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(JTA) — When Zack Gelof makes his MLB debut for the Oakland Athletics, which might occur as quickly as Friday evening, he’ll turn out to be the 18th Jewish participant to seem within the massive leagues this season.
That’s seemingly an all-time report, topping final season’s group of 17, in keeping with information compiled by the Jewish Baseball Information, a web site that tracks Jewish baseball gamers.
Gelof, who performed for Workforce Israel on this yr’s World Baseball Basic, entered the season as Oakland’s No. 3 prospect. The 23-year-old infielder excelled in Triple-A, posting a .304 batting common with 12 dwelling runs, 44 runs batted in and 20 stolen bases. His .930 on-base-plus-slugging-percentage led the Las Vegas Aviators.
The Rehoboth Seashore, Delaware, native joins the A’s simply two years after being chosen sixtieth general within the 2021 MLB Draft. Zack’s youthful brother Jake, a fellow alum of the College of Virginia, was taken sixtieth general final weekend by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was one in all six Jewish gamers drafted this yr.
J. the Jewish Information of Northern California reported earlier this yr that Gelof didn’t have a bar mitzvah however grew up attending Hebrew faculty of their Seaside Jewish Group. He and Jake might each symbolize Israel in 2026.
Gelof will be a part of a proficient group of Jewish gamers who’ve performed within the MLB this yr. Some, like Max Fried and Alex Bregman, are thought-about among the many greatest gamers within the recreation. Others, like Spencer Horwitz and Zack Weiss, performed in solely a handful of video games earlier than being despatched again right down to the minor leagues.
Listed below are the opposite 17 Jewish gamers, with the crew for which they most not too long ago performed:
- Pitchers: Jake Chicken (Colorado Rockies), Richard Bleier (Boston Pink Sox), Fried (Atlanta Braves), Dean Kremer (Baltimore Orioles), Eli Morgan (Cleveland Guardians), Ryan Sherriff (Boston Pink Sox), Jared Shuster (Atlanta Braves), Weiss (Los Angeles Angels)
- Infielders: Bregman (Houston Astros), Matt Mervis (Chicago Cubs), Garrett Stubbs (Philadelphia Phillies), Rowdy Tellez (Milwaukee Brewers)
- Outfielders: Harrison Bader (New York Yankees), Dalton Guthrie (Philadelphia Phillies), Kevin Pillar (Atlanta Braves)
- Designated Hitters: Horwitz (Toronto Blue Jays), Joc Pederson (San Francisco Giants)
Jewish followers celebrated the information of Gelof’s historic call-up.
With a number of months remaining within the MLB season, it’s doable Gelof is not going to be the final Jewish participant to seem this yr. There are greater than a dozen Jewish gamers at the moment taking part in in Triple-A, together with many with earlier MLB expertise.
Fellow Workforce Israel alumni Brandon Gold, a pitcher within the Rockies system, and Evan Kravetz, a pitcher within the Cincinnati Reds group, might make their debuts later this season when MLB rosters increase in September. Pitcher Zack Leban, infielder Jake Scheiner and infielder Chase Strumpf are additionally taking part in in Triple-A and have but to seem within the main leagues.
Scott Effross, a aid pitcher for the New York Yankees, might have added to the historic whole however has been out all season after present process elbow surgical procedure.
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