These 5 Jewish baseball players were just drafted into the MLB
It’s a relatively high number
Jake Gelof, left, and Zach Levenson, right, headline the group of Jewish players drafted into MLB in 2023. (Getty Images)
(JTA) — Though there were no Jewish players at this week’s MLB All-Star Game, the future is bright.
The best bellwether of what’s to come is the MLB Draft, which included 20 rounds split between the past three nights. A total of 614 players were drafted this year, and according to Jewish Baseball News, six of them are Jewish.
Scott Barancik, the site’s editor, said six picks in 20 rounds is a fairly high number — especially considering the fact that the draft used to be twice the size.
Here’s the 2023 Jewish MLB draft class:
Jake Gelof, 60th overall
Taken in the second round by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Jake Gelof is a power-hitting third baseman who just concluded a record-setting career at the University of Virginia. The 21-year-old Delaware native holds the all-time home run record at his alma mater, where he slugged 48 home runs across three seasons. Gelof’s older brother Zack, also a UVA alum, was drafted 60th overall in 2021 and is the No. 3 prospect in the Oakland Athletics organization. Zack represented Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, and the two brothers are likely to play for Israel in the 2026 WBC.
The Los Angeles Dodgers select power-hitting infielder Jake Gelof from the University of Virginia with the 60th overall pick in the second round of the 2023 MLB Draft. pic.twitter.com/x4vBXd8XHb
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 10, 2023
Zach Levenson, 158th overall
Outfielder Zach Levenson was taken in the fifth round out of the University of Miami, joining the St. Louis Cardinals organization. In 114 college games across two seasons with the Hurricanes, the Florida native hit .295 with 21 home runs and 73 runs batted in. Levenson was ranked 204th in MLB’s prospect rankings.
With the 158th overall pick of the 2023 #MLBDraft, the #STLCards select OF Zach Levenson! pic.twitter.com/eK4jJvc0Tz
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 10, 2023
RJ Schreck, 277th overall
A fellow LA native, RJ Schreck played for Vanderbilt University as a graduate student after four years at Duke University. The 23-year-old outfielder, who was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the ninth round, slugged 40 home runs and 153 RBIs across his five-year collegiate career. Schreck graduated from the same LA high school as Jewish Braves ace Max Fried.
RJ Schreck is headed to the @Mariners ?#AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/dfnXELb7uD
— Vanderbilt Athletics (@vucommodores) July 10, 2023
Ben Simon, 396th overall
The New Jersey native pitched at Elon University for three years, where he struck out 103 batters across 88.1 innings, mostly as a reliever. Simon, 21, was named to the 2022 All-CAA Second Team for the Colonial Athletic Association conference. He was selected in the 13th round by the New York Mets.
The @Mets have drafted RHP Ben Simon from Elon University with their 13th round pick. pic.twitter.com/4mZJjnALgD
— Mets Player Development (@MetsPlayerDev) July 11, 2023
Will King, 609th overall
One of the final draft picks, New York City native Will King was selected in the final round by the Braves. A catcher, King played three seasons at Eastern Kentucky University, where he hit .306 with 25 home runs and 124 RBI in 145 games. King, 19, was named the First Team All-ASUN Conference catcher his sophomore year and the Second Team catcher his junior year.
??????? ⚾️
— #ASUNBuilt (@ASUNSports) July 11, 2023
Congratulations to @EKUBaseball's Will King on being drafted by the @Braves! ??#ASUNBuilt | #GoBigE pic.twitter.com/wByJk9IqtM
Correction: A previous version of this article misstated that Lucas Braun was Jewish. He is not.
This article originally appeared on JTA.org.
A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
