Alon Leichman, a well-known former baseball player and coach who was born on Kibbutz Gezer, has been named pitching coach of the Colorado Rockies, becoming the first Israeli to hold the position with a Major League Baseball team. The 36-year-old looks back on a successful career as a player and coach, working for the Miami Marlins and the Cincinnati Reds, among others. He was also part of the coaching staff for the Israeli national team at the World Baseball Classic and the Olympic Games.
Even in his early baseball days, Leichman was proud to represent his country. At the age of ten, he had to work on his kibbutz to finance his trip to a tournament in the Netherlands – a job that marked the beginning of his international career. Over the years, he stood out not only for his coaching talent, but also for his Israeli identity, which he always emphasized, including his jersey number 29, which corresponds to the number on his laundry tag in the kibbutz.
Leichman’s appointment comes at a critical time for the Rockies, a team that had one of the worst pitching records in major league history last year. His job will be to improve the performance of pitchers who have struggled, particularly in a stadium like Denver’s Coors Field, known for its thin, hitter-friendly air.
With his fluency in Spanish and innovative approach, Leichman will be a valuable asset not only to the Rockies, but also to the team’s Latino players. Furthermore, his appointment is a source of pride for Israel, which continues to see him as a model of success and perseverance, as Ari Varon, President of the Israel Baseball Association, emphasized. Leichman’s future in Major League Baseball promises to continue to inspire future generations of Israeli players and baseball fans worldwide.
