Red Sox prospect finds strength, purpose in Judaism
September 3, 2026
Originally Published for The Jewish Journal HERE
Alex Kranzler won’t play a role in the Boston Red Sox’ improbable playoff run this fall, but the 21-year-old right-handed pitcher could be in the organization’s long-term plans.
Regardless of how his baseball career transpires, Kranzler delved deeper into his Jewish identity and faith during his junior (and final) season at Vanderbilt University in Nashville in 2025-26.
“I had kind of gotten away from it during the early part of college, but I met two student managers for the Vanderbilt baseball team – Michael Brody and Will Sugar,” Kranzler said. “We decided to do a Torah study with Rabbi Shlomo Rothstein – the co-director of the Rohr Chabad House at Vanderbilt. Judaism keeps me grounded and centered into something other than baseball. I’m continuing to learn about my past and my heritage and building it into my daily routine.”
Kranzler became part of the Red Sox organization in July when Boston selected him in the 17th round of the Major League Baseball draft. He helped Vanderbilt reach the NCAA Tournament twice in three seasons.
“The Southeastern Conference schedule is a gauntlet,” Kranzler said. “Having three years going through that helped my confidence going into professional baseball.”
Although he declared for the draft a year early, Kranzler plans to complete his bachelor’s degree in communications from Vanderbilt.
After being drafted, Kranzler was immediately assigned to the Florida Coast League Red Sox, who play at the team’s Fort Myers spring training facility (JetBlue Park). In mid-August, he was promoted to the Class-A Salem RidgeYaks in southwestern Virginia. That team will conclude its season on Sept. 6.
A native of Norwood, New Jersey, Kranzler’s friends are all New York Yankees fans. He’s always been a fan of players, but favored the Yankees as well. It would bring Red Sox fans comfort to know that Kranzler is too young to remember the Yankees’ last World Series title (he was 4 years old in 2009).
“Being with a historic organization like the Red Sox and following in the footsteps of a Pedro Martinez or David Ortiz is really cool,” Kranzler said. “The goal is to play at Fenway Park, which is the best stadium in Major League Baseball. The franchise is very good at developing players, and I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Kranzler attended Hebrew school and got bar mitzvahed at a Reform synagogue in Bergen County, New Jersey.
Once at Vanderbilt, he joined Tribe NIL, a name, image and likeness commercial branding agency for Jewish athletes co-founded by Jeremy Moses and Eitan Levine. He said the experience helped him connect with other Jewish players as well as Jewish athletes attending colleges and universities in the southeast.
“There’s a lot more of us than I thought playing college sports,” Kranzler said.
Kranzler was a finalist for the “L’Cheisman Trophy” – which goes to the top Jewish male and female athlete. It’s a play on the Heisman Trophy, which is presented annually to the top college football player. The “L’Cheisman” is sponsored by Manischewitz, and the winning athletes’ photos are featured on a matzah box.
Beyond climbing the Red Sox farm system, Kranzler also wants to play for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in 2030. Pitcher Tommy Kahnle, who spent time with the Red Sox this season, played in the 2026 WBC. Shortstop Henry Godbout, another Jewish prospect with the Red Sox, played for the Class A Greenville Drive this season. Θ
