University of Michigan Baseball welcomed newcomer Elie Kligman as the “first Orthodox Jew to play Division 1 baseball,” as he joined the team this spring in the position of catcher. The 22-year-old, originally from Las Vegas, is a graduate student at the university.
“Elie Kligman is making history,” Michigan Baseball wrote.
Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and national director of the Anti-Defamation League, wished a “Mazal tov to Elie Kligman on “breaking barriers as the first Orthodox Jew to play Division I baseball! Seeing him take the field for Michigan Baseball fills me with hope that this opens the door for more Jewish athletes to follow.”
Tal Pearlman, a catcher for Montgomery Blair High School in Maryland, said that “it’s been a struggle for me, but I’ve worked through it. Got the pleasure to meet Eli Kligman last year, and he’s a humble man who works hard, and it paid off. Super proud of him.”
“I was recruited to the University of Michigan this summer out of the transfer portal,” Kligman, a catcher known for hitting as a switch-hitter, told JNS. “I graduated from Sacramento State University, and had one year of eligibility and entered the transfer portal. In the portal, the coaches reached out to me, offered me, and I committed soon after.”
He said he became the first Orthodox Jew to play Division 1 baseball during his freshman year in 2022. “I put that in the fun fact section of our intro posts,” he said. “The post got some views, and it was awesome to see the love from lots of people—and the haters.”
Baseball, a constant in his life, began at home. Kligman’s father, Marc Kligman, is a sports agent who represents his sons, Elie and Ari Kligman; the Blue Jays’ Nathan Lukes; and longtime catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, Carlos Ruiz.
“My dad being an agent and my brother playing as well was the perfect environment,” Kligman said. “I always had a partner to go to the field with, and my dad coached me through high school.”
He credits the sport for their family bond. “We are a lot closer through baseball, and getting to learn the game from my dad has been incredible,” Kligman said.
One of his favorite memories is playing with his brother for the Portland Pickles. “The Pickles was the first time my brother and I teamed up in college, and it was definitely a fun and special connection,” he said. “And he did really well, which made it even more fun.”
While Kligman’s all-in on baseball, he’s fully committed to living as an Orthodox Jew, which means dealing with the challenge of playing games that run into Shabbat. “Fridays are actually simpler than you may think,” he said. “While the sun is still up, I play. Once Shabbat begins, I leave and go to shul. Or when I am on the road, back to the hotel.”
He noted that he’s had “lots of fun teaching my teammates. On the road, we have always been able to find kosher restaurants, catering and even a Chabad rabbi who is willing to help along the way.”
Kligman said he doesn’t have a sports hero, though “Sandy Koufax is someone I get linked to a lot.”
This spring, Kligman will add U of M to a baseball journey that has included Wake Forest, Fullerton College and Sacramento State. Now that he’s in Ann Arbor, Kligman said he’s ready to play. “This team is special, and I can’t imagine playing with a better group of guys,” he said.
