November 5, 2026

ISRAEL BASEBALL AND ATHLETES FOR ISRAEL SEND FOUR U.S. PLAYERS TO ISRAEL

What do a catcher from Las Vegas, a right-handed pitcher from Colorado, a reliever from Houston, and a slugger from Westchester County all have in common? They’re all really good at baseball, and they’re all on their way to Israel this week, a trip organized by Israel Baseball and Athletes for Israel (AFI), a nonprofit that brings athletes to Israel to see the country for themselves. AFI describes its mission as combating antisemitism and racism by “promoting a positive narrative about Israel.”

Four Players, Four Paths

Elie Kligman played at the University of Michigan this spring after stops at Wake Forest, Fullerton College, and Sacramento State, and the Washington Nationals drafted him in 2021. Kligman observes Shabbat, and he has been open about how that shapes his baseball life. “Once Shabbat begins, I leave and go to shul,” he said in a January profile by JNS.

Cooper Katskee grew up in Greenwood Village, Colo., and pitched at Indiana, Miami (Ohio), and Nebraska before landing at Notre Dame as a graduate transfer. His best year came at Miami in 2025, when he went 11-2 and was named the MAC Pitcher of the Year.

Jack Ben-Shoshan grew up in Houston and arrived at Rice as a position player. He began pitching for the Owls in 2023 and by 2025 was one of their top relievers. “I didn’t really know how to pitch,” he said in a 2025 profile by At the Roost.

Adam Agresti, from Yorktown, N.Y., led the Big East with 20 home runs at St. John’s this spring and hit a grand slam against Florida State in the deciding game of the Tallahassee Regional. The Los Angeles Angels took him in the 11th round of the 2026 MLB Draft. “I’m definitely happy for the opportunity,” he told the Journal News after the draft. His older brother, Jason, played for Israel at the 2025 European Championships and the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

What They’ll Find

The group will spend its first days in Haifa, then join a second week of baseball clinics in Israel where baseball is growing fast. This summer, Israel Baseball hosted the first U-12 National Tournament, a two-day event at Sportek Tel Aviv that brought nine teams together from across the country. In September, 95 children from Kibbutz Carmia and Kibbutz Nir Yitzchak spent a day playing ball at Kibbutz Gezer, with plans underway for weekly baseball clubs in their communities. Team Israel, which has played in three World Baseball Classics and the Tokyo Olympics, has its sights on Los Angeles in 2028.

“To really understand Israel,” said Daniel Posner, CEO of Athletes for Israel. “You have to see it. And the same goes for Israel Baseball. To understand the unique charms and challenges of baseball development in Israel, you have to be there on the field with the kids.” We’re grateful to Israel baseball for this exciting partnership.” 

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Update, November 12, 2026: The group has landed in Israel. Photos from the trip are below.

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The growth of baseball in Israel and the success of the Israel national team relies on support from our community. Anyone who wants to become part of the Israel Baseball movement can donate here.