 win over Rangers (6/24/2023)
• P Eli Morgan (Guardians) tosses perfect inning for 3^rd straight outing in 4-2 win over Brewers (6/24/2023)
• C Mike Rothenberg (Tigers/rookie) goes 1-for-2 with 2-run HR and 2 walks in 5-3 win over Yankees affiliate. Home run is his 6^th in just 18 at-bats since reassignment to rookie league, tying him for #1 in Florida Complex League (6/23/2023)
• Phillies trade OF Dalton Guthrie to Giants, where he will join DH Joc Pederson. Guthrie, who has been with Philadelphia since 2017 draft, is assigned to San Francisco’s AAA team (6/23/2023)
• 3B/2B Chase Strumpf (Cubs/AAA) goes 2-for-4 and homers for second straight game in 9-5 win over Cardinals affiliate. Strumpf — who joins teammate Matt Mervis as a Top 30 Cubs prospect — is hitting .250 (17-for-68) with 5 HRs, 16 RBIs, and .400 OBP since May 30 promotion to Triple-A. MLB.com projects Cubs will call up Strumpf sometime this season (6/22/2023)
• In May, MLB.com reporter Kiley McDaniel predicted 3B Jake Gelof (U. of Virginia) will be selected late in 1st round of July’s amateur draft, while OF Zach Levenson (U. of Miami) will be picked early in 3rd round (6/23/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 3-for-5 with stolen base and 2 RBIs, including go-ahead single in 4th inning. Houston goes on to beat Mets 10-8 (6/21/2023)
• P Eli Morgan (Guardians) tosses perfect inning of relief to earn third win in 7-6 triumph over Athletics. His 1.78 ERA ranks #6 among AL hurlers with at least 30 innings pitched (6/23/2023)
• P Tanner Jacobson (Cardinals/A) pitches 3 innings of dominant, scoreless relief to earn save #2 in 5-4 win over Reds affiliate, yielding 2 hits and no walks while striking out career-high 7 batters (6/21/2023)
• P Zack Weiss (Angels/AAA) earns second save in 7-4 win over Astros affiliate, yielding one hit and zero walks over scoreless inning while striking out 3 (6/21/2023)
• DH Joc Pederson (Giants) is hero for a day in San Francisco’s 4-3 win over Padres. After hitting game-tying, out-of-the park HR in bottom of 8th inning, Pederson wins it with bases-loaded walk on 3-2 pitch with 2 outs in bottom of 9th inning (6/20/2023)
• Out with hamstring injury since May 29, CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) goes 1-for-3 with stolen base in return to action as New York beats Mariners 3-1 (6/20/2023)
• Two-run HR by 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) provides winning margin in 4-2 victory over Mets (6/20/2023)
• C Ryan Lavarnway will serve as Israel’s first-ever team captain when squad heads to Czech Republic in late September for 2023 European Baseball Championship. Lavarnway began playing for Israel at 2017 World Baseball Classic and obtained citizenship in 2019 (6/20/2023)
• C Mike Rothenberg (Tigers/rookie) goes 1-for-2 with a solo HR and walk in 8-2 win over Phillies affiliate. Since assignment to FCL Tigers on June 15, Rothenberg is 5-for-13 with 5 HRs, 9 RBIs, and 3 walks (6/20/2023)
• P Jacob Steinmetz (Diamondbacks/A) yields 4 earned runs over 2.2 innings in 17-3 loss to Angels affiliate. Arizona’s #30 prospect is 0-13 as a pro (6/20/2023)
• In interview, Blue Jays rookie Spencer Horwitz says playing for Team Israel helped prepare him for MLB debut (6/19/2023)
• Giants veteran Joc Pederson has made swift transition from outfielder to DH. In 2022, Pederson started 96 games in left or right field and just 9 as designated hitter. This season, all 33 of his starts have come as DH (6/19/2023)
• Tigers recently sent C Mike Rothenberg to rookie league for rehab assignment, but Lakeland Flying Tigers (A) are going to want him back soon. In 8-2 win over Phillies affiliate, Rothenberg homers 3 times, drives in 7 runs, and draws walk. Banner day leaves 6’3″ switch-hitter with 4 HRs in 11 rookie-league ABs — same number he has hit in 118 ABs at Single-A level this season (6/19/2023)
• DH Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays) singles in first MLB at-bat, lining 94.2 MPH four-seam fastball from P Jon Gray (Rangers) into right field. Former 24th-round draft pick ends day 1-for-2 with 2 walks and one RBI in 11-7 loss to Texas. According to Bob Wechsler of Jewish Baseball Museum, Horwitz is at least the 33rd Jewish player to get a hit in first Major League at-bat (6/18/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) leads Baltimore to 6-3 triumph over Cubs, yielding 3 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks over 5 innings while sriking out 7. Victory is his 8th, tying him for #3 in MLB in wins (6/18/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) breaks 0-for-14 slump, going 3-for-5 with triple, double, single, walk, and RBI in 9-7, extra-inning loss to Reds (6/18/2023)
• P Max Lazar (Brewers/High-A) tosses 2 perfect innings of relief and fans 3 batters to earn 10-8 win over Dodgers affiliate. Lazar is 1-2 with 2 saves, one hold, 2.90 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts against just 9 walks (6/18/2023)
• Only 8 times in MLB history has a batter driven in 3+ runs and scored 1+ runs despite not recording a hit or walk. C Jordan Dissin (Phillies/A) matches the feat — albeit as a minor-leaguer — in 13-11 loss to Yankees affiliate, going 0-for-5 with 3 RBIs, one run, and no walks or hits. His RBIs come on groundout, sacrifice double play, and fielders choice (6/18/2023)
• Texas Christian knocks U. of Virginia out of College World Series in 4-3 win. Virginia 3B Jake Gelof goes 0-for-4 with RBI and stolen base (6/18/2023)
• U. of Virginia and 3B Jake Gelof face Texas Christian U. in College World Series elimination game today at 2pm ET on ESPN (6/18/2023)
• P Jared Shuster (Braves) raises record to 4-2 in 8-1 win over Rockies. Rookie yields one earned run over 5.2 innings on 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out 2. Meanwhile, P Jake Bird tosses 2 scoreless innings of relief for Colorado (6/16/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) extends AA rehab assignment, reportedly plans to rejoin New York for Tuesday’s game against Seattle (6/17/2023)
• After hitting .207 with 3 HRs and 8 RBIs in May, DH Joc Pederson (Dodgers) is hitting .394 in June, with 2 HRs, 7 RBIs, and OBP and OPS of .500 and 1.076, respectively (6/17/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis and 2B Chase Strumpf are reunited, this time with Iowa Cubs (AAA). Mervis goes 2-for-4 with double while Strump goes 1-for-3 with walk in 6-3 win over Pirates affiliate (6/17/2023)
• Nearly 3 years after Reds sign undrafted free agent Leo Nierenberg to minor-league contract, the oft-injured pitcher finally makes pro debut. Outing for rookie-league team is forgettable, however. Nierenberg faces 4 batters, giving up 2 earned runs on 2 hits and 2 walks, makes error attempting pickoff, and earns loss against Guardians affiliate (6/17/2023)
• Happy 36th birthday to retired P Jeremy Bleich! (6/18/2023)
• Blue Jays call up 1B/LF Spencer Horwitz from Triple-A, his first such promotion. Toronto plays Rangers tonight at 8:00pm ET (6/16/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) is expected to return to New York’s lineup as early as tonight against Red Sox. Yankees had placed him on injured list May 30 with right hamstring strain (6/15/2023)
• Cubs send rookie 1B Matt Mervis to Iowa Cubs (AAA). In 90 ABs with Chicago, Mervis was hitting .167 with 3 HRS, 11 RBIs, OBP of .242, and .991 fielding percentage (6/15/2023)
• DH Robb Paller, playing in his fifth game for independent Idaho Fall Chukars, goes 3-for-4 with double, 2 walks, 6 RBIs, and walk-off grand slam HR in bottom of 9th inning for 15-11 win over Rocky Mountain Vibes (6/15/2023)
• U. of Virginia — including superstar 3B Jake Gelof and IF Justin Rubin — face off against U. of Florida in College World Series tonight on ESPN at 7:00pm ET (6/16/2023)
• Jewish Baseball News publishes 2023 College All-America Baseball Team, featuring best Jewish players at Division 1 schools (6/16/2023)
• Happy 31st birthday to P Zack Weiss! (6/16/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs) is selling T-shirts and hats emblazoned with his nickname — “Mash” — spelled in Hebrew to raise money for Israel Association of Baseball (6/13/2023)
• P Kenny Rosenberg (Angels/AAA) dominates Dodgers affiliate in 6-3 win. He yields one earned run on 3 hits and zero walks over 5 innings while striking out six (6/14/2023)
• OF Zach Levenson, a junior at U. of Miami, made 124 putouts this season without a single error, leaving him with perfect 1.000 fielding percentage (6/15/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) raises record to 7-3 in 11-6 win over Blue Jays, yielding 2 earned runs over 6 innings on 8 hits, zero walks, and 6 strikeouts (6/13/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs) hits tie-breaking single in 6th inning of 11-3 win over Pirates (6/13/2023)
• Sandy Koufax may have been one of the greatest pitchers in MLB history, but there is no question he is its all-time worst hitter. The Hall of Famer struck out 386 times in 776 ABs, or 49.7% of the time — more often than any other Major Leaguer with 700+ ABs (6/14/2023)
• P Tanner Jacobson (Cardinals/A) tosses 2.1 perfect innings of relief and strikes out 3 batters in 5-2 loss to Mets affiliate (6/13/2023)
• Acrobatic catch over bullpen railing by 1B CJ Stubbs (Astros/AA) earns MiLB Premier Plays award for month of May and qualifies for Capital One Play of the Year (6/8/2023)
• Video interview captures MLB debut of Cubs rookie 1B Matt Mervis (6/12/2023)
• U. of Virginia, led by superstar 3B Jake Gelof and joined by utility IF Justin Rubin, will face off against U. of Florida in College World Series quarterfinals on 6/16/2023 at 6pm ET on ESPN
• DH Joc Pederson (Giants) goes 4-for-4 with 2 HRs and 4 RBIs in 13-3 win over Cubs, his second 4-for-4 performance in last 3 games. Pederson now is one of only 11 active Major Leaguers with 20 or more multi-homer games (6/11/2023)
• C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) drives in run with perfect bunt single in 7-3 victory over Dodgers (6/11/2023)
• DH Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) goes 2-for-5 with go-ahead double, 3 RBIs, and walk in 12-1 win over Tigers affiliate (6/11/2023)
• P Ryan Sherriff (Red Sox/AAA) pitches perfect inning with 2 strikeouts to earn first save of season in 5-2 win over Nationals affiliate (6/11/2023)
• 3B Jake Gelof (U. of Virginia) goes 1-for-5 with RBI single and walk in 12-4 win over Duke U. to advance to quarterfinals of College World Series, where school will face U. of Florida. Duke reliever Charlie Beilenson yields 3 earned runs over 3.1 innings (6/11/2023)
• Today at 12pm ET on ESPN, final game of super-regional battle in College World Series pits U. of Virginia and its two Jewish players — superstar 3B Jake Gelof and IF Justin Rubin — against Duke U. and reliever Charlie Beilenson (6/11/2023)
• 3B Jake Gelof (U. of Virginia), already his school’s career home run and single-season RBI leader, sets two more records in 14-4 win over Duke University. Gelof goes 3-for-5 with double, school-record 23rd HR of season, and four RBIs to set career RBI record. His mammoth out-of-the-park blast travels 442 feet (6/10/2023)
• P Jared Shuster (Braves) becomes only third pitcher in 2023 to earn a win after tossing 5 or more innings while not recording a single walk or strikeout. LF Kevin Pillar (Braves) supports teammate Shuster in 6-4 win over Nationals by going 2-for-3 with double, stolen base, and 2 runs scored (6/10/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs) gets scoring going with 420-foot, into-the-cove HR in 4-0 win over Giants. DH Joc Pederson (Giants) goes 0-for-3 as San Francisco musters just one hit (6/10/2023)
• Andy Yerzy (Reds/AAA) provides margin of victory with pinch-hit, RBI double in 10-9 win over Cardinals affiliate. Since promotion to AAA, the 6’3″ catcher is 3-for-12 with 2 HRs, double, walk, and 5 RBIs (6/10/2023)
• DH Joc Pederson (Giants) and 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs) spend much time side-by-side (see photo), thanks to Pederson’s 4 singles, the seventh four-hit game of career. But Cubs prevail 3-2 as Mervis goes 0-for-3 with an HBP (6/9/2023)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) has improved vastly over 2022 rookie season. The 6’3″ right hander, whose 30 appearances in 2023 are tied for #3 in NL, has trimmed ERA from 4.91 to 3.05, reduced WHIP from 1.427 to 1.185, lowered opponent OPS from .763 to .627, cut walk ratio from 10.95% to 7.6%, and increased strikeout ratio from 19.9% to 25.2% (6/9/2023)
• Mazel Tov to high-school senior Gavin Taylor for being named MVP of West Valley League in Los Angeles. The catcher has committed to Brigham Young U. but will be eligible for July’s MLB draft (6/9/2023)
• Andy Yerzy (Reds/AAA) hits 3-run HR in 13-8 win over Guardians affiliate. He is 2-for-11 this season, with both hits home runs (6/8/2023)
• 3B/DH Chase Strumpf (Cubs/AAA) goes combined 3-for-7 with HR, 4 RBIs, and 2 HBPs in doubleheader against Twins affiliate. Since promotion to Triple-A, Strumpf is hitting .207 (6-for-29) with 3 HRs, 10 RBIs, 13 whiffs, and .410 OBP (6/8/2023)
• P Evan Kravetz (Reds/AA) tosses 2 innings of scoreless relief to earn second win, a 4-3 triumph over White Sox affiliate. His 2.66 ERA ranks #15 among all Southern League pitchers with at least 20 IP (6/8/2023)
• P Max Lazar (Brewers/High-A) throws 3.2 innings of scoreless relief to earn second save in 4-1 win over Tigers affiliate. His 4.38 strikeout-to-walk ratio (35 K vs. 8 BB) ranks #8 in Midwest League (6/8/2023)
• Bullpen mates Graham Firoved and Daniel Federman (Orioles/High-A) both earn ‘holds’ in 3-1 win over Astros affiliate. Firoved yields no hits and one walk over 2 innings while striking out 5 batters (6/8/2023)
• P Tanner Jacobson (Cardinals/A) earns first career save with perfect inning of relief in 8-6 win over Marlins affiliate (6/8/2023)
• P Eli Morgan (Guardians) strikes out side and earns third ‘hold’ of season in 5-2 win over Red Sox. Two batters go down swinging (6/7/2023)
• P Scott Effross (Yankees), out for season due to Tommy John surgery, is interviewed on podcast hosted by Cubs OF Ian Happ (6/7/2023)
• P Justin Alintoff of independent Long Island Ducks earns first pro win in 13-3 victory over Frederick Baseball Club. In 4 innings of relief, right-hander yields 2 earned runs on 2 hits, walk, and 3 strikeouts (6/6/2023)
• 3B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) goes 2-for-5 with double, walk, and 4 RBIs in 14-6 win over Diamondbacks affiliate, tying him for #2 in Pacific Coast League RBIs (6/7/2023)
• C Jordan Dissin (Phillies/Single-A) goes 3-for-3 with walk and 2 runs scored in 7-3 win over Twins affiliate, boosting average to .311 and OBP to .446 (6/7/2023)
• In first game since injuring hand nearly a month ago, DH Joc Pederson (Giants) goes 1-for-2 and draws walk in 10-4 win over Rockies (6/6/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs) smacks 2-run double and makes second error in 7-4 loss to Angels (6/6/2023)
• Of all MLB pitchers with sub 2.00 ERA and at least 20 IP, Eli Morgan (Guardians) has worst WHIP and second-worst H/9. On other hand, he ranks #6 in BB/9, #8 in K/BB, and #17 in K/9 (6/7/2023)
• DH Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA), enjoying best season yet, goes 2-for-4 with triple, walk, and 2 RBIs in 12-5 loss to Diamondbacks affiliate. He ranks #2 in Pacific Coast League with 17 HRs, #3 with 52 RBIs, #4 in slugging at .636, and #4 in OPS at 1.042. At age 28, Scheiner has yet to get an MLB call-up (6/6/2023)
• P Harrison Cohen (Yankees/High-A) tosses perfect inning of relief with one strikeout and just 10 pitches in 13-1 win over Phillies affiliate (6/6/2023)
• He’s back! Out since May 12 with right-hand contusion, DH Joc Pederson (Giants) will start tonight against Colorado Rockies (6/6/2023)
• P Max Fried (Braves), who joined the 15-day injured list on 5/9/2023 due to strained left forearm, is moved to 60-day injured list. Some blogs suspect this is not two-month delay in All-Star’s projected return but procedural change to allow roster moves while giving Fried more time to recover (6/5/2023)
• SS Assaf Lowengart, who starred for his native Israel in 2021 European Championships, made it to Division 1 this season when he joined William & Mary. Lowengart broke ankle in 5th inning of team’s first game but held on to homer in 7th inning. He spent remainder of season recovering (6/5/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 2-for-4 and extends hit streak to 11 games in 2-1 loss to Angels. Bregman has hit .425 (17-for-40) during streak, with 2 HRs, 2 doubles, 13 RBIs, OBP of .500, and 1.25 OPS. Both his average and OBP rank #3 in Majors over that span (6/4/2023)
• 3B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) hits 3-run, go-ahead HR to secure 4-1 win over Giants affiliate (6/4/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics/AAA) goes 2-for-3 with solo HR and RBI single in 7-6 win over Padres affiliate (6/4/2023)
• 1B Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox/High-A) goes 2-for-3 with double, RBI, and 2 stolen bases in 5-4 loss to Pirates affiliate. His 18 SBs rank #8 in South Atlantic League (6/4/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 1-for-1 with 4 walks and grand-slam HR in 9-6 win over Angels. Only three others in MLB history have drawn 4 walks and hit grand slam in single game: Ted Williams in 1946, Bobby Bonds in 1979, and J.D. Martinez in 2017 (6/3/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) is money with bases loaded. In 2023, he is 5-for-6 with HR, double, and 13 RBIs. Careerwise, Bregman is hitting .394 (26-for-66) with 5 HRs, 8 doubles, triple, 83 RBIs, and .452 OBP (6/3/2023)
• 3B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) goes 2-for-4 with double and go-ahead, grand-slam HR in 11-7 win over Giants affiliate. Scheiner ranks #2 in Pacific Coast League with 16 HRs, #3 with 47 RBIs, and #4 in slugging at .620 (6/3/2023)
• Las Vegas Aviators (Mariners/AAA) auction off flight-suit jersey worn by SS Zack Gelof. Nickname printed on jersey’s back? “Kosher” (6/3/2023)
• Happy birthday to CF Harrison Bader (Yankees), who turns 29 today (6/3/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) improves record to 6-2 in win over Giants, scattering 2 earned runs on 5 hits, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts over 6 innings. It is Kremer’s sixth straight start allowing 3 or fewer runs (6/2/2023)
• P Kenny Rosenberg (Angels/AAA) matches career high with 10 strikeouts and zero walks in 6-3 win over Rockies affiliate, yielding one earned run on 6 hits. Teammate Zack Weiss follows Rosenberg with an inning of relief (6/2/2023)
• 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA), Toronto’s #18 prospect, goes 3-for-4 with 2 doubles and walk in 4-1 win over Twins affiliate (6/2/2023)
• P Aaron Cohn (Athletics/A) tosses perfect inning of relief and strikes out one in 8-1 loss to Mariners affiliate (6/2/2023)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers), who stands 6’4″ and 270 pounds, hits third triple in 1,721 career at-bats as Milwaukee falls to Blue Jays, 3-1. Tellez lines ball to right field, but Toronto CF Kevin Kiermaier deflects it (6/1/2023)
• IF Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA), playing right field for first time as pro, goes 4-for-5 with HR and double in 13-8 loss to Diamondbacks affiliate (6/1/2023)
• P Colton Gordon (Astros/AA) tosses 5 innings of no-walk, shutout ball for second straight game. Houston’s #8 prospect yields just 2 hits and strikes out 4 batters in 3-1 win over Royals affiliate. Gordon ranks among Top 10 Texas League pitchers in multiple categories, including #6 in opponent batting average at .206, #6 in strikeout frequency at 29.7%, and #9 in WHIP at 1.10 (6/1/2023)
• P Zack Leban (Miami/AA) strikes out side and earns first save of season in 8-6 win over Brewers affiliate (6/1/2023)
• P Evan Kravetz (Reds/AA) throws 2 scoreless innings in 5-4 loss to Cubs affiliate, giving up one hit and no walks while striking out two (6/1/2023)
• C Jordan Dissin (Phillies/A) ranks #1 on Clearwater Phillies with .421 OBP, #1 in walk frequency at 16.7%, and #3 in OPS at .857 (6/1/2023)
• P Jared Shuster (Braves) earns win in 4-2 victory over Athletics, yielding 2 earned runs over 5.1 innings on 3 hits, 4 walks, one strikeout, and just 68 pitches. Rookie also picks off baserunner. Teammate Kevin Pillar strikes out in pinch-hit role (5/31/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 2-for-4 in 8-2 loss to Twins, extending hitting streak to 8 games. Over that streak, Bregman has batted .368 with one HR, 2 doubles, and 7 RBIs (5/31/2023)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) strands one inherited runner over 1.1 perfect innings in 6-0 loss to Diamondbacks. Bird has inherited 18 runners this season, second-most among all MLB pitchers who have tossed at least 30 innings (5/31/2023)
• Four Jewish players are on 2023 All-Star ballot: Astros 3B Alex Bregman, Yankees CF Harrison Bader, Giants DH Joc Pederson, and Brewers 1B Rowdy Tellez. No pitchers made list (5/31/2023)
• 3B Chase Strumpf (Cubs/AAA) crushes 3-run HR in first AAA at-bat as Iowa Cubs defeat Guardians affiliate 9-0 (5/31/2023)
• 2B Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA) goes 3-for-3 with HR, double, and one RBI in game suspended by rain. In May, he hit .429 with 4 HRs, 18 RBIs, .500 OBP, and 1.214 OPS (5/31/2023)
• P Max Lazar (Brewers/High-A) earns first save of 2023 in 5-2 win over Cardinals affiliate, tossing 3 no-hit innings with one walk and one strikeout (5/31/2023)
• 2B Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA) is named Texas League Player of the Week. An undrafted free agent signed by St. Louis in July 2021, Mendlinger hit .444 with one HR, 2 doubles, 5 RBIs, and league-leading 1.246 OPS from May 22-28 (5/29/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) is placed on injured list after pulling right hamstring while running out infield single on Monday. Manager says Bader — who was among New York’s top hitters this month — is likely to be out at least a few weeks (5/30/2023)
• LF Kevin Pillar (Braves) goes 2-for-3 with home run and double in 2-1 win over Athletics (5/30/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 2-for-4 with HR and RBI single in 5-1 win over Twins. Over past 2 weeks, Bregman hit .333 with 2 HRs, 3 doubles, and 10 RBIs (5/30/2023)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) and LF Kevin Pillar (Braves) account for 2 of 16 N.L. hitters who have at least 6 HRs and are averaging one HR every 14 or fewer ABs (5/30/2023)
• P Jacob Steinmetz (Diamondbacks/Single-A), a 19-year-old who is observantly Orthodox, has been added to MLB.com’s list of top Arizona prospects, at #30. The righthander stands 6-foot-6-inches tall (5/29/2023)
• 3B Chase Strumpf (Cubs/AA) goes 2-for-4 with 2 doubles and ties career best with 4 RBIs in 10-1 win over Reds affiliate. The 25-year-old ranks #4 in Southern League with .401 OBP, #7 in slugging at .500, and #5 in OPS at .901 (5/29/2023)
• P Evan Kravetz (Reds/AA) tosses scoreless inning of relief against Cubs affiliate but does not face opponent Chase Strumpf. During his 2022 stint in Double-A, Kravetz was 0-0 with 2 saves, 4.22 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, and .268 opponent batting average. This season, the 6-foot-8-inch southpaw is 1-0 with one save, 2.81 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and .228 opponent average (5/29/2023)
• IF Jake Gelof (U. of Virginia), brother of top Oakland Athletics prospect Zack Gelof (AAA), is tied for #16 among Division I ballplayers with 22 HRs, ranks #5 with 84 RBIs, and weighs in with .439 OBP and 1.192 OPS. According to MLB.com, Gelof is ranked #42 among those eligible for June’s amateur draft (5/29/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) goes 1-for-4 with 393-foot HR, stolen base, 2 RBIs, and throwing error in 10-7 win over Padres. Among fellow Yankees in May, Bader is tied for #1 with 5 SBs and for #2 with 6 HRs and 19 RBIs (5/28/2023)
• P Eli Morgan (Guardians) tosses 1.1 scoreless innings in 4-3 win over Cardinals (5/28/2023)
• C Andy Yerzy (Diamondbacks/AAA), who played just one game this season before being placed on franchise’s development list, goes 1-for-3 with HR and walk in return to lineup (5/28/2023)
• 2B Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA) goes 3-for-5 with 3-run HR in 10-5 win over Twins affiliate (5/28/2023)
• P Ryan Sherriff (Red Sox/AAA) tosses 1.2 perfect innings and strikes out 3 in 11-4 loss to Yankees affiliate (5/28/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 3-for-4 with 3-run double in 6-3 win over Athletics, raising batting average to .236, his highest since April 25. Bregman went hitless in first 21 plate appearances this season (5/27/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) strikes out 5 over 6.1 innings and yields 3 earned runs in 5-3 loss to Rangers. Four-seam fastballs account for 41 of Kremer’s 97 pitches and average 94.9-mph (5/27/2023)
• LF Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) goes 3-for-5 with solo HR in win over Phillies farm team. Toronto’s #18 prospect is hitting .329, and his .453 OBP ranks #4 in International League (5/27/2023)
• 3B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) goes 3-for-5 with 3-run HR in win over Athletics affiliate. Scheiner is among Pacific Coast League leaders in several categories: he ranks #2 in HRs with 15, #3 in RBIs with 43, and #6 in OPS at 1.001 (5/27/2023)
• P Kenny Rosenberg (Angels) earns shutout win over Astros affiliate, yielding just 2 hits and 3 walks over 5 innings while notching 6 strikeouts (5/27/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) goes 2-for-4 with RBI single in 5-2 win over Athletics. Bregman’s 1.27 walk-to-strike out ratio (28 K vs. 22 BB) ranks #2 in MLB (5/26/2023)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) tosses perfect inning of relief in 5-2 loss to Mets. Bird’s 24 appearances this season are tied for #3 in National League. Meanwhile, his 2.41 ERA ranks #5, and he is tied for #2 in home runs allowed with just one (5/26/2023)
• Rookie pitcher Jared Shuster (Braves) holds Phillies to 3 earned runs over 5.2 innings, but shaky bullpen leads Atlanta to 6-4 defeat (5/26/2023)
• P Colton Gordon (Astros/AA) tosses 5 innings of scoreless relief in 5-4 loss to Athletics affiliate, yielding 4 hits and no walks while striking out 6. Houston’s #8 prospect had rough April, going 1-2 with 6.75 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, and opponent OPS of .873. But in May, Gordon is 1-1 with 2.16 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and .447 opponent OPS (5/26/2023)
• Triple the naches: in 7th inning of game between Las Vegas Aviators (Athletics/AAA) and Tacoma Rainiers (Mariners/AAA), Aviators 2B Zack Gelof hits single off Rainiers P Rob Kaminsky and into hands of Rainiers LF Jake Scheiner. Gelof and Scheiner have big days in Aviator’ 14-6 win. Gelof goes 3-for-5 with solo HR. Scheiner homers for Rainiers, going 2-for-3 with walk and 2 RBIs. Kaminsky, unfortunately, is hammered for 5 earned runs over 1.2 innings. Aviators reliever Chase Cohen? Not Jewish (5/25/2023)
• 3B/2B Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA) goes 3-for-4 with double, walk, and 2 RBIs in 4-3 loss to Twins affiliate. Since promotion to Double-A on May 9, Mendlinger is hitting sizzling .405 (15-for-37) with 10 RBIs, .488 OBP, and 1.083 OPS (5/25/2023)
• P Eli Morgan (Guardians) tosses 2 perfect innings of relief in 6-0 loss to Mariners, allowing no baserunners and striking out 3. Outing is second best of 85-game MLB career (5/24/2023)
• In first 10 MLB games, rookie 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs) struck out 18 times in 46 plate appearances while drawing 3 walks. In 4 games since, he has struck out once and walked twice in 13 trips to plate (5/24/2023)
• P Evan Kravetz (Reds/AA) tosses 2.1 scoreless innings of relief to earn first win of season. In 15 combined innings, 6-foot-8-inch southpaw has 3.00 ERA with one save, 14 strikeouts, and 3 walks (5/24/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) goes 2-for-4 with solo HR, game-tying sacrifice fly, and sliding catch in 6-5 triumph over Orioles in extra innings. New York has won 5 straight (5/23/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs) goes 2-for-3 with HR, RBI double, walk, and career-high 3 RBIs in 7-2 win over Mets (5/23/2023)
• 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) goes 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs in 6-3 loss to Phillies affiliate. His .338 average ranks #7 in International League, while his .457 OBP ranks #3 (5/23/2023)
• Not bad: collectively, Jewish batters are hitting .238 with 35 HRs, 106 RBIs, and .348 OBP in 646 ABs. Meanwhile, Jewish pitchers are 13-4 with a save, 3.73 ERA, and 7.9 strikeouts per 9 innings (5/23/2023)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) earns first 2023 win in 5-3 triumph over Marlins, striking out 2 over 1.1 scoreless innings while yielding zero hits and a walk (5/23/2023)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) goes 2-for-3 with 2-run HR in 12-2 loss to Astros. In opposite dugout, Houston 3B Alex Bregman goes 2-for-6 with RBI single (5/23/2023)
• Among pitchers who have thrown at least 30 innings, P Jake Bird (Rockies) is tied for #1 in N.L. with just one home run allowed. He ranks #5 with a 2.51 ERA (5/23/2023)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) has 12 HRs, tied for #7 in National League. His home-run frequency of one HR every 11.42 ABs is tied for #7 among all batters with at least 5 home runs (5/23/2023)
• Two-run, go-ahead home run by CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) on 1-2 count propels New York to 4-1 win over Reds. Bader and Anthony Rizzo are tied for most Yankee RBIs this month (5/21/2023)
• Braves rookie P Jared Shuster one-hits Mariners over 6 innings, yielding a home run and one walk while striking out 7 for his first MLB win (5/21/2023)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) smashes 2-run, 429-foot HR to dead center in 6-4 win over MLB-best Rays. He also draws 2 walks (5/21/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) yields one earned run over 5.1 innings in extra-inning win over Blue Jays. He is 3-0 with 1.96 ERA in May (5/21/2023)
• One-two Jewish punch: P Daniel Federman (Orioles/High-A) tosses 5 innings of one-run ball in win over White Sox affiliate. Teammate Graham Firoved throws 2 scoreless innings to earn save. Pair combine for 10 strikeouts (5/21/2023)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) tosses 2 scoreless innings, yielding one hit and no walks while striking out one in 11-5 loss to Rangers. His ERA is at a season-low 2.61 (5/20/2023)
• C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) smacks pinch-hit triple in 12-3 victory over Cubs. Chicago 1B Matt Mervis goes 1-for-3 (5/20/2023)
• P Rob Kaminsky (Mariners/AAA) slices ERA to 2.08 with 2 scoreless innings in 6-1 loss to Rockies affiliate (5/20/2023)
• 3B Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA) goes 3-for-5 with triple and 3 RBIs in shutout of Royals affiliate. Since promotion to Double-A, Mendlinger is hitting .364 (8-for-22) with .440 OBP (5/20/2023)
• P Tanner Jacobson (Cardinals/Single-A) tosses 2 perfect innings and fans four in 2-1 loss to Mets affiliate (5/20/2023)
• P Zack Weiss (Angels) earns first career win in season debut. Coming on with 2 outs in 7th inning and one man on base, Weiss walks first Twin and then gets DH Byron Buxton to strike out swinging (5/19/2023)
• OF RJ Schreck (Vanderbilt U.), C Jack Rubenstein (Georgia Tech), and IF Michael Snyder (U. of Washington) leads collegiate Jews in hit-by-pithces with 17, 16, and 14, respectively (5/19/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) is crushing it against southpaws, but right-handed hurlers have been his kryptonite. Bader is hitting .195 (8-for-41) with 0 HRS, 4 RBIs, and .409 OPS against righties. Against lefties, he is batting .539 (7-for-15) with 3 HRs, 2 triples, 8 RBIs, and 2.139 OPS (5/18/2023)
• P Evan Kravetz (Reds/AA) earns 1st save of 2023, tossing perfect inning with one strikeout and retiring Brewers on only 10 pitches (5/18/2013)
• C Jordan Dissin (Phillies/Single-A) ranks #3 on Clearwater Phillies with .310 batting average and .420 OBP (5/18/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) played key role in Houston’s comeback from 6-1 deficit to 7-6 walkoff win against Cubs. Bregman went 3-for-4 with HR and RBI double. Then, intentionally walked in 9th inning, he scored winning run from second base on single. Bregman also threw out Cubs 1B Matt Mervis on 1st-inning ground ball (5/17/2023)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) tosses 2 scoreless innings on 11-6 win over Reds. From 2022 to 2023, Bird has lowered his ERA from 4.91 to 2.79, reduced his WHIP from 1.427 to 1.138, and increased his strikeout-to-walk ratio from 1.83 to 3.00 (5/17/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics/AAA), Oakland’s #3 prospect, reaches base in all 6 plate appearances in blowout win over Angels affiliate. He goes 4-for-4 with 2 HRs, 2 walks, 3 RBIs, stolen base, and 5 runs scored (5/17/2023)
• P Colton Gordon (Astros/AA), Houston’s #8 prospect, records first save of 2023 in win over Dodgers affiliate. He tosses 4 scoreless innings, yielding 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4 (5/16/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs) goes 2-for-4 and smashes first MLB homer, a 393-foot line drive to right field (5/16/2023)
• P Ryan Sherriff (Red Sox) tosses perfect inning in debut with Boston, earning a ‘hold’ in win over Mariners. He strikes out one and retires side on 13 pitches (5/16/2023)
• Third MLB start by P Jared Shuster (Braves) is best yet. Rookie yields 3 earned runs on 3 hits, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts in loss to Rangers (5/16/2023)
• Blog says Blue Jays prospect Spencer Horwitz (Buffalo Bisons/AAA) is “hitting himself into contention for a promotion sometime this season.” The first baseman is batting .317 with 1 home run, 20 RBIs, OBP of .443, and OPS of .885 (5/16/2023)
• P Jared Shuster is called up by Braves, will start tonight against Rangers (5/16/2023)
• P Ryan Sherriff gets call-up, will join Richard Bleier in Red Sox bullpen (5/16/2023)
• Big day for Jewish hitters. 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) goes 2-for-2 with 2 walks in lopsided loss to Cardinals. LF Kevin Pillar (Braves) homers for second straight game — and third game in his last 4 — as Milwaukee shuts out Rangers. 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hits 2-run, go-ahead HR in 7th inning to power win over Cubs (5/15/2023)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) is averaging one HR every 12.5 ABs (125/10), ranking him #12 in Majors. LF Kevin Pillar (Braves) is hitting a HR every 14.4 ABs, ranking him #26 (5/15/2023)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) and DH Bryce Harper (Phillies) are ejected after bench-clearing scrum that allegedly begins when Bird forces Harper into inning-ending flyout and then trash-talks Philadelphia’s dugout. Colorado goes on to win 4-0 (5/14/2023)
• A Joc Pederson single that reached 116.6-mph on 4/25/2023 remains season’s 6th hardest-hit ball (5/14/2023)
• MLB’s Official Historian writes about slugger Lipman Pike, who in 1871 became first Jewish major-leaguer (5/14/2023)
• 3B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) goes 1-for-3 with 2-run HR and walk in loss to Diamondbacks affiliate. Scheiner’s 12 HRs are tied for #3 among all minor-league hitters, and his 32 RBIs and 1.011 OPS are tied for #4 and #10, respectively, in Pacific Coast League. Yet Scheiner is not counted among Seattle’s Top 30 prospects (5/13/2023)
• 2B Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox/High-A) steals 14th base, tying him for #6 in South Atlantic League. Meanwhile, his .412 OBP ranks #11 (5/13/2023)
• Happy 27th birthday to Guardians P Eli Morgan (5/13/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs) hits game-tying double off centerfield wall in 7th inning. Chicago goes on to beat Twins 6-2 (5/12/2023)
• DH Joc Pederson (Giants) smashes 2-run, 410-foot home run in 1st inning off Cardinals. Ball exits bat at 112 mph (5/12/2023)
• 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) smashes 3 doubles before hitting walk-off single in bottom of 9th against Mets affiliate. Toronto’s #18 prospect is hitting .321 with .455 OBP, #4 in International League (5/11/2023)
• Former Blue Jays prospect Johnny Anderson is pitching for Savannah Bananas, whose beloved and viral stunts include choreographed dancers and batter who wore stilts (5/11/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) dominates powerful Rays with 6 scoreless innings, allowing 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4 en route to 2-1 win at home. Tampa Bay is averaging 6.1 runs per game, ranking it #2 in MLB (5/10/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) hits 3-run HR in 11-3 win over Athletics at home. In month of May to date, he ranks #2 in MLB with 11 RBIs, #2 in OPS at 1.341, and #3 in average at .429 (5/10/2023)
• 1B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) goes combined 3-for-6 with 2 solo HRs in doubleheader against Diamondbacks affiliate. He ranks #2 in Pacific Coast League with 11 home runs, #5 in RBIs with 30, and #7 in slugging percentage at .617 (5/10/2023)
• P Rob Kaminsky (Mariners/AAA) — Jake Scheiner’s teammate on Tacoma Rainiers — is near-perfect in first start of 2023. Kaminsky tosses 3 no-hit innings, striking out 4 and allowing only one baserunner in Game 2 of doubleheader (5/10/2023)
• 3B Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA), batting 9th, goes 2-for-3 in Double-A debut (5/10/23)
• Braves place ace starter Max Fried on injured list with strained left forearm (5/9/2023)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) tosses scoreless inning with 3 strikeouts in win over Pirates. His improvement since rookie season in 2022 is substantial: ERA down from 4.91 to 2.88, WHIP trimmed from 1.427 to 1.040, walks per 9 innings reduced from 4.3 to 2.5, and strikeouts per 9 innings up from 7.9 to 10.1 (5/9/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) goes 3-for-4 with RBI single in win over Athletics. In 7 games since coming off injured list, he is hitting .440 (11-for-25) with 2 HRs, 2 triples, and 1.302 OPS (5/9/2023)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) hits 10th HR, tying him for #6 in MLB (5/9/2023)
• P Jacob Steinmetz (Diamondbacks/Single-A), who went 0-7 with a 7.88 ERA in 2022, delivers career-best start in win over Rockies affiliate. The 6’6″ right-hander yields one earned run on 4 hits and zero walks over 6 innings while striking out three (5/9/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) triples and walks in a 7-2 win over Athletics. He now is one of only two MLB players to triple in two consecutives games this season (5/8/2023)
• P Eli Morgan (Guardians) yields an earned run, breaking a 10-game scoreless streak (5/8/2023)
• Joc Pederson (Giants) played outfield in roughly 86% of his games in 2022. In 2023, he has served as designated hitter 100% of the time (5/8/2023)
• LF Kevin Pillar (Braves), who recently became the 12th Jewish player to reach 100 career HRs, talks to Fox5 about what the accomplishment means to him as a former 32nd-round draft pick (5/6/2023)
• OF RJ Schreck (Vanderbilt U.) leads all Jewish collegians with a .360 batting average, .495 OBP, 1.202 OPS, 36 walks, and 5 stolen bases. Schreck’s 52 RBIs are second only to NCAA leader Jake Gelof of U. of Virginia (5/8/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) singles, triples, and hits 2-run HR in extra-inning loss to Rays. In 5 games since coming off injured list, Bader is hitting .389 with 2 HRs and 7 RBIs in 18 at-bats (5/7/2023)
• 2B Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox/High-A) goes 2-for-3 with walk, hit-by-pitch, and RBI to boost average to .313 (5/7/2023)
• P Graham Firoved (3.66 ERA, 0.97 WHIP) and P Daniel Federman (2.57 ERA, 1.57 WHIP) are teammates on Aberdeen IronBirds, the Orioles’ High-A team (5/7/2023)
• INF Jake Gelof, U. of Virginia’s all-time HR leader, shares RBI lead among all D-1 batters, with 73 (5/7/2023)
• Kevin Pillar’s 100th career HR couldn’t have been more dramatic or crowd-pleasing. His 2-run, pinch-hit, go-ahead rocket in 8th inning delivers Braves a 5-4 win at home over Orioles. He joins Ryan Braun, Hank Greenberg, Shawn Green, Ian Kinsler, Sid Gordon, Al Rosen, Joc Pederson, Kevin Youkilis, Mike Lieberthal, Alex Bregman and Mike Epstein in the Jewish 100 Career Homer Club (5/6/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) produces pinch-hit single in 7th inning, then strokes 2-run, go-ahead single in 8th to secure 3-2 win over Rays (5/6/2023)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) throws 2 scoreless innings and earns first ‘hold’ of season in 5-2 win over Mets. In 11 appearances since his ERA ballooned to 11.12 on April 9, Bird has maintained a 0.49 ERA over 18.1 innings while striking out 21 batters and walking only five (5/6/2023)
• P Ryan Sherriff (Red Sox/AAA) tosses perfect inning to earn first win of 2023. He ranks high among Worcester Red Sox pitchers in multiple categories, including #1 in strikeout percentage at 26.8% and #1 in fielding-independent pitching at 2.32 (5/6/2023)
• 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA), who has walked more than struck out this season (22 vs. 21), ranks #5 in International League with .451 OBP (5/6/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) surprises many by prevailing over ace Max Fried (Braves). Kremer tosses 6 innings of one-run ball in 9-4 win (5/5/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs) strokes an RBI single in his MLB debut (5/5/2023)
• P Jared Shuster (Braves/AAA), who made MLB debut in Atlanta earlier this season, throws 6 no-hit innings in shutout over White Sox affiliate (5/5/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) drills 3-run HR to tie game against Rays, but New York loses 5-4 (5/5/2023)
• DH Joc Pederson (Giants) puts San Francisco ahead for good with a 2-run single in 5th inning but is tossed out at second base (5/5/2023)
• P Richard Bleier (Red Sox) tosses pefect 7th inning to earn second hold in 5-3 win over Phillies (5/5/2023)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) strokes 9th HR in just 97 at-bats, tying him for #4 in the National League. Tellez is averaging one HR per 10.8 at-bats, #3 in the League (5/4/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics/AAA) steals 10th base in just 56 at-bats, tying him for #2 in Pacific Coast League (5/4/2023)
• 1B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) hits 9th HR, tying him for #2 in Pacific Coast League. Meanwhile, his 27 RBIs rank #4 (5/4/2023)
• P Colton Gordon (Astros/AAA), Houston’s #8 prospect, is dominant in win, yielding one earned run on one hit and 2 walks over 6 innings while striking out 9 batters (5/4/2023)
• Cubs reportedly will call up 1B Matt Mervis (AAA), a top prospect who hit 36 HRs in 2022 and led the minors in extra-base hits, RBIs, and total bases. He is expected to join the team Friday (5/4/2023)
• In battle of Jewish starters, P Max Fried (Braves) and P Dean Kremer (Orioles) will face off on Friday, May 4
• LF Kevin Pillar (Braves) goes 3-for-5 in a 14-6 drubbing of Marlins. In his last 7 games, Pillar has hit .348 (8-for-23) with 2 HRs, 2 doubles, and 5 RBIs (5/3/2023)
• P Max Lazar (Brewers/High-A) tosses 3 scoreless innings and fans 4 in loss to Cardinals’ affiliate (5/3/2023)
• C Jordan Dissin (Phillies/Single-A), a 2022 draft pick, goes 2-for-3 with a home run, double, and 2 walks. He is hitting .345 (10-for-29) with 6 RBIs and .457 OBP (5/23/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) makes 2023 debut, going 1-for-4 in win over Guardians. His lone hit comes against Cleveland reliever Eli Morgan (5/2/2023)
• P Eli Morgan (Guardians) sees 10-game scoreless streak end against Yankees. But he and Max Fried (Braves) still account for 2 of only seven MLB pitchers who have pitched 14+ innings this season while maintaining ERA below 0.70 (5/2/2023)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) garners 2 doubles and an RBI against Rockies. His second 2-bagger leads Colorado to replace starting P Ryan Feltner with reliever Jake Bird (5/2/2023)
• P Richard Bleier (Red Sox) pitches perfect 8th inning against Blue Jays to earn first victory of 2023 (5/2/2023)
• 2B Chase Strumpf (Cubs/AA), Chicago’s #24 prospect, goes 3-for-3 with 2 walks and his 5th home run (5/2/2023)
• OF Kevin Pillar (Braves) strokes 99th career home run, a 2-run shot off Mets (5/1/2023)
• 3B Dalton Guthrie (Phillies), an 8th-inning defensive replacement, flies out to right field in 2023 debut (5/1/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) is a notoriously slow starter, but 2023 has been especially rough. His .219 batting average through April is a career low, and his OBP, slugging percentage, and OPS are only a shade higher than in 2017, his worst March/April (5/1/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) singles and draws 2 walks in 4-3 win over Phillies. He has 21 walks against 15 strikeouts, leaving him #2 in MLB walk-to-strikeout ratio this season (4/30/2023)
• 1B Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA), Toronto’s #18 prospect, goes 4-for-5 with double, walk, and career-high 6 RBIs in 21-9 crushing of Atlanta Braves’ affiliate. His .443 OBP ranks #13 in International League (4/30/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA) goes 3-for-4 with 2 doubles, walk, and 3 RBIs in 13-0 shutout of Reds’ affiliate. Mervis’s 27 RBIs rank #2 in International League, and he ranks in Top 20 in slugging, OPS, walk-to-strikeout ratio, and ISO, a measure of raw power (4/30/2023)
• P Rob Kaminsky (Mariners/AAA) tosses perfect inning of relief, lowering ERA to 2.70 and WHIP to 1.05 (4/30/2023)
• 2B Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox/High-A) goes 3-for-6 with walk and 2 stolen bases. His 9 thefts are tied for #5 in South Atlantic League, and his .319 batting average ranks #8 (4/29/2023)
• 3B Zack Gelof (Athletics/AAA) hits 2-run double, draws walk, and steals base in 7-2 win. His 7 thefts are tied for #2 in Pacific Coast League (4/29/2023)
• P Max Fried (Atlanta Braves) shuts out New York Mets in rain-shortened game, his third straight scoreless outing. Fried has allowed just one earned run in 20 innings, and his 0.45 ERA is #1 among all MLB pitchers with 20+ innings under their belt (4/28/2023)
• C CJ Stubbs (Astros/AA) strokes 2 HRs to help teammate Colton Gordon earn his first AA victory. Gordon allows 2 first-inning runs but retires 10 of next 11 batters and ends with career-best 10 strikeouts (4/28/2023)
• P Bubby Rossman (New York Mets/AAA) tosses 2 scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 3.00 (4/28/2023)
• Former Orioles P Richard Bleier (Red Sox) says Baltimore fans spat and threw beer on Boston bullpen. Orioles win 6-2 (4/26/2023)
• 3B Zack Gelof (Athletics/AAA), Oakland’s #2 prospect, goes 3-for-3 with single, triple, home run, walk, and 4 RBIs in 9-7 win (4/27/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA), Chicago’s #6 prospect, goes 2-for-5 with home run, walk, and 2 RBIs in 18-16 win. His 23 RBIs are tied for #1 in International League (4/27/2023)
• P Ryan Sherriff (Red Sox/AAA) lowers ERA to 2.79 and WHIP to 1.14 with shutout inning (undated)
• P Justin Alintoff (New York Boulders/independent) and IF Benjamin Rosengard (Rice U.) have obtained Israeli citizenship and will play for Israel in September’s European Championships (4/24/2023)
• In battle of Jewish pitchers, Eli Morgan (Guardians) and Jake Bird (Rockies) each toss 1.1 scoreless innings as Cleveland prevails. Morgan is perfect with 3 strikeouts, while Bird yields 2 hits and a walk (4/26/2023)
• Speaking of Eli Morgan (Guardians), the right-hander maintains a 0.00 ERA across 9 relief appearances, during which he has fanned 15 batters while yielding just 2 hits and one walk. Morgan’s 11.2 scoreless innings are tied for #1 in the Majors (4/26/2023)
• 1B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) goes 4-for-6 with 2 HRs and 6 RBIs in an 18-17 loss. His 8 HRs this season are tied for #2 in the Pacific Coast League (4/26/2023)
• P Max Lazar (Brewers/High-A) tosses 4 scoreless innings of relief, yielding 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out four (4/26/2023)
• RF RJ Schreck (Vanderbilt U.) leads his team with a .366 batting average, 10 HRs, 45 RBIs, 12 HBP (tied), .500 OBP, .697 slugging, and 1.197 OPS (4/26/2023)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) strokes 3rd home run in his last 5 games. His 8 HRs rank #5 in the Majors (4/25/2023)
• DH Mike Rothenberg (Tigers/A) hits 3-run HR and sacrifice fly in 13-6 win. He is hitting .297 (11-for-37) with 2 HRs, 14 RBIs, a .372 OBP, and a .940 OPS (4/25/2023)
• 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) strokes his 3rd home run of the month, a 386-foot shot against the Rays. Over the past week, Bregman has hit .391 with a home run, 3 doubles, 4 RBIs, a .482 OBP, and only one strikeout (4/24/2023)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) pitches a perfect 2 innings in a shutout win over the Guardians. The effort marks Bird’s 6th straight scoreless outing, during which he has reduced his ERA from 11.12 to 4.02 (4/24/2023)
• SEC names Charlie Goldstein (U. of Georgia) its Co-Pitcher of the Week (4/24/2023)
• LF Kevin Pillar (Braves) backs teammate Max Fried with first HR since September 2021. Solo shot leaves Pillar 2 HRs short of 100 for his career (4/23/2023)
• P Max Fried (Braves) tosses 6.2 scoreless innings and picks off runner in heartbreaking loss to Astros. His 0.60 ERA is #1 in the Majors (4/23/2023)
• CF Joc Pederson (Giants) shines in return from injured list, driving in San Francisco’s first run and scoring winning one against Mets (4/23/2023)
• OF Dalton Guthrie (Phillies/AAA) goes 3-for-4 with a single, double, triple and 2 RBIs in 9-3 win over Worcester Red Sox (4/23/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA) goes 3-for-5 with a double and 3 RBIs. His 21 RBIs rank #6 among all minor-leaguers (4/23/2023)
• INF Jake Gelof (U. of Virginia), brother of Athletics prospect Zack Gelof, has 67 RBIs, ranking him #1 among Division 1 ballplayers (4/23/2023)
• P Max Fried (Braves) starts today against Astros (4/23/2023)
• P Eli Morgan (Guardians) tosses 2 scoreless innings. His ERA remains 0.00 after 8 appearances (4/22/2023)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) appears in his 10th game, tying him for #8 in the N.L. (4/23/2023)
• P Charlie Goldstein (U. of Georgia) tosses 3-hit, no-walk shutout over 5th-ranked U. of Arkansas (4/21/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Yankees) hits RBI double in first game of 2023 season, a AA rehab assignment with the Somerset Patriots (4/21/2023)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) hits game-tying 6th home run of 2023, tying him for #5 in the Majors (4/21/2023)
• C Mike Rothenberg (Tigers/Single-A) goes 2-for-3 with an RBI and walk to raise season average to .303 and OBP to .395 (4/21/2023)
• P Kenny Rosenberg (Diamondbacks/AAA) hurled 7 shutout innings in a 3-1 win, yielding just 4 hits and one walk while striking out 4. Rosenberg is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 4 starts this season (4/20/2023)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) hit a 2-run, pinch-hit single with 2 outs in the 7th inning against the Mariners (4/19/2023)
• P Jake Bird (Rockies) held the Pirates scoreless over 3 innings of relief. He has 16 strikeouts over 12.2 innings this season (4/19/2023)
• P Richard Bleier (Red Sox) needed just 22 pitches to record 2 perfect innings against the Twins (4/19/2023)
• 2B Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox/High-A) has had only 28 at-bats this season, but his 6 stolen bases are tied for #6 in the South Atlantic League (4/19/2023)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) blanks Nationals to win his first game of 2023, yielding 4 hits and zero walks over 6.2 scoreless innings while striking out 6 and hitting one batter. His shutout comes one day after Max Fried (Braves) blanked the Padres (4/18/2023)
• 1B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AAA) goes 2-for-2 with 2 HRs, 3 walks, and 4 RBIs. His 6 HRs are tied for #5 among all minor-leaguers (4/18/2023)
• 2B Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox/High-A) goes 4-for-5 with a HR, double, walk, stolen base, and 4 RBIs. He is hitting .391 with 2 HRs, 5 RBIs, and 5 stolen bases in 23 at-bats (4/18/2023)
• P Jacob Steinmetz (Diamondbacks/A) to start today in Single-A debut (4/18/2023)
• P Max Fried (Braves) shuts down Padres 2-0 in first start in nearly three weeks (4/17/2023)
• In his two most recent outings, P Jake Bird (Rockies) has struck out 8 batters over a combined 3.1 innings (4/17/2023)
• OF RJ Schreck (Vanderbilt U.) is hitting a team-leading .354 with 9 HRs, 42 RBIs, and a .491 OBP (4/17/2023)
• #1 on his team in batting average (.351), #1/tied in stolen bases (9), and #5 in RBIs (23)
• Boston Herald: Ryan Sherriff honors survivor grandparents (4/16/2023)
• Times of Israel: The Legend of Jacob Steinmetz (4/14/2023)
• P Harrison Cohen (Yankees/Low-A) makes his P Rob Kaminsky (Mariners) tosses 2 scoreless innings on 2023 debut, fanning 4 while yielding one hit and no walks (4/15/2023)
• P Harrison Cohen (Yankees/Low-A) pitches 1.1 perfect innings in his second minor-league outing (4/14/2023)
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) homers twice in Milwaukee win. His 5 HRs are tied for 3rd in N.L. (4/14/2023)
• Former major-league P Rob Kaminsky (Mariners/AAA) signs minor-league deal with Seattle (4/14/2023)
• Thursday’s outing against the Rays was the worst of P Richard Bleier’s (Red Sox) 313-game MLB career. The 8-year veteran gave up 4 hits and 4 earned runs over one-third of an inning (4/13/2023)
• The collective batting average of MLB Jews this season finally crawled above .200, reaching .207 on Thursday (4/13/2023)
• C Jordan Dissin (Phillies/Low-A) shines in his team’s home opener, going 1-for-1 with a triple, walk, and sacrifice bunt (4/12/2023)
• P Josh Wolf (Guardians/High-A) earns win in relief, yielding one hit and no walks over 2.2 innings while striking out 4 (4/11/2023)
• SS Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox/High-A), P Graham Firoved (Orioles/High-A) make season debuts (4/11/2023)
• On Monday, 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) became the 15th player this season to draw 3 or more walks in a single game (4/10/2023)
• P Eli Morgan (Guardians) is one of only 6 MLB pitchers with at least one win, one save, and a 0.00 ERA (4/10/2023)
• P Harrison Cohen (Yankees/AA) — one of two Jewish “Harrisons” in the Yankee franchise — makes pro debut (4/10/2023)
• P Eli Morgan (Guardians) throws 2 perfect innings, maintains 0.00 ERA (4/9/2023)
• INF Jake Gelof (U. of Virginia) ranks among the top 10 in RBIs among Division I ballplayers. In 2022, he set Virginia’s all-time RBI record (4/9/2023)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA) has 10 RBIs, tied for #3 in Int’l League (4/9/2023)

• Giants activate OF Hunter Bishop (AA) from injured list (11/6/2023)
• DH Joc Pederson (Giants) declares free agency (11/2/2023)
• CF Harrison Bader (Reds) declares free agency (11/2/2023)
• LF Kevin Pillar (Braves) declares free agency (11/2/2023)
• Braves activate P Max Fried from injured list (10/7/2023)
• Brewers activate 1B Rowdy Tellez (10/5/2023)
• Blue Jays activate 1B Spencer Horwitz (10/5/2023)
• Cubs call-up 1B Matt Mervis from AAA (10/2/2023)
• Braves call-up P Jared Shsuter from AAA (10/2/2023)
• Red Sox call-up P Zack Weiss from AAA (10/2/2023)
• Yankees reactivate CF Harrison Bader from injured list (10/2/2023)
• Red Sox option P Zack Weiss to Triple-A (9/23/2023)
• Braves place P Max Fried on 15-day injured list with index-finger blister (9/22/2023)
• Reds place CF Harrison Bader on 10-day injured list due to groin strain, his third injury stint this season (9/18/2023)
• Braves reassign P Jared Shuster to Triple-A (9/17/2023)
• Brewers release Single-A pitcher Josh Shapiro, who last played in 2019 (9/16/2023)
• Braves call up P Jared Shuster from Triple-A team (9/12/2023)
• Yankees promote P Harrison Cohen to Double-A team (9/12/2023)
• White Sox activate SS Shawn Goosenberg (AA) from injured list (9/10/2023)
• Red Sox call-up P Zack Weiss from Triple-A (9/9/2023)
• We missed this one earlier: Cubs release minor-league P Richard Bleier (8/30/2023)
• Blue Jays call up 1B Spencer Horwitz from Triple-A (9/1/2023)
• White Sox promote SS Shawn Goosenberg to Double-A (8/31/2023)
• Reds claim Yankees CF Harrison Bader off waivers (8/31/2023)
• Dodgers release P Ryan Sherriff, who played for Triple-A team (8/24/2023)
• Braves promote C Will King, who was chosen in final round of 2023 draft, to High-A team (8/29/2023)
• Yankees reportedly place CF Harrison Bader on waivers, though team has not yet confirmed rumor (8/29/2023)
• Angels call up P Kenny Rosenberg from Triple-A (8/29/2023)
• Braves option P Jared Shuster to Triple-A (8/28/2023)
• Mets promote 2023 draftee P Ben Simon from rookie league to Single-A (8/25/2023)
• Red Sox pick up P Zack Weiss off waivers and assign him to Triple-A. In 6 appearances with Angels this season, Weiss was 1-0 with one hold and 5.06 ERA, giving up 6 hits and 2 walks over 5.1 innings while striking out seven (8/25/2023)
• Angels option P Kenny Rosenberg to Triple-A (8/24/2023)
• Angels call-up P Kenny Rosenberg from Triple-A (8/23/2023)
• Braves call-up P Jared Shuster from Triple-A. Rookie had 9 starts with Atlanta earlier this season (8/22/2023)
• Angels designate P Zack Weiss (AAA) for assignment (8/22/2023)
• Athletics promote P Aaron Cohn from rookie league to Single-A (8/21/2023)
• Brewers activate 1B Rowdy Tellez from injured list (8/19/2023)
• Cubs sign P Richard Bleier to minor-league contract, assign him to Triple-A team (8/17/2023)
• Reds release DH/1B/C Andy Yerzy, a Double-A player chosen by Diamondbacks in 2nd round of 2016 amateur draft (8/15/2023)
• Mets assign P Ben Simon to rookie-league team (8/14/2023)
• Angels option P Kenny Rosenberg to Triple-A (8/13/2023)
• Red Sox release P Richard Bleier (8/9/2023)
• Astros promote P Colton Gordon to Triple-A (8/7/2023)
• Red Sox designate P Richard Bleier for assignment (8/7/2023)
• Brewers assign 1B Rowdy Tellez to Triple-A for rehab assignment (8/8/2023)
• Angels call-up P Kenny Rosenberg from AAA (8/5/2023)
• Braves outright OF Dalton Guthrie to AAA (8/6/2023)
• Reds activate 1B/C Andy Yerzy (AA) from development list (8/4/2023)
• Braves activate P Max Fried from 60-day injured list (8/4/2023)
• Braves designate SS Dalton Guthrie for assignment (8/4/2023)
• Dodgers promote recent draftee 3B Jake Gelof to Single-A team (8/3/2023)
• Giants promote P Sam Delaplane to AA team (8/1/2023)
• Mariners promote draftee LF RJ Schreck to Single-A team (8/1/2023)
• Astros reassign C CJ Stubbs to AA team (7/31/2023)
• Marlins release P Zack Leban (AAA), who becomes free agent (7/30/2023)
• Braves activate LF Dalton Guthrie (AAA) from injured list (7/30/2023)
• Braves designate LF Dalton Guthrie for assignment (7/29/2023)
• Astros promote C CJ Stubbs to Triple-A (7/29/2023)
• Angels option P Zack Weiss to AAA, one day after calling him up to Majors (7/28/2023)
• Dodgers assign 3B Jake Gelof, a 2023 draftee, to rookie-league team (7/27/2023)
• Mariners move P Rob Kaminsky (AA) from rookie-league rehab stint to Double-A (7/26/2023)
• Mariners assign 2023 draftee RJ Schreck to rookie-league team (7/26/2023)
• Former Marlins P Jake Fishman inks deal with Long Island Ducks of Atlantic League, an MLB Partner League. He joins two other Jewish pitchers on roster: Robert Stock, who has played for 4 MLB teams, and Justin Alintoff (7/25/2023)
• Dodgers sign free-agent P Ryan Sherriff to contract on 7/24/2023 and assign him to Triple-A team on 7/25/2023, making Los Angeles his fifth MLB franchise. In five relief appearances with Red Sox earlier this season, Sherriff went 0-0 with 2.70 ERA and 1.200 WHIP over 6.2 innings (7/25/2023)
• Reds transfer DH/C Andy Yerzy (AAA) to development list for fourth time this season. In 51 ABs across AA and AAA in 2023, 6’3″ lefty has hit .235 with 4 HRs, 14 RBIs, .371 OBP, and .900 OPS (7/25/2023)
• Braves assign C Will King, a recent 20th-round draft pick, to franchise’s rookie-league team (7/24/2023)
• C Elie Kligman, an orthodox Jewish collegian, transfers from junior college to Sacramento State, a D-1 program (7/22/2023)
• Braves placed SS Dalton Guthrie (AAA) on 7-day injured list (7/23/2023)
• Cardinals assign 2nd-round draft pick OF Zach Levenson to Single-A team (7/21/2023)
• Braves assign P Max Fried to AAA for rehab assignment (7/19/2023)
• Mariners assign P Rob Kaminsky (AAA) to rookie-league team for rehab assignment. Southpaw last pitched June 6 (7/19/2023)
• Yankees send P Eric Reyzelman to rookie-league team for rehab assignment. Undrafted signee hasn’t played since September 2022 (7/18/2023)
• Red Sox activate P Richard Bleier from injured list (7/17/2023)
• Angels option P Zack Weiss to AAA team (7/17/2023)
• 2B Zack Gelof is called up from Triple-A by Athletics (7/14/2023)
• Braves claim OF Dalton Guthrie off waivers, assign him to Triple-A team (7/13/2023)
• P Ryan Sherriff (Red Sox/AAA) elects free agency (7/10/2023)
• Braves assign P Max Fried to AAA team for rehab assignment (7/9/2023)
• Red Sox designate P Ryan Sherriff (AAA) for assignment (7/6/2023)
• Red Sox activate P Ryan Sherriff (AAA) from 7-day injured list (7/6/2023)
• Phillies designate SS Dalton Guthrie (AAA) for assignment (7/6/2023)
• Angels call up P Zack Weiss from AAA (7/5/2023)
• Brewers place 1B Rowdy Tellez on 10-day injured list due to right forearm inflammation (7/5/2023)
• Red Sox assign P Richard Bleier to AAA team for rehab assignment (7/5/2023)
• Athletics release Triple-A pitcher Jake Fishman (7/1/2023)
• Reds promote P Evan Kravetz to Triple-A team (7/2/2023)
• Red Sox assign P Richard Bleier to AA team for rehab assignment (7/2/2023)
• Guardians activate P Josh Wolf (High-A) from 7-day injured list (7/1/2023)
• Reds release Leo Nierenberg, a Single-A pitcher (7/1/2023)
• Brewers promote P Max Lazar to AA (6/30/2023)
• Giants promote P Sam Delaplane to High-A (6/30/2023)
• Braves reassign P Jared Shuster to Triple-A (6/29/2023)
• Tigers activate C Mike Rothenberg (Single-A) from injured list (6/27/2023)
• Guardians send P Josh Wolf (High-A) to rookie league on rehab assignment (6/27/2023)
• Athletics send P Jake Fishman (AAA) to rehab assignment with rookie-league team (6/24/2023)
• Giants acquire OF Dalton Guthrie from Phillies for cash (6/23/2023)
• Red Sox place P Ryan Sherriff on 7-day injured list with left flexor strain (6/22/2023)
• P Alex Segal (Braves/AA) retires. In 3-year minor-league career, Segal went combined 6-2 with 3.73 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, and one save in two opportunities (6/20/2023)
• Marlins promote P Zack Leban to AAA (6/20/2023)
• Blue Jays option 1B Spencer Horwitz to AAA (6/21/2023)
• Yankees activate CF Harrison Bader from injured list (6/20/2023)
• Phillies reassign OF Dalton Guthrie to AAA (6/18/2023)
• Athletics reassign P Aaron Cohn to rookie league (6/16/2023)
• Reds send P Leo Nierenberg to rookie league for rehab assignment (6/17/2023)
• Cubs send rookie 1B Matt Mervis to Triple-A (6/15/2023)
• Tigers send C Mike Rothenberg to rookie league for rehab assignment (6/15/2023)
• Yankees send CF Harrison Bader to Somerset Patriots (AA) for rehab assignment (6/14/2023)
• Reds reassign C Andy Yerzy to AA (6/13/2023)
• Orioles place P Daniel Federman (High-A) on 7-day injured list (6/9/2023)
• Mariners place P Rob Kaminsky (AAA) on injured list (6/9/2023)
• Giants activate DH Joc Pederson from injured list (6/6/2023)
• Braves transfer P Max Fried from 15-day injured list to 60-day injured list (6/5/2023)
• Red Sox option P Ryan Sherriff to Triple-A (6/4/2023)
• Giants send DH Joc Pederson to San Jose Giants (Single-A) for rehab assignment (6/3/2023)
• Yankees place CF Harrison Bader on injured list. He strained right hamstring running out infield single (5/30/2023)
• Cubs promote 2B Chase Strumpf to AAA (5/30/2023)
• Red Sox call-up P Ryan Sherriff from AAA (5/30/2023)
• Giants ink deal with former Astros prospect Michael Wielansky and assign him to High-A. Infielder was leading independent Southern Maryland Blue Crabs with 8 HRs and 21 RBIs in 97 ABs (5/30/2023)
• Diamondbacks place C Andy Yerzy (AAA) on development list (5/30/2023)
• Diamondbacks activate C Andy Yerzy (AAA) from development list (5/20/2023)
• Angels option P Zack Weiss to Triple-A (5/21/2023)
• Red Sox option P Ryan Sherriff to Triple-A despite 2 successful outings at Fenway (5/18/2023)
• Guardians place P Josh Wolf (Lake County Captains/High-A) on injured list (5/17/2023)
• Red Sox call up P Ryan Sherriff from Triple-A (5/16/2023)
• Braves call up P Jared Shuster from Triple-A (5/16/2023)
• Giants place DH Joc Pederson on injured list due to right-hand contusion (5/15/2023)
• Angels call up P Zack Weiss from Triple-A (5/14/2023)
• Giants remove P Sam Delaplane from injured list and assign him to Single-A. Repeated injuries have limited right-hander to four appearances since 2019 (5/13/2023)
• Cardinals promote 2B/3B Noah Mendlinger to Double-A (5/9/2023)
• Braves place ace starter Max Fried on injured list with strained left forearm (5/9/2023)
• Chicago Cubs call-up 1B Matt Mervis (5/5/2023)
• Gastonia Honey Hunters of independent Atlantic League sign former minor-league C Scott Manea (4/28/2023)
• Yankees activate CF Harrison Bader from injured list (5/2/2023)
• Reds place C Andy Yerzy (AAA) on development list (4/30/2023)
• Phillies call-up OF Dalton Guthrie from AAA (4/29/2023)
• Reds assign P Evan Kravetz to AA (4/28/2023)
• Reds promote C Andy Yerzy to AAA (4/27/2023)
• Yankees send CF Harrison Bader to Triple-A rehab assignment with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (4/25/2023)
• Giants activate CF Joc Pederson from injured list (4/23/2023)
• Yankees send CF Harrison Bader to Double-A rehab assignment with the Somerset Patriots (4/21/2023)
• Diamondbacks promote P Jacob Steinmetz to Single-A (4/18/2023)
• Braves activate P Max Fried (Braves) from injured list (4/17/2023)
• Yankees promote P Harrison Cohen to High-A (4/16/2023)
• Giants place DH Joc Pederson on injured list with right wrist inflammation (4/15/2023)
• Mariners sign P Rob Kaminsky (AAA) to minor-league deal (4/14/2023)
• Athletics activate 3B Jake Fishman (AAA) from injured list (4/12/2023)
• Athletics place P Jake Fishman (AAA) on injured list (4/11/2023)
• Brewers place P Josh Shapiro (A) on injured list (4/10/2023)
• Reds place P Leo Nierenberg (A) on injured list (4/10/2023)
• Giants place OF Hunter Bishop (AA) on injured list (4/10/2023)
• Braves option P Jared Shuster to AAA (4/9/2023)
• Yankees assign P Harrison Cohen to Low-A (4/7/2023)
• Phillies promote C Jordan Dissin to Low-A (4/7/2023)
• Braves promote P Alex Segal to AA (4/7/2023)
• Texas assigns C Ryan Gold to rookie league (4/7/2023)
• Padres release C Adam Kerner (4/7/2023)
• Baltimore promotes P Graham Firoved Low-A (4/7/2023)
• Guardians assign P Josh Wolf to High-A (4/7/2023)
• Braves call up Jared Shuster (4/3/2023)
• Astros assign P Colton Gordon to AA (4/5/2023)
• Astros assign C CJ Stubbs to AA (4/5/2023)
• Braves place P Max Fried on injured list (4/4/2023)
• Athletics place Brewers assign P Max Lazar to High-A (4/4/2023)
• Braves send P Jared Shuster to AAA (4/3/2023)
• Braves call up LF Kevin Pillar (4/3/2023)
• Reds promote C Andy Yerzy to AAA (4/3/2023)
• Athletics place SS Zack Gelof (AAA) on injured list (4/3/2023)
• Yankees place P Eric Reyzelman (Low-A) on injured list (4/3/2023)
• Marlins promote P Zack Leban to AAA (4/2/2023)
• Giants place P Sam Delaplane (AAA) on injured list (4/2/2023)
• Mariners promote 1B Jake Scheiner to AAA (4/1/2023)
• Phillies send OF Dalton Guthrie to AAA (4/1/2023)
• Rockies call up P Jake Bird (3/30/2023)
• Yankees place CF Harrison Bader on injured list (3/30/2023)

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 removed P Lucas Braun, whom we incorrectly had identified as Jewish, and we also finalized Jake Gelof’s season statistics.)

Jewish Baseball News is unveiling its list of this season’s top Division 1 baseball players. Our All-America team includes 11 position players and 10 pitchers, representing 21 colleges and universities.

Please note that the player stats and team won-loss records shown below reflect both regular-season games and College World Series games.

A key to our statistical abbreviations is shown near the bottom of the page.

And now, without further ado: the top Jewish collegians.

POSITION PLAYERS

IF – Jake Gelof (Jr) – Virginia (50-13) – from Rehoboth Beach, DE

IF – Noah Granet (Sr) – Princeton (24-23) – from Scranton, PA

IF – Jordan Jaffe (Fr) – Richmond (27-28) – from Thousand Oaks, CA

IF – Michael Snyder (Jr) – Washington (35-20) – from Woodland Hills, CA

IF – Hank Zeisler (Grad) – Missouri (30-24) – from Kentfield, CA

OF – Zach Levenson (Jr) – Miami (42-21) – from Oviedo, FL

OF – RJ Schreck (Grad) – Vanderbilt (42-20) – from Los Angeles, CA

OF – Jonathan Strauss (Grad) – Winthrop (28-28) – from Parkland, FL

C – Will King (Jr) – Eastern Kentucky (29-30) – from New York, NY

C – Jack Rubenstein (Sr) – Georgia Tech (30-27) – from  Atlanta, GA

DH – Sam Kaplan (Sr) – Cornell (9-26) – from Las Vegas, NV

PITCHERS

RHP – Aaron Barokas (Sr) – Butler (12-43) – from Redmond, WA

RHP – Charlie Beilenson (Grad) – Duke (39-24) – from Los Angeles, CA

RHP – Jack Ben-Shoshan (Soph) – Rice (21-37) – from Houston, TX

RHP – Josh Blum (Soph) – USC (34-23-1) – from Bellaire, TX

LHP – Charlie Goldstein (Jr) – Georgia (29-27) – from Alpharetta, GA

LHP – Eric Orloff (Soph) – Arizona (33-26) – from Northbrook, IL

RHP – Sam Portnoy (Soph) – Rutgers (33-23) – from Voorhees, NJ

RHP – Ben Simon (Jr) – Elon (33-22) – from East Windsor, NJ

RHP – Aaron Suval (Jr) – Purdue (24-29) – from Agoura Hills, CA

RHP – Brian Zeldin (Sr) – Pennsylvania (34-16) – from Atlanta, GA

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Detailed player statistics

POSITION PLAYERS

The brightest star on our All-America team undoubtedly is IF Jake Gelof (U. of Virginia), who hit .321 for the Cavaliers (#6 among teammates) on 81h/252ab, smoked 23 home runs (#1), drove in 90 runs (#1 on team, and tied for #4 among all D-1 players), laced 23 doubles (#3), defended 3B at .919 (39po/108a/13e), and started all 65 of Virginia’s games. Gelof — Virginia’s all-time leader in both single-season and career HRs and RBIs — was named All-ACC first team, and Collegiate Baseball All-America second team.

IF Noah Granet (Princeton U.) hit .337 (#2 on team) for the Tigers on 31h/92ab, crushed 3 four-baggers, delivered 17 baserunners, fielded at .975 (51po/67a/3e), and started 24 of Princeton’s 47 games, having missed 23 with a wrist injury. Noah was named All-Ivy League honorable mention.

IF Jordan Jaffe (U. of Richmond) batted .314 (#3 on team) for the Spiders on 64h/304ab, unloaded 12 dingers (#2 tie), was #1 in RBIs with 59, cracked 20 doubles (#2), and defended 3B at .945 (27po/76a/6e ) while starting 51 of Richmond’s 55 games. He was named All-Atlantic 10 first team, earned the league’s Rookie of the Year honor, and was named Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American.

While hitting a rather modest .254 for the Huskies on 49h/193ab, IF Michael Snyder (U. of Washington) also delivered 11 round-trippers (#3 on team), knocked in 49 runs (#3), fielded at .935 (39po/104a/10e), and started 53 of Washington’s 55 games.

IF Hank Zeisler (U. of Missouri), a sixth-year grad student who previously attended UNLV, posted a .291 batting average for the Tigers on 51h/176ab, uncorked 15 dingers (#2 on team), chased home 57 RBIs (#1), purloined 6/8 bases, and defended 1B at .983 (393po/18a/7e) while starting all 54 of Missouri’s games.

OF Zach Levenson (U. of Miami) recorded a .292 batting average (#5 on team) for the Hurricanes on 68h/233ab, went yard 14 times (#3), punched in 45 runs (#4), smoked 17 doubles (#1), made off with 4/6 SBs, and fielded a perfect 1.000 (124po/0a/0e) while starting all 63 of Miami’s games.

OF RJ Schreck (Vanderbilt U.) posted a .306 batting average for the Commodores on 66h/216ab, clouted 14 homers (#1 on team), delivered 59 RBIs (#1), swiped 6/8 bases, and covered the outfield competently at .993 (134po/3a/1e) while starting all 62 of Vanderbilt’s games. He was named College Sports Communicators Academic All-America first team.

OF Jonathan Strauss (Winthrop U.) batted .305 (#3 on team) for the Eagles on 53h/174ab, clubbed 7 home runs (#1), delivered 43 runs (#1), and protected the outfield at .985 (62po/2a/1e) while starting 45 of Winthrop’s 56 games.

Behind home plate is C Will King (Eastern Kentucky U.), who led the Colonels in batting with a .346 average (#1 on team) on 63h/182ab, blasted 12 homers (#3), drove in 47 runs (#2), ripped 13 Ds (#1 tie), defended the plate at .983 (198po/37a/4e), and threw out 14/34 runners (41.2%) trying to steal while starting 45 of the school’s 59 games. He was named All-ASUN Conference second team, and All-Midwest Region second team.

Behind the plate, we have Emory transfer C Jack Rubinstein (George Institute of Technology), who hit .281 for the Yellow Jackets on 48h/171ab, launched 5 home runs, drove in 27 runs, protected home plate at .991 (313po/26a/3e), and threw out 7/36 attempting to steal while starting 44 of Georgia Tech’s 57 games.

Our designated hitter is Sam Kaplan (Cornell U.), who hit .277 (#3 on team) for the Big Red on 39h/141ab, unleashed 6 homers (#2), drove in 24 runners (#1), and defended his patch of outfield at .963 (76po/3a/3e) while starting all 35 of Cornell’s games. Sam was named All-Ivy League second team.

PITCHERS

RHP Aaron Barokas (Butler U.), a Bulldogs senior, closed at 2-2 with 2 saves and a 4.15 ERA in 26.0 innings (28h/14bb/24k). He started 4 games and entered seven as a reliever.

RHP Charlie Beilenson (Duke U.), a graduate student with the Blue Devils, enjoyed a 6-3 season with a 3.86 ERA in 60.2 innings (56h/21bb/78k) spread across 37 appearances, all in relief.

RHP Jack Ben-Shoshan (Rice U.), an Owls soph, went 2-3 with a tidy 3.20 ERA (#1 on team) in 25.1 innings (21h/10bb/21k), all 21 of his appearances coming in relief. He was named Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

RHP Josh Blum (U. of Southern California), a soph with the Trojans, finished at 3-0 with a 3.34 ERA (#5 on team) in 32.1 innings (24h/12bb/40k) and 30 appearances, alll in relief.

LHP Charlie Goldstein (U. of Georgia), a junior with the Bulldogs, portsider who went 3-2 with a 5.03 ERA in 48.1 innings (47h/28b/47k) and made 10 starts in 14 total appearances.

LHP Eric Orloff (U. of Arizona), a Wildcats soph, wound up the season at 2-0 with a 4.37 ERA (#2 on team) and one save in 22.2 innings (21h/11bb/26k). All 25 appearances came in relief.

RHP Sam Portnoy (Rutgers U.), a soph with the Scarlet Knights, closed out the season at 3-0 with one save and a 3.69 ERA (#4 on team) in 31.2 innings (23h/14bb/28k) across 20 games, all in relief.

RHP Ben Simon (Elon U.), a junior with the Phoenix, is our closer after going 1-3 with a solid 3.20 ERA in 25.1 innings (27h/8bb/32k) and taking the mound in 21 relief appearances with 7 saves (#1 on team).

RHP Aaron Suval (Purdue U.), a junior with the Boilermakers, completed his season at 3-1 with a 4.23 ERA (#2 on team) and 5 saves (#1) in 44.2 innings (30h/40bb/43k). He had one start and 21 relief appearances.

RHP Brian Zeldin (U. of Pennsylvania), a senior with the Quakers, worked a 2-1 season with a 3.74 ERA in 21.2 innings (16h/12bb/21k), including one start and nine relief appearances.

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Abbreviation key:

• AB = At Bats
• H = Hits
• SB = Stolen Bases
• PO = Putouts
• A = Assists
• E = Errors

# # #

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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 starting rotation on Opening Day.

That’s because top prospect Jared Shuster is rocking the mound, too. In four preseason starts, Fried’s fellow southpaw is 3-1 with a 0.71 ERA and 16 strikeouts against just 2 walks over 12.2 innings. Shuster reportedly is one of two finalists for Atlanta’s fifth starter spot.

It’s been a pretty bountiful Spring Training all around for the 26 Jewish players who either sit on an MLB preseason roster or have received a non-roster invitation to play.

The 26 are divided evenly between pitchers and position players. All but one of the 13 hurlers, prospect Sam Delaplane (SFG), has Major League experience. By comparison, six of the 13 Jewish hitters have yet to reach the Bigs.

The prospects are among those who have shined brightest.

CJ Stubbs (HOU), who finished the 2022 season in AA ball and is the younger brother of C Garrett Stubbs (PHI), is hitting .539 (7-for-13) through March 19 with one HR, 4 RBIs, and a 1.332 OPS (on-base plus slugging) in his first MLB Spring.

Two AAA prospects who are projected to make the Majors in 2023 also are faring well. 1B Spencer Horwitz (TOR) and SS Zack Gelof (OAK) — who together competed for Israel alongside Stubbs in this month’s World Baseball Championship — both are hitting above .300 this Spring. 3B Jake Scheiner (SEA), whose 105 RBIs in 2022 ranked #3 among all minor leaguers, is hitting just .143, but 3 of his 4 hits have been HRs.

Some MLB veterans also are thriving.

P Ryan Sheriff (BOS), who is fighting to join fellow Red Sox newcomer Richard Bleier in the team’s bullpen, has a 0.00 ERA across 5 relief appearances, with 6 strikeouts and no walks across 4.2 innings.

P Kenny Rosenberg (LAA), who made his MLB debut in 2022, has a 1-1 record and 2.79 ERA in 4 relief appearances. Remarkably, he also has 14 strikeouts and zero walks over 9.2 innings.

1B Rowdy Tellez (MIL) is showing off his enviable power. The fan favorite is hitting .417 (5-for-14) with 3 HRs and 4 RBIs.

Opening Day is March 30.

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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 Yankees, has joined the pantheon of baseball players who identify as Jewish.

New York acquired fan favorite Bader from the Cardinals in August 2022, just hours before MLB’s trade deadline. The Yankees’ bid for postseason support was rewarded. Bader ended up hitting a combined .333 (10-for-30) with 5 HRs, 6 RBIs, a .429 OBP, and a 1.262 on-base plus slugging across the A.L. Division Series and A.L. Championship Series.

Talk about clutch hitting. Bader’s 5 playoff HRs equaled his round-tripper total for the entire 2022 regular season, during which he recorded 292 at-bats.

Bader’s Jewish journey is ongoing. His Jewish father, Louis Bader, recently told the Forward that Harrison never attended synagogue as a child but recently had consulted with New York rabbis about “converting to Judaism.” Bader also considered playing for Team Israel in this month’s World Baseball Championship but ultimately withdrew due to an injury that likely will sideline him — along with Jewish reliever Scott Effross — for the beginning of the 2023 MLB season.

Earlier today, Louis Bader responded to an email from Jewish Baseball News by saying that Harrison was fine with being listed on the website’s roster. We welcome Harrison and wish his family much naches.

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By Scott Barancik, editor

Since its debut in 2009, Jewish Baseball News has focused its coverage exclusively on Major League, minor league, and independent league athletes.

Thanks to Jewish sports-research legends Ephraim Moxson and Shel Wallman, JBN also has begun tracking Jews who play for NCAA Division 1 colleges and universities.

Our new D-1 College page not only provides players with exposure but introduces JBN fans to a new generation of promising players. And there are plenty.

USC Trojans reliever Josh Blum is 2-0 and leads the team in ERA (0.68) and walks/hits per inning (0.525). He averages 12.2 strikeouts per 9 innings against just 2.0 walks.

Virginia Cavaliers IF Jake Gelof, brother of highly-touted Oakland A’s prospect Zack Gelof, is hitting .344 (21-for-61) nearly midway through the 2023 season and leads the team with 5 HRs and 24 RBIs. Jake broke the school’s RBI record in 2022.

Miami Hurricanes OF Zach Levenson is hitting .368 (21-for-57) with 3 HRs, 10 RBIs, and a team-leading .486 on-base percentage.

Vanderbilt Commodores OF RJ Schreck leads his team in batting average (.318), OBP (.447), on-base plus slugging (1.038), and triples (2).

JBN defines “Jewish” thusly: If a player has at least one Jewish parent or has converted to Judaism, does not practice another faith, and is comfortable being identified as a Jew, we include him on our list.

Each player we list eventually will have a separate webpage containing a photo, basic biographical information, and links to statistics and his college bio.

Last names alone are no guarantee of Jewishness. When JBN college editor Wallman recently reached out to Canisius College about IF Ryan Weiss, coach Matt Mazurek replied that Weiss is not Jewish but that P Justin Giuliano is.

If you are a D-1 Jewish ballplayer who would like to be added to the list, or if you know of an unlisted player, please fill out our Unlisted College Player form.

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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 became the first Bruin in 30 years to earn Academic All-American honors. He also led the Pac-12 Conference in ERA.

The Rockies selected Bird in the 5th round of the 2018 amateur draft and paid him a modest signing bonus of $50,000. He made quick work of the minors, especially considering the 2020 season was cancelled due to COVID. The 6-foot-3-inch, 205-pound righthander amassed a 19-6 record with four saves and 3.41 ERA in the franchise’s farm system.

Colorado called-up Bird in June 2022 to deepen its bullpen. In his Major League debut on June 16, he tossed a perfect inning of relief, retiring the Guardians on just 10 pitches (see video).

Bird finished his rookie season with a 2-4 record, 4.91 ERA, and 1.427 WHIP (walks/hits per innings).

Bird was one of four Jewish players to break into the Majors in 2022. The others were P Bubby Rossman (Phillies), SS Dalton Guthrie (Phillies), P Jake Fishman (Marlins), and P Kenny Rosenberg (Angels).

Some Jewish Baseball News readers were confused earlier this year when Bird committed to play for Team Israel but wasn’t listed on our website. JBN’s definition of “Jewish” is more stringent than Israel’s, so it often takes us a bit longer to verify eligibility.

As it happens, Bird recently suffered a left oblique strain, so his participation in the World Baseball Classic is in doubt.

Please join us in welcoming Jake. You can follow him on and Instagram or check out his career statistics here.

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By Scott Barancik, editor

Israel’s final roster for the 2023 World Baseball Classic was revealed this evening.

It’s darn good.

The 30-man list features MLB athletes such as All-Star LF Joc Pederson (Giants) and P Dean Kremer (Orioles), red-hot prospects 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA) and 2B/3B Zack Gelof (Athletics/AAA), and 2021 Summer Olympics stars 1B Danny Valencia (retired MLB) and C Ryan Lavarnway (free agent).

Longtime general manager Peter Kurz told Jewish Baseball News the roster is Israel’s strongest ever.

“We’ve come a long way since our international debut at the 2012 WBC qualifiers,” he said.

Ian Kinsler, a four-time MLB All-Star who is managing Israel for the first time, said the team “will play a hard-nose style of baseball with a lot of energy.”

“We expect to surprise people,” he added in an email.

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The 30-man roster

First	Last	Position	Current Level	Highest Level
Matt	Mervis	1B/DH	Cubs (AAA)	AAA
Danny	Valencia	1B/DH	Retired	MLB
Ryan	Lavarnway	Catcher	Free agent	MLB
Garrett	Stubbs	Catcher	Phillies	MLB
Zack	Gelof	IF	Athletics (AAA)	AAA
Ty	Kelly	IF	Free agent	MLB
Assaf	Lowengart	IF	College	College
Noah	Mendlinger	IF	Cardinals (A+)	A+
Michael	Wielansky	IF	Free agent	AAA
Alex	Dickerson *	OF	Free agent	MLB
Jakob	Goldfarb	OF	Free agent	A
Spencer	Horwitz	OF	Blue Jays (AAA)	AAA
Joc	Pederson	OF	Giants	MLB
Brandon	Gold (R)	Starter	Rockies (AAA)	AAA
Colton	Gordon (L)	Starter	Astros (A+)	A+
Dean	Kremer (R)	Starter	Orioles	MLB
Robert	Stock (R)	Starter	Brewers (AAA)	MLB
Jake	Bird (R)	Reliever	Rockies	MLB
Richard	Bleier (L)	Reliever	Red Sox	MLB
Daniel	Federman (R)	Reliever	Orioles (A+)	A+
Jake	Fishman (L)	Reliever	Athletics (AAA)	MLB
Andrew	Gross (R)	Reliever	Rays (AA)	AA
Rob	Kaminsky (L)	Reliever	Free agent	MLB
Evan	Kravetz (L)	Reliever	Reds (AA)	AA
Kyle	Molnar (R)	Reliever	Free agent	A+
Bubby	Rossman (R)	Reliever	Free agent	MLB
Jacob	Steinmetz (R)	Reliever	D'backs (rookie)	Rookie
Joey	Wagman (R)	Reliever	Free agent	AA
Zack	Weiss (R)	Reliever	Angels	MLB
Josh	Wolf (R)	Reliever	Guardians (A)	A

* Not Jewish but is married to a Jewish woman and thus qualifies to play

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(NOTE: Some mobile users may be unable to see all columns in this table. Click here for an Excel spreadsheet.)

Nearly half the athletes on Israel’s roster have MLB experience. Phillies backup catcher Garrett Stubbs, for example, is strong on defense, hits for power despite a small frame, and helped guide Philadelphia’s pitching staff to the 2022 World Series. Relief pitcher Richard Bleier (Red Sox) has amassed a 14-6 record with 5 saves and a 3.06 ERA over a 7-year MLB career. Fellow reliever Jake Bird (Rockies) made his MLB debut in 2022.

We will play a hard-nose style of baseball with a lot of energy. We expect to surprise people.

Ian Kinsler, manager of team israel

Israel’s roster also features some of the hottest prospects in baseball:

• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA) hit a combined .309 with 36 HRs and 119 RBIs across three levels in 2022, the most RBIs of any minor leaguer since 2019. MLB.com projects that Mervis — the Cubs’ 2022 Minor League Player of the Year — will break into the Majors in 2023.
• 2B/3B Zack Gelof (Athletics/AAA) hit .270 with 18 HRs, 66 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases across two levels in 2022. According to MLB.com, he is the 5th-ranked second baseman in the minor leagues and likely will get called-up by Oakland in 2023.
• 1B/LF Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays/AAA) hit a combined .275 with 12 HRs, 51 RBIs, and a .391 on-base percentage across two levels in 2022. In November, Toronto added him to its 40-man roster.
• P Colton Gordon (Astros/High-A) made his minor-league debut in 2022, and it didn’t take long for Houston to recognize his promise. After an eye-popping season in which he held opposing teams to a .182 batting average and just 0.8 walks/hits per inning, Gordon was sent to the prestigious Arizona Fall League to face some of baseball’s top prospects. Once there, he notched a Pitcher of the Week award.

P Jacob Steinmetz (Reds/rookie), a 19-year-old Orthodox Jew who made his pro debut in 2021, is the youngest man on the roster. Valencia, twice Steinmetz’s age at 38, is the oldest.

Assaf Lowengart, a shortstop at tiny Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, is the only native Israeli. But Baltimore’s Kremer is a Hebrew speaker with dual citizenship, and some other teammates obtained Israeli citizenship in order to play for Israel in the 2021 Summer Olympics. Bullpen catcher Tal Erel also is Israeli.

Each of the 20 countries competing in the WBC has a Designated Pitchers Pool, a small group of hurlers it can add to the roster for the tournament’s second or third rounds, if desired. Israel’s DPP includes minor-league prospects Jake Kalish (Angels/AAA) and Jake Miednik (Mariners/Single-A), former minor leaguer Alex Katz, 43-year-old sabra Shlomo Lipetz, and Dodgers reliever Adam Kolarek, whose wife is Jewish.

“I think the strongest part of our WBC roster is the pitching staff, although we should be able to score runs and put pressure on the opposing team,” Kinsler said.

Israel’s management lineup features a number of former pro ballplayers. Kinsler will receive support from bench coaches Brad Ausmus and Jerry Narron, hitting coach Kevin Youkilis, pitching coach Josh Zeid, bullpen coach Nate Fish, first-base coach Tyger Pederson (Joc’s older brother), third-base coach Blake Gailen, and scouts Simon Rosenbaum and Alex Jacobs.

(Earlier this week, the Texas Rangers hired former teammate Kinsler to serve as special assistant to the team’s general manager.)

Some MLB standouts will not appear in blue and white at the quadrennial tourney, which begins March 8. P Scott Effross (Yankees), for example, is injured. 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers), son of a Jewish mother and a father with Mexican heritage, received invitations from both Israel and Mexico but chose to represent the latter.

OF Harrison Bader (Yankees) expressed interest in joining Team Israel but pulled out due to injury. Phillies rookie RF Dalton Guthrie also will be absent.

Israel’s first game will take place March 12 against Nicaragua. The two teams will square off at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Valencia’s hometown.

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By Scott Barancik, editor

Dalton Guthrie, a Philadelphia Phillies rookie who considered joining Team Israel for the upcoming World Baseball Classic, is the latest Major Leaguer to be identified as Jewish.

The lanky 27-year-old is a talented and versatile fielder. Plucked out of the University of Florida in the 6th round of the 2017 amateur draft, Guthrie went on to log 70 or more games at each of four separate positions in the minors, including shortstop, second base, centerfield, and third base.

His father, Mark, pitched for eight MLB teams over a 15-year career that ended in 2003.

Guthrie has stood out at every level. In 2014, he was one of just nine players nationwide named to the Rawlings High School Gold Glove Team. At the 2017 NCAA College World Series, he led national champion University of Florida with a .286 batting average. In 2022, he led the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA) with 21 stolen bases.

But Guthrie saved the best for last. Called up in September 2022 to bolster the playoff-bound Phillies, he hit .333 (7-for-21) with a HR, 5 RBIs, stolen base, and a .500 on-base percentage. Guthrie even made it to the playoffs. In Game 3 of the 2022 N.L. Division Series against Atlanta, he came in as a pinch runner and stayed on to play right field for two innings.

Guthrie strongly considered joining Phillies teammate Garrett Stubbs on Team Israel for the upcoming World Baseball Classic, a quadrennial competition that takes place in March. But that would mean missing a big chunk of Spring Training, so Guthrie — who is hoping to make Philadelphia’s opening-day roster — made the difficult choice to skip the WBC.

Please join us in welcoming Dalton.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

We’ve seen many Jewish accomplishments in the minor leagues between July 8, 2022 and September 15, 2022. Following are some highlights:

Mazel Tov

• MLB.com recently named 3B Zack Gelof (Athletics/Double-A/Midland RockHounds) #98 out of baseball’s 100 top minor-league prospects. The website projected that Gelof, just 22 years old, will make it to the Majors in 2023.
• At least four Jews have been chosen to play in the prestigious Arizona Fall League, which begins October 3. MLB franchises typically send their top prospects to the AFL for additional competition and seasoning. The four players include Gelof, 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs AAA/Iowa Cubs), P Alex Segal (Braves/High-A/Rome Braves), and rookie P Colton Gordon (Astros/High-A/Asheville Tourists). Mervis and Gelof will be teammates on the Mesa Solar Sox.
• P Jared Shuster (Braves/AAA/Gwinnett Stripes) was named Southern League (AA) Pitcher of the Week for July 11-17. The award came after a dominating win in which the former 1st-round draft pick struck out 12 and yielded just 2 hits and no walks over 7 scoreless innings.
• Brandon Gold (Rockies/AAA/Albuquerque Isotopes) was named Pacific League Pitcher of the Week for August 8-14. The honor came after a win in which the 6-foot-3-inch right hander yielded just 2 hits and no walks over 6 scoreless innings while striking out 2.
• The Rockies recently added P Noah Davis (AA/Hartford Yard Goats) to the club’s 40-man roster.

Debuts and second chances

• P Bubby Rossman (Phillies) defied the odds when he made his Major League debut on July 13 (see article). Until Philadelphia signed him as a free agent in late 2021, the 6-foot-5-inch reliever hadn’t played MLB-affiliated ball since 2016. But when two Phillies pitchers were declared ineligible to play in Canada in mid-July due to their unvaccinated status, Rossman received the call. With his fastball topping out at 98mph, he gave up a walk and a home run before retiring the next three batters. Making the outing even more memorable was the fact that Rossman’s batterymate was C Garrett Stubbs.
• P Jake Fishman (Marlins) made his MLB debut on July 31. A subsequent call-up led to another appearance, on August 30. On September 15, Miami called-up the 27-year-old rookie a third time.
• P Zack Weiss (Angels) made his MLB debut with Cincinnati all the way back in 2018, and it didn’t go well. The 6-foot-3-inch reliever faced four batters that day and retired none of them, instead yielding 2 HRs and 2 walks. But Weiss kept at it, and four years later, it paid off. In five appearances since the Angels called him up September 1, the 30-year-old has maintained a perfect 0.00 ERA over 6 combined innings, yielding 2 hits and 5 walks while striking out 7.

Welcome

• Credit to Team Israel alums Zach Weiss (Angels) and Alon Leichman for identifying two more Jewish prospects, both of them power hitters (see article). Chase Strumpf (Cubs/AA/Tennessee Smokies), a former 2nd-round draft pick who splits his time between second base and third base, ranked #1 on the Smokies through September 15 in times hit by pitch (19), #2 in on-base percentage (.377), and #3 in HRs (21) and doubles (22). 1B Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AA/Arkansas Travelers), a former 4th-round draft pick, ranked #5 among all minor leaguers with 105 RBIs (tied) and had hit 21 HRs.
• The 2022 amateur draft was the least productive in memory, but at least four Jewish players were selected. They include P Eric Reyzelman (Yankees), a 21-year-old right hander out of Louisiana State University (Round 5, #160 overall); P Tanner Jacobson (Cardinals), a 22-year-old right hander out of Queens University of Charlotte (Round 10, #307); C Jordan Dissin (Phillies), a 20-year-old out of the University of Richmond (Round 12, #362); and P Graham Firoved (Cubs), a 22-year-old out of Virginia Polytechnic (Round 16, #467). Shortly after the draft, the Yankees signed P Harrison Cohen, a right hander out of George Washington U., as an undrafted free agent.

Stats to share

• Through September 15, Jewish batters accounted for two of the top 6 run-producers among all minor leaguers. Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA/Iowa Cubs) ranked #2 with 111 RBIs, while Jake Scheiner (Mariners) ranked #5 with 105 (tied).
• In the space of a month, the Yankees signed three Jewish pitchers: Cubs workhorse Scott Effross, draftee Eric Reyzelman, and undrafted free agent Harrison Cohen.

Player spotlight: Matt Mervis

1B Matt Mervis (Cubs AAA/Iowa Cubs) wasn’t even supposed to be here. An infielder and pitcher at Duke University, he excelled at neither. All 30 MLB teams ignored him in the 2020 draft. The Cubs signed Mervis soon after as an undrafted free agent, but his first season as a pro was uninspired: a .209 batting average with 9 HRs for Chicago’s Low-A team. Then, in 2022, something clicked.

• Mervis started the season in High-A and powered his way through Double-A before settling in with Chicago’s Triple-A squad, the Iowa Cubs. Through September 15, he was hitting a combined .309 with 33 HRs, 111 RBIs, and a .983 OPS (on-base plus slugging).
• Mervis’s 33 HRs ranked second among all minor leaguers. His prior season high, either as a pro or college player, was 9.
• The Cubs named Mervis their Minor League Player of the Month for August. Ironically, that was his least-productive month of the season so far.
• Mervis is one of six top prospects the Cubs have tagged to play in the Arizona Fall League.
• MLB.com projects that Mervis will make his Major League debut in 2023.

At the plate

• C Jordan Dissin (Phillies/Rookie/FCL Phillies), a 12th-round pick in the 2022 amateur draft, made his professional debut on August 6. He is hitting .353 (6-for-17) with 5 walks, 2 hit by pitches, and 6 strikeouts.
• 3B Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/High-A/Peoria Chiefs), an undrafted free agent who signed with St. Louis in 2021, has upped his game since we last checked in. Through July 7, the 22-year-old was hitting .209 (24-for-115) with 0 HRs, 7 RBIs, and a healthy .372 OBP. From July 8 through September 15, Mendlinger hit .284 (31-for-109) with 2 HRs, 11 RBIs, and a .397 OBP.
• 1B Matt Mervis (Cubs/AAA/Iowa Cubs) was promoted to Triple-A on July 22. From then through September 15, the sophomore pro hit .295 (49 for 166) with 12 HRs, 31 RBIs, a .369 OBP, and a .971 OPS.

On the mound

• Colton Gordon (Astros/High-A/Asheville Tourists), a 2021 draftee who didn’t make his pro debut until 2022, has come a long way since July 7, when he was playing for one of Houston’s rookie-league teams. Gordon’s first stop was at Fayetteville (Low-A), where he went 0-0 with a 2.21 ERA across 5 games (including 3 starts), held opposing batters to a mere 0.787 walks/hits per inning, and struck out 27 batters over 20.1 combined innings while walking only 3. From there the 6-foot-4-inch southpaw headed to Asheville (High-A), where he put up nearly identical numbers. Gordon’s most recent start was his finest yet. In a September 11 win against the Greenville Drive, he tossed 5.2 scoreless innings, yielding just 3 hits and no walks while striking out 9. Small wonder that Houston decided to enroll the 23-year-old rookie in the upcoming Arizona Fall League.

Injured

• C Ryan Gold (Blue Jays/AA/New Hampshire Fisher Cats)
• P Ryan Sherriff (Phillies/AAA/Lehigh Valley IronPigs)
• SS Shawn Goosenberg (White Sox/High-A/Winston-Salem Dash)
• P Ben Gross (Twins/AA/Wichita Wind Surge)
• OF Jake Suddleson (Athletics/AA/Midland RockHounds)
• P Sam Delaplane (Giants/Low-A/San Jose Giants)

Released

• IF Ty Kelly (Dodgers)
• C Jakob Goldfarb (Diamondbacks)

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By Scott Barancik, editor

Two prospects who had been under Jewish Baseball News’ radar are now locked in. Both are infielders, power hitters, and high draft picks who play at the Double-A level

Chase Strumpf (Cubs/AA/Tennessee Smokies), a 24-year-old UCLA alum who once played on Team USA’s 15-and-under squad and splits his time between second base and third base, was a 2nd-round draft pick in 2019. A current .235 hitter and former teammate of fellow prospect Matt Mervis, Strumpf ranks #1 on the Smokies in times hit by a pitch (19), #3 in HRs (19) and doubles (21), and #7 in on-base percentage (.374).

Jake Scheiner (Mariners/AA/Arkansas Travelers), a 27-year-old first baseman and University of Houston alum, was chosen by the Phillies in the 4th round of the 2017 draft. Currently hitting .249, Scheiner leads all Double-A players with 93 RBIs (tied). Among his fellow Travelers, he ranks #1 in walks (71), #2 in HRs (18), and #3 in on-base plus slugging (.804).

Please join us in welcoming these talented athletes.

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Jewish Baseball News’ most recent MLB update took us through games played June 17. Following is an overview of what has happened since then, through games played August 21.

Mazel Tov

• P Jake Fishman (Marlins) became the third Jewish pitcher to make his MLB debut in 2022. In 3.1 innings of relief against the Mets on July 31, the 27-year-old yielded one earned run on 4 hits, no walks, and a hit batter (click here to see a video clip). Fishman was sent back down to Triple-A the following day.
• P Bubby Rossman (Phillies), who played for Israel in the 2021 European Baseball Championship, made his MLB debut on July 13, yielding 2 earned runs over one inning and yielding a HR, one walk, and one strikeout. Since returning to Triple-A, Rossman is 3-1 with a 2.35 ERA and 25 strikeouts over 15.1 innings.
• OF Joc Pederson (Giants) was a starter in the 2022 All-Star Game, his second All-Star appearance. Max Fried was added to the N.L. roster but chose not to pitch, citing a recent lengthy outing.
• The Yankees went on a Jewish pitcher buying spree in August, acquiring reliever Scott Effross from the cellar-dweller Cubs as well as two prospects — draftee Eric Reyzelman and undrafted free agent Harrison Cohen — in the space of 20 days.
• Two Jewish players squared off from the mound in a July 22 game (see box). Cubs hurler Scott Effross tossed a perfect inning. Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs was far less effective in his second mound appearance this season, yielding 5 earned runs on two HRs and a walk over one inning.
• Retired second baseman Ian Kinsler was selected to manage Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Championship. He also was one of five athletes to hoist a torch during the opening ceremony at the 2022 Maccabiah Games in Israel.

Season overview

• Jewish pitchers continue to outpace their peers in 2022. Through August 21, they were a combined 23-16 with a 4.2 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a 3.19 ERA, substantially better than the MLB average ERA of 3.93.
• Jewish batters are hitting a combined .250 so far this season, better than the MLB average of .241. They also are hitting HRs at a far faster clip than the Majors as a whole — one for every 18.0 at-bats, versus one in 31.5 ABs.

Stats to share

• C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) packs a lot of power into a small frame. So far, he is one of only 11 Major Leaguers to hit a home run this season who stand no more than 5’11” and weigh no more than 170 pounds. Diminutive second baseman Jose Altuve of the Astros (5’6″ and 166 pounds) leads the pack with 20 HRs, but Stubbs’ HR pace (one every 16.6 at-bats) ranks #1.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) celebrated on August 5 when he stole second base. He is one of just 5 MLB players to steal a base this season who stand at least 6’4″ and weigh at least 255 pounds.
• Tellez is among National League leaders in multiple categories, including #2 in intentional walks (9), #2 in fielding percentage among first basemen (.999), #2 in maximum exit velocity (116.9 mph), #4 in at-bats per HR (15.2) and hard-hit balls (40.4%), #7 in HRs (26/tied), and #10 in RBIs (74). Not bad for a 30th-round draft pick. (Special thanks to reader Jack W. for providing JBN with multiple statistical insights.)
• SS Alex Bregman (Astros) is among N.L. leaders in multiple categories, including #1 in lowest swing percentage at balls outside the strike zone (21.2%), #3 in walk-to-strikeout ratio (1.05) and runs scored (72), #6 in highest walk percentage (12.9%), #7 in RBIs (73/tied) and wins above replacement (4.1), #8 in fewest swings and misses on pitches (5.6%), and #9 in lowest strikeout rate (12.4%).
• Among N.L. hitters with at least 250 ABs, LF Joc Pederson (Giants) ranks #3 in hard-hit balls (52.7%) and #4 in average exit velocity (92.9 mph). (NOTE: Pederson is not qualified to win a batting title in 2022 because he will fall short of the minimum number of at-bats. JBN set a lower AB minimum — 250 — in order to show how Pederson lines up against his peers.)
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles) had three consecutive scoreless outings of five innings or more from June 17 through June 28. The Oriole record of four straight scoreless outings is held by Hall of Fame hurler Jim Palmer and two others.
• P Max Fried (Braves) is among N.L. leaders in multiple categories, including #1 in home run infrequency (0.43 per 9 innings) and average curveball vertical movement (-10.4), #2 in walk infrequency (1.55% per 9 innings) and fielding-independent pitching (2.49), #3 in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.32), #4 in wins above replacement (4.4) and range factor per 9 innings (2.11), #5 in ERA (2.60), #6 in wins (11), and #10 in average fastball velocity (94.1 mph/tied).

At the plate

• Backup catcher Garrett Stubbs (Phillies) is making the most of his limited role. It’s no surprise that the defensive specialist has a .991 fielding percentage, but Stubbs’ prowess at the plate has been intriguing. In just 83 at-bats, he is hitting .289 with 5 HRs, 14 RBIs, 2 stolen bases, a .366 on-base percentage (OBP), and an .896 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS).
• After a fast start in 2022, LF Joc Pederson (Giants) has tapered off. In 130 at-bats since June 17, the journeyman has hit just .223 with 4 HRs, 13 RBIs, a .297 OBP, and a .697 OPS. Oddly, he’s performed better since returning from a July 28 concussion, hitting .290 with a .342 OBP. A rumor that Atlanta might seek to reacquire Pederson prior to the trade deadline failed to materialize.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Brewers) has hit only .215 in 177 ABs since June 17, but that includes 16 HRs, 36 RBIs, and a .335 OBP.
• SS Alex Bregman (Astros) has recovered some of his batting swagger of late. Through games played June 17, he was hitting .216 with 7 HRs, 30 RBIs, a .336 OBP, and a .712 OPS. Since then, Bregman has hit .309 with 11 HRs, 42 RBIs, a .396 OBP, and a .956 OPS. The highlight came August 18, when he went 4-for-6 with 2 HRs, 2 doubles, and 6 RBIs against the White Sox.

On the mound

• Max Fried (Braves) has picked up his already stellar play recently. Through June 17, he was 7-2 with a 2.90 ERA. Since then, he’s dropped his ERA to 2.23, although a lack of run support left him with a 4-2 record.
• In anticipation of the playoffs, the Yankees acquired reliever Scott Effross from the Cubs on 8/1/2022. It’s not hard to understand why. Through July, the workhorse had pitched in 47 games, going 1-4 with 13 holds, one save, and a 2.66 ERA. The move already has paid off. In 7 games with New York, Effross is 0-0 with a save, 2 holds, and a 3.24 ERA.
• Dean Kremer (Orioles) is enjoying career bests in his third MLB season. His record of 5-4 in 2022 compares to a combined 1-8 in his rookie season and 2021, and he has made significant improvements in ERA (3.45 vs. 6.84), walks/hits per inning (1.295 vs. 1.590), walks per 9 innings (2.1 vs. 4.6), and strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.28 vs. 1.86).
• In what has been a challenging season, Richard Bleier (Marlins) is on the upswing. Through June 17, he was 0-1 with a blown save, 3 holds, 5.06 ERA, and was hit by opposing batters at a .338 clip and a .923 OPS. Since then, Bleier is 2-0 with 2 blown saves, one hold, a 2.57 ERA, and has yielded a .286 batting average and a .757 OPS.
• P Kenny Rosenberg (Angels), who made his MLB debut in April, got his third call-up in June — and the opportunity to make his first Major League start. The rookie had his best outing yet, yielding 2 hits and 3 walks over 4.2 innings and striking out one en route to a 4-0 win over the Mariners on June 19. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop Anaheim from sending him down afterward.
• P Eli Morgan (Indians) has been two different pitchers this season. Through June 17, he was 2-2 with one blown save, 6 holds, a 1.71 ERA, 39 strikeouts and just 5 walks across 31.2 innings, and had held opponents to a remarkable .117 batting average and .403 OPS. Since then, Morgan has gone 2-1 with 3 blown saves, 4 holds, an 8.50 ERA, 19 strikeouts and 3 walks across 18 innings, and has given up a .304 batting average and a .988 OPS.

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By Scott Barancik, editor

It’s been just 10 days since we reported that four current MLB players had committed to represent Israel at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

The quartet included starting pitcher Dean Kremer (Orioles), reliever Richard Bleier (Marlins), and two star outfielders: slugger and World Series hero Joc Pederson (Giants), and Gold Glove winner Harrison Bader (Cardinals).

Now, Jewish Baseball News can confirm that Kevin Pillar (Dodgers) has agreed to complete Israel’s outfield trio — that is, if he’s healthy enough to play. The fearless-bordering-on-reckless Pillar dislocated his shoulder twice during a June 1 game against the Pirates and later underwent season-ending surgery.

Stay tuned to Jewish Baseball News for more updates on Team Israel, along with regular news on MLB and minor-league Jews.

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By Scott Barancik, editor

The last time Israel played in the World Baseball Classic — which also happened to be the first time, in 2017 — the biggest names on its roster were Ike Davis, Sam Fuld, and Jason Marquis, all of whom had retired from pro ball.

The 2023 WBC will be different.

Last week, Team Israel manager Ian Kinsler revealed that slugger Joc Pederson — dubbed “Joctober” for his World Series heroics — will play outfield at the quadrennial tourney, in March. Since then, Jewish Baseball News has learned of at least three other current Major Leaguers who will join the Giants’ left fielder:

• OF Harrison Bader (Cardinals). A 3rd-round pick in the 2015 draft, Bader made quick work of the minors and went on to finish #6 in voting for 2018 N.L. Rookie of the Year. An elite gloveman, he is one of just three N.L. centerfielders who have yet to make an error in 2022.
• P Dean Kremer (Orioles). The son of Israelis who moved to the U.S. after completing their military service, Kremer is 3-1 with a 2.59 ERA in 8 starts this season. At one juncture in 2022, he recorded an eye-popping 23.1 straight scoreless innings.
• P Richard Bleier (Marlins). A middle reliever who recorded sub-2.00 ERAs in each of his first three Major League seasons, Bleier has a career record of 14-5 with a 3.08 ERA and just 1.185 walks/hits per inning.

All but Bader have donned the blue-and-white uniform before, although as minor leaguers. Pederson and Bleier competed for Israel in the qualifiers for the 2013 WBC. Kremer pitched in the 2017 tournament.

Still more Major Leaguers are expected to join Israel’s roster in the weeks and months to come. “We have been in contact with all of the available players, and Joc is going to talk to them as well,” Kinsler said. “There is a whole winter and offseason as well to communicate with them.”

Who can we thank for this largesse? Kinsler has played a key role. A 4-time All-Star and 2-time Gold Glove winner who competed in the 2018 World Series and currently serves as special assistant for baseball operations and player development with the San Diego Padres, Kinsler brings star power and credibility to the team. Add to that his growing appreciation for the country and ongoing relationships with Major League athletes, and you have a manager who can recruit.

Peter Kurz, Team Israel’s general manager and president of the Israel Association of Baseball, has been cultivating relationships with Jewish ballplayers for more than a decade. For evidence of his persuasive power, look no further than the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, when Kurz did the unimaginable: convincing more than a dozen American Jews, including Kinsler, to obtain Israeli citizenship. (Unlike the WBC, Olympic rules requires athletes to be citizens of the country they play for.)

The final piece in the recruiting puzzle? Team Israel itself. Prior to the 2017 WBC, Israel’s baseball team was ranked #41 in the world. Convincing MLB talent to join its roster was a tall order, especially if they had a chance to play for Team USA.

Things rapidly improved, however. After finishing 6th among 16 teams at the 2017 WBC, Israel climbed from the depths of the European B Pool to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, finished 5th there, and concluded the 2021 European Championships in 2nd place.

Team Israel will need all the talent it can muster to achieve success at the 2023 WBC. Currently ranked #20 in the world, Israel has been assigned to Pool D, which includes 2013 WBC champion Dominican Republic; 2017 WBC runner-up Puerto Rico; and Venezuela, the world’s 6th-ranked team. If Israel gets out of there alive, even tougher opponents lie ahead, including juggernauts USA (which won the 2017 WBC) and Japan.

But the addition of Pederson, Kremer, Bleier, and Bader — who has yet to publicly declare himself exclusively Jewish, and thus is not listed by Jewish Baseball News — is a big step forward for Israel baseball.

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By Scott Barancik, editor

After one of the most improbable call-ups of 2022, P Bubby Rossman made his Major League debut Wednesday night with the Philadelphia Phillies (July 13).

The circumstances were unusual. Four Phillies, including two pitchers, were ineligible to play the Blue Jays in Canada — where COVID laws are stiffer — because they were unvaccinated. Philadelphia filled one of the temporary slots with Rossman, a Double-A righthander who, until this season, hadn’t played MLB-affiliated ball since 2016.

Rossman took the mound in the 8th inning. Things didn’t go well at first. The 30-year-old walked Alejandro Kirk on five pitches. Next up came Teoscar Hernandez, who powered a 2-1 fastball over the right-field fence.

But a mound visit appeared to calm him down. Rossman retired the next three batters on just 9 pitches, including a 98-mph, four-seam fastball to strike out Matt Chapman (see video).

Making the outing even more memorable was the fact that Rossman’s batterymate was Jewish catcher Garrett Stubbs.

The one-inning stint left Rossman with quintessentially Jewish statistics: an 18.00 ERA on 18 total pitches. After the game, he and his fellow replacement pitcher were sent back down to the minors, as expected.

Thus ended the latest chapter in the unlikely career of Charles Rossman III, a 6-foot-5 righthander with dual U.S. and Israeli citizenship and a vegan diet that helps him stay trim.

Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2014, Rossman got no further than High-A before his release in 2016. Except for representing Israel in the 2021 European Championships, a high point in his baseball arc, Rossman was relegated to independent-league teams, including ones in Mexico and Canada and another called the Nerds.

Yet the California native wasn’t ready to give up on his dream. According to a January 2022 article in NBCSports: “Rossman worked with several data- and technology-based training outfits, including Driveline and Tread Athletics. He refined his mechanics and got in better shape. He worked with throwing guru Tom House, whose clients include Tom Brady and Cole Hamels, and lately has trained with ageless former big-league pitcher Joe Beimel, who made a comeback at age 44 last season.”

To tout his growing skills, Rossman also created a website. “It should be noted that Bub has low miles on a very powerful arm and is healthy both in his career and lifestyle,” he wrote. “Passion, persistence, perseverance.”

What led the Phillies to make the call no other team had since 2016? Jewish Baseball News hasn’t a clue. It’s worth noting that Phillies vice president and general manager Sam Fuld himself represented Israel in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

For now, Rossman is back in Double-A, where he also is breaking ground. A career reliever dating back to his days at Cal State Dominguez Hills, Rossman has started 8 games this season for the Reading Fightin Phils, during which he has recorded a 2.25 ERA, fanned 21 in 16 innings, and held batters to a meek .148 average.

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