Israeli-American baseball player Zev Moore signed a professional contract this week with the Trenton Thunder of Major League Baseball’s Draft League.
Moore became the second practising Orthodox Jew to play professional baseball, while also becoming the second player raised in Israel to sign a contract allowing him to compete at that level.
The 25-year-old outfielder will join the Thunder from July through early September, adding another chapter to a baseball career that has taken him from New Jersey to Israel, through a successful college career at MIT, and now to the professional ranks.
Moore and his family moved from New Jersey to Israel when he was a child.
He grew up playing baseball in a local Israeli league before joining the Israeli national team. After serving three years in the IDF, he continued to compete internationally through Israel’s national baseball programme.
Moore told JNS he is very excited about the milestone, saying this has been part of his dream of playing professional baseball since he was four years old.
He said it was fitting that he was signed by the Thunder and recalled that, as a child growing up in New Jersey, he would attend its games in Trenton.
Moore repeatedly stressed that he felt privileged to be in the position of playing professional baseball as an Israeli, an Orthodox Jew, and a graduate of MIT, a Division III institution, where no athletic scholarships are given.
“Most of my development took place as part of the Israeli baseball community,” he said. “I feel very much like I’m representing my country, my faith, and my school.”
Moore said he only recently met his new teammates, with the season set to begin this week, but said he already felt their support and understanding regarding his religious observance.
He acknowledged that arriving at games surrounding the sabbath on foot would be a challenge, but said he was used to it from his days at MIT.
“I don’t compromise. My religion comes first,” he said.
He added that not always having the ideal Shabbat experience has actually helped him appreciate Shabbat even more, while also providing special experiences.
Moore said he sees similarities between Judaism and baseball, which he learned from, including principles of discipline and introspection.
His goal is to make it all the way to the major leagues, but for now, he is taking it day by day.
“I’m living the dream and seeing where this takes me. But this is a step in the right direction,” he said. “Right now, I’m focused on the moment, working to be a good teammate, and competing as hard as I can.”
The Thunder competes in a split-season amateur-professional format as part of a six-team MLB Draft League.
The league’s amateur side features draft-eligible players seeking additional exposure and development, while the professional side includes paid players who have exhausted their amateur eligibility. Moore has joined the latter as a professional player.
Moore acknowledged that he is where he is today thanks to the years he spent working his way up through Israel’s baseball programmes.
Nate Fish, CEO of the Israel Academy of Baseball and manager of Israel’s national baseball team, said: “I have known Zev since he was 12 years old; he and his brother Eitan were the youngest members of the inaugural class of the Israel Baseball Academy in 2014.
“Twelve years later, it’s amazing to see Zev sign a professional contract after a successful college career at MIT. It shows what can happen when you commit to long-term athletic development.
“Zev is one of the great success stories in Israeli baseball. We will be cheering for him as he starts his professional career.”
Moore’s mother, Rachel, told JNS that she and her husband have watched him make countless sacrifices and difficult choices to pursue his baseball career without compromising his religious principles.
She added that "his drive and passion for success are unique and have been there since he was a very young child, long before he could pick up a bat”.
Rachel detailed how on game days during summer league, he would stay with random non-observant Jewish strangers, bring his own kosher food and eat it cold, then walk miles to reach the baseball diamond.
She said that her son has done the “business side” himself—all of the advocating, research, talking to coaches involved in pro sports, etc., “while navigating Shabbat and remaining a mensch that sets an example and represents Judaism beautifully.”
Rachel added that Moore has a trail of Jewish baseball fans who have been following his career for years and are emotionally invested in his success.
“It’s like a Johnny Appleseed [exploring a new frontier] of Jewish pride and Zionism. It’s not the goal, but it’s been this incredible byproduct,” she said.
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