How the first Orthodox Jew in an MLB organization is making it work
The second call was less important, but only slightly.
The first had been historic. Two years ago, the Arizona Diamondbacks made Long Island high-schooler Jacob Steinmetz the first Orthodox Jew ever drafted by an MLB organization. It was a joyous occasion, but it was also scary.
Because Steinmetz was embarking on a career that might be at odds with his religion. Would he be able to keep kosher while making his way through the small towns that populate the minors? Would he be able to properly observe the Sabbath, abstaining from riding in cars and buses and using any kind of electricity? Could professional baseball and Orthodox Judaism coexist?
Those questions percolated in the wake of his third-round selection, but a day later came a second call. Diamondbacks assistant general manager Amiel Sawdaye had grown up in a Jewish community, and as the post-draft anxiety began to set in for the young right-hander, Sawdaye rang with a salve. Don’t worry about it, he’d said. We’ll make sure you have everything you need.
“I saw it in his face after he got off the phone with him,” said Steinmetz’s father, Elliot. “I saw this little relaxing.”
Two years later, Sawdaye’s word is being put to the test. Steinmetz is now 20 and playing for the low Class A Visalia Rawhide in California, his first experience at a full-season affiliate. Such a jump is a challenging rite of passage for any young player, but Steinmetz faces more hurdles than most. The tiny stops in the California League are hardly Jewish enclaves, and being an Orthodox Jew on that circuit can be lonely. It also can be complicated.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/08/31/jacob-steinmetz-orthodox-jewish-diamondbacks/
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