Reds assistant pitching coach Alon Leichman is a proud Israeli, and he’s showcasing a glove with a strong message on MLB opening day.
Leichman’s glove with the words “Bring Them Home Now!” stitched on the outside was spotted by WCPO one day before the Reds opened their season against the Washington Nationals.
Leichman, a coach for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic, also has the Israeli flag on the glove.
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Cincinnati Reds assistant pitching coach Alon Leichman throws a batting practice session at the Cincinnati Reds Player Development Complex in Goodyear, Ariz., Feb. 23, 2023. (Cincinnati Enquirer/USA Today Sports)
The 34-year-old is showing his support for Israelis still being held captive in Gaza.
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Leichman’s baseball story is one that began in Israel, where he grew up in Kibbutz Gezer between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. He played the game in a country that wasn’t totally invested in it in the ‘90s.
Leichman never played the game professionally, but he coached and pitched for Team Israel, including during the 2020 Summer Olympics, where he threw a perfect inning against Team USA in Toyko.
Cincinnati Reds assistant pitching coach Alon Leichman poses for a photo at the Cincinnati Reds Player Development Complex in Goodyear, Ariz., Feb. 21, 2023. (Sam Greene/The Enquirer/USA Today Network)
The Los Angeles Dodgers initially recruited Leichman to coach in their instructional league in 2016, which launched his coaching journey in MLB.
He ended up in the Seattle Mariners’ player development program in 2017 and worked his way through the ranks from there. In 2019, he was the Class A West Virginia Power’s pitching coach and moved on to the Double-A Arkansas Travelers in the same role in 2020 and 2021.
Cincinnati Reds assistant pitching coach Alon Leichman throws live batting practice during spring training workouts Feb. 21, 2024, at the team’s spring training facility in Goodyear, Ariz. (Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer/USA Today Network)
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Leichman then became the pitching coach of the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers in 2022. In December of that year, he joined the Reds as their assistant pitching coach, becoming the first Israeli coach in MLB.
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