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These 6 Jewish baseball players were just drafted into the MLB
(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
Lucas Braun, 189th overall
The first of two Jewish pitchers drafted this year, Lucas Braun was taken in the sixth round by the Atlanta Braves. Braun finished his college career with two seasons at California State University, Northridge, where the 21-year-old right-hander posted a 3.97 earned-run average with 177 strikeouts in 165.2 innings. The Los Angeles native was named to the All-Big West Second Team in 2022 and 2023.
#CSUN right-handed pitcher Lucas Braun selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 6th round of the 2023 MLB First-Year Player Draft on Monday. #GoMatadorshttps://t.co/0g2HrckZ4c
— CSUN Baseball (@CSUNBaseball) 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.
𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐃
Congratulations to @EKUBaseball‘s Will King on being drafted by the @Braves! #ASUNBuilt | #GoBigE pic.twitter.com/wByJk9IqtM
— #ASUNBuilt (@ASUNSports) July 11, 2023
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The post These 6 Jewish baseball players were just drafted into the MLB appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Israeli Strike on Tehran Kills Bodyguard of Slain Hezbollah Chief
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi lays a wreath as he visits the burial site of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, on the outskirts of Beirut, Lebanon, June 3, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
A member of Lebanese armed group Hezbollah was killed in an Israeli air strike on Tehran alongside a member of an Iran-aligned Iraqi armed group, a senior Lebanese security source told Reuters and the Iraqi group said on Saturday.
The source identified the Hezbollah member as Abu Ali Khalil, who had served as a bodyguard for Hezbollah’s slain chief Hassan Nasrallah. The source said Khalil had been on a religious pilgrimage to Iraq when he met up with a member of the Kataeb Sayyed Al-Shuhada group.
They traveled together to Tehran and were both killed in an Israeli strike there, along with Khalil’s son, the senior security source said. Hezbollah has not joined in Iran’s air strikes against Israel from Lebanon.
Kataeb Sayyed Al-Shuhada published a statement confirming that both the head of its security unit and Khalil had been killed in an Israeli strike.
Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli aerial attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs in September.
Israel and Iran have been trading strikes for nine consecutive days since Israel launched attacks on Iran, saying Tehran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. Iran has said it does not seek nuclear weapons.
The post Israeli Strike on Tehran Kills Bodyguard of Slain Hezbollah Chief first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Hamas Financial Officer and Commander Eliminated by IDF in the Gaza Strip
Israeli soldiers operate during a ground operation in the southern Gaza Strip, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, July 3, 2024. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/Pool via REUTERS
i24 News – The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), in cooperation with the General Security Service (Shin Bet), announced on Friday the killing of Ibrahim Abu Shamala, a senior financial official in Hamas’ military wing.
The operation took place on June 17th in the central Gaza Strip.
Abu Shamala held several key positions, including financial officer for Hamas’ military wing and assistant to Marwan Issa, the deputy commander of Hamas’ military wing until his elimination in March 2024.
He was responsible for managing all the financial resources of Hamas’ military wing in Gaza, overseeing the planning and execution of the group’s war budget. This involved handling and smuggling millions of dollars into the Gaza Strip to fund Hamas’ military operations.
The post Hamas Financial Officer and Commander Eliminated by IDF in the Gaza Strip first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Report: Wary of Assassination by Israel, Khamenei Names 3 Potential Successors
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves during a meeting in Tehran, Iran, May 20, 2025. Photo: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS
i24 News – Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei named three senior clerics as candidates to succeed him should he be killed, the New York Times reported on Saturday citing unnamed Iranian officials. It is understood the Ayatollah fears he could be assassinated in the coming days.
Khamenei reportedly mostly speaks with his commanders through a trusted aide now, suspending electronic communications.
Khamenei has designated three senior religious figures as candidates to replace him as well as choosing successors in the military chain of command in the likely event that additional senior officials be eliminated.
Earlier on Saturday Israel confirmed the elimination of Saeed Izadi and Bhanam Shahriari.
Shahriari, head of Iran’s Quds Force Weapons Transfer Unit, responsible for arming Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, was killed in an Israeli airstrike over 1,000 km from Israel in western Iran.
The post Report: Wary of Assassination by Israel, Khamenei Names 3 Potential Successors first appeared on Algemeiner.com.