The Colorado Rockies have hired Israeli Alon Leichman as the Denver-based Major League Baseball club’s pitching coach, the team announced Dec. 9.
The 36-year-old, who grew up in Kibbutz Gezer between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, both pitches and coaches for Team Israel. He became the first Israeli coach in MLB history when he joined the Cincinnati Reds in 2022 as the team’s assistant pitching coach. He served in the same role for the Miami Marlins last season.
Leichman threw a perfect inning for Team Israel against Team USA at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Before joining the Reds, he was the pitching coach for the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers—a Seattle Mariners minor league affiliate.
While with the Reds, Leichman publicly advocated for his countrymen held captive by Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip, stitching onto his glove for the 2024 season the words “Bring Them Home Now!” He also had the Israeli flag featured on the glove.
