NY Yankees Select Jewish LSU Pitcher, Eric Reyzelman, in Fifth Round MLB Draft
Edited by: Fern Sidman
As the geo-political climate that envelopes us appears to consistently take some unique twists and turns, history has now been made by one of New York City’s favorite sports teams.
According to a recent JTA report, it appears that a Jewish pitcher from Louisiana State University may be joining the Bronx Bombers. Yes, folks, you heard correctly. In the fifth round of the Major League Baseball draft selection that took place on Monday, the New York Yankees chose a 6 foot, 2 inch, right handed pitcher named Eric Reyzelman to join their farm system.
Reyzelman, 21, throws a fastball that can hit 100 miles per hour, plus a cutter, a changeup, a curveball and a slider, according to the JTA report.
Born and raised in California, Reyzelman has never been to New York, but his intentions are to sign with the Yankees rather than returning to LSU for his senior year. His goal is to become a starting pitcher in the “House that Ruth Built” and of course on the road with the pin stripers.
A recent report on Reyzelman that appeared on the Major League Baseball (MLB.com) web site, indicated that he is the son of two Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union. “His mother, Victoria, came to the United States from Ukraine in 1989, and his father, Alex, emigrated from Moldova years earlier. His parents struggled to build lives in their new country, with Victoria and Alex learning English, then finding careers as a chiropractor and a podiatrist, respectively, “ as was reported by Bryan Hoch at mlb.com.
The MLB.com report also revealed that Reyzelman’s mother has an uncle who lives in Kyiv. “As the Russia-Ukraine war rages on, the Reyzelmans have sent money abroad to their family, which runs a bakery to help community members,” according to the report.
After receiving the news that the Yankees had selected him in the fifth round of the MLB draft, Reyzelman openly expressed his feelings to the JTA. “Unbelievable, unbelievable moment for me and my family,” he said.
He added that, “everywhere I’ve gone, every Jewish person in so many areas of the country are somehow all Yankee fans. It’s unbelievable. Historically, it’s just the best team in baseball and to be able to play for them is an absolute dream come true,” according to the JTA report.
Reyzelman, however, is not the only Jewish ball player to be chosen in the MLB draft.
JTA reported that yet another Jewish pitcher was selected as the 77th overall pick in the 2021 first-year draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Steinmetz, a Woodmere, New York native, graduated from the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway (HAFTR) in 2021, where he played as well, landing him a scholarship to Fordham University, where he was to play at the NCAA Division I level, according to a Wikipedia report. His father, Elliot Steinmetz, is the Yeshiva University Men’s Basketball Coach. Steinmetz is the first practicing Orthodox Jew to be drafted into the MLB. He keeps the Sabbath and eats only kosher food, as was reported by Wikipedia.
Also an impressive hurler on the mound, Wikipedia reported that Steinmetz stands at 6’, 6”, weighs 224 lbs and can throw a 97 per mile fastball.
It appears that 2021 was an historic year for Orthodox Jewish baseball players.
The JTA reported in July 2021 that the Washington Nationals selected Elie Kligman with their final and 20th round pick, making him the second observant Orthodox Jewish player ever drafted into the league.
MLB.com reported that Kligman, 19, has moved towards becoming a catcher but has also played shortstop and thrown the ball 90 miles an hour as a pitcher.
Reyzelman is not Orthodox but told JTA that his Jewish faith helps drive him on the mound, and that he wants to get involved in the local Jewish community of wherever he ends up playing. JTA also reported that he added that he has always wanted to help offer baseball clinics for Jewish children who are interested in playing America’s favorite pastime.
“I think there’s a lot of really, really cool opportunities and I’m excited to just kind of delve into them,” he said.
Arriving at this pivotal moment in his baseball career has not been without its challenges for Reyzelman. According to the JTA report, Reyzelman was twice cut from his high school baseball team, underwent ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction on his elbow — better known in baseball as Tommy John surgery — and had his college career disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I think that had I not gone through what I went through in high school, I wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am,” Reyzelman told JTA earlier this month.
