Jeremy Bleich

Early and personal life

Bleich was born in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb 15 minutes west of New Orleans, to Stan (a cardiologist and Chair of the board of cardiology at East Jefferson General Hospital, who grew up in Brooklyn) and Caron Bleich. Bleich is Jewish, and a member of Shir Chadash Conservative Congregation. His grandparents were Auschwitz concentration camp Holocaust survivors. He has a sister (Dr. Lauren Feldman), and a brother (Dr. Steven Bleich). Remarking on how his father and siblings are all doctors, Bleich noted: "I always tell people I'm the black sheep of the family."

High school

He attended Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, graduating in 2005. As a sophomore Bleich was 9-3, striking out 100 batters in 71.0 innings while batting .318. As a junior, he was 7-3 with a 1.25 ERA, and 110 strikeouts in 72.2 innings, while also batting .464. As a senior, he was 7-1 with an 0.56 ERA, and 138 strikeouts in 63.0 innings, while batting .387. In high school by his junior year he had what author Michael Lewis described as "a decent fastball, great command, a big-league change-up and charm to burn", and had over 40 colleges recruiting him.

Bleich was named a 2005 first-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball (Louisville Slugger), a third-team All American by Baseball America, and the 2005 All-Metro Player of the Year. He was named All-State in Louisiana twice, was the 2004 and 2005 District Most Valuable Player, and in 2003-05 was named a three-time All-District, All-Metro, and All-Orleans teams player. As a pitcher at Isidore Newman, he was profiled by author Michael Lewis in his short book Coach: Lessons on the Game of Life, published in 2005.

He played in the 2004 WWBA World Championships with the Cincinnati Reds scout team, and in the 2005 High School All-American Game, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was rated the 97th-best prospect in the nation in 2005.

College

Bleich then attended Stanford University, majoring in Economics. As a freshman in 2006, throwing an 88-92 mph fastball, a breaking ball, and a changeup, he tied for fourth in the Pac-10 with seven saves. He was named a Cape Cod Baseball League All Star in 2006, pitching for the Wareham Gatemen. Baseball America named him the 19th-best player in the league.

As a sophomore in 2007, he was 10th in the Pac-10 in starts (16) and innings pitched (98.2). As a junior in 2008 during which he missed two months with tendinitis in his elbow, he was 3-3 record with one save and a 2.09 ERA, leading the team in ERA, and earned honorable mention Pac-10 All-Academic honors.

New York Yankees (2008-14)

Bleich was selected in the First Round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft (44th overall) by the New York Yankees out of Stanford, and received a $700,000 signing bonus. Baseball America named him the Yankees' ninth-best prospect for 2010. He was named a Hawaii Winter Baseball post-season All Star in 2008, pitching for the Waikiki BeachBoys, for whom he was 3-1 with a 1.77 ERA (2nd in the league among starters) in 7 starts. He then pitched in one game that season for the Staten Island Yankees of the Class A- New York-Penn League. In 2009, he pitched for the Tampa Yankees of the Class A+ Florida State League, and for the Trenton Thunder of the Class AA Eastern League, starting 27 games.

Bleich had surgery to repair a torn glenoid labrum in his throwing shoulder, after starting 8 games for Trenton in 2010. He then missed part of the 2010 season, and all of the 2011 season.

In 2012, he was 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA as he pitched in 16 games for the GCL Yankees of the Rookie Gulf Coast League, the Staten Island Yankees, and the Tampa Yankees. He was named the 2012 Minor League Comeback Player of the Year by Jewish Baseball News. In 2013, he was again 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA, this time for Trenton in 27 games, 4 of them starts.

Bleich began the 2014 season pitching for Trenton, for whom he started 15 games, and was named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week on May 26, 2014. He was promoted to Triple-A for the first time later that season, and pitched for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders of the International League.

Pittsburgh Pirates (2015)

Bleich signed a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates on November 18, 2014. In 2015, he pitched in one game for the Bradenton Marauders of the Class A+ Florida State League, made 25 relief appearances and had 4 saves for the Altoona Curve of the Class AA Eastern League, and had a 2.60 ERA in 13 relief appearances for the Indianapolis Indians of the Class AAA International League.

Philadelphia Phillies (2016)

In January 2016, Bleich signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. That season he pitched for the Reading Fightin Phils in the Class AA Eastern League, and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in the Class AAA International League.

Somerset Patriots (2016)

In July 2016, he signed with the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, and went 2-2 with a 2.45 ERA in 17 relief appearances. In 22 innings, Bleich struck out 28 batters and gave up 3 walks.

Arizona Diamondbacks (2017)

In February 2017, Bleich signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Bleich was released on the last day of spring training camp by the Diamondbacks.

Somerset Patriots (2017)

Bleich was signed again by the Somerset Patriots in April 2017. He pitched 2.1 scoreless innings, over 2 games.

Los Angeles Dodgers (2017-present)

On April 29, 2017, Bleich signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers and was assigned to AAA Oklahoma City. Mid-season, his fastball was up to 95 mph, complemented by his curveball, changeup, and slider, and Oklahoma City pitching coach Matt Herges observed: "He's a strike machine, and he's fearless." He pitched in 31 games for Oklahoma City and seven for the Double-A Tulsa Drillers while in the Dodgers system and had a 5–4 record and 3.77 ERA.

Team USA

Bleich was a member of the U.S. Junior National Team in 2005, as it placed second at the 2005 Pan American Championships in Mexico.

Team Israel

Bleich pitched for Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic qualifier, in September 2016. Bleich first pitched during the second game of the series, throwing 23 pitches over 1.2 innings, giving up 2 hits while recording 3 strikeouts. Bleich again pitched during the third and final game of the series, throwing 13 pitches over .2 of an inning, giving up 2 hits, an unearned run and a walk.

Bleich pitched for Team Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic main tournament, in March 2017. He appeared in three games, and struck out two batters in 2.1 innings.