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Tyler Patrick Kelly (טיי קלי; born July 20, 1988) is an
American-Israeli , native_name_lang = , image = , caption = , population = 110,000–150,000 , popplace = New York metropolitan area, Los Angeles metropolitan area, Miami metropolitan area, and other large metropolitan are ...
professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Modern professional ...
utility player who is a free agent. He has played in
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies and the
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
. He plays for Team Israel. At the
University of California, Davis The University of California, Davis (UC Davis, UCD, or Davis) is a public land-grant research university near Davis, California. Named a Public Ivy, it is the northernmost of the ten campuses of the University of California system. The inst ...
, Kelly led the
Big West Conference The Big West Conference (BWC) is an American collegiate athletic conference whose member institutions participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The conference was originally formed on July 1, 1969, as the Pacific ...
with a .397
batting average Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic. Cricket In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
as a sophomore in 2008. That summer he was a 2008
Cape Cod League The Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL or Cape League) is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. One of the nation's premier collegiate summer leagues, the league boasts over one thousan ...
All Star playing for the
Brewster Whitecaps The Brewster Whitecaps are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Brewster, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in the league's East Division. The Whitecaps play their home games at Stony Bro ...
. The
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...
selected Kelly in the 13th round (386th overall) of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft. Kelly was a 2009 New York-Penn League All Star, a 2011
South Atlantic League The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its ...
All Star, a 2012
Carolina League The Carolina League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated along the Atlantic Coast of the United States since 1945. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 unti ...
All Star, and a 2013 Eastern League All Star. The Mets promoted Kelly to the major leagues in his eighth pro season, in 2016, after 855 minor league games, and 3,063 minor league at bats. He was the starting third baseman for Team Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic. In April 2017, he was acquired by the Phillies, and in January 2018, he signed a contract to return to the Mets. In August 2019, Kelly announced his retirement from professional baseball. In September 2019, he obtained
Israeli citizenship Israeli citizenship law details the conditions by which a person holds citizenship of Israel. The two primary pieces of legislation governing these requirements are the 1950 Law of Return and 1952 Citizenship Law. Every Jew in the world has ...
. He played for Team Israel at the 2019 European Baseball Championship. He also played for the team at the Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament in Italy in September 2019, which Israel won to qualify to play baseball at the 2020 Summer Olympics. He played third base for Team Israel at the
2020 Summer Olympics The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 1 ...
in Tokyo in the summer of 2021, and tied for fourth-most at the Olympics with four walks. Kelly will play for Team Israel in the
2023 World Baseball Classic The 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), an international professional baseball tournament, is set to be the fifth iteration of the World Baseball Classic. It was originally set for 2021 (as per tradition to hold the event every four years), but wa ...
in Miami, in March 2023.


Early life

Kelly was born in
Dallas, Texas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County ...
, the first child of Pat and Diane Kelly, and is Jewish. Ty Kelly's father is Catholic, and his mother is Jewish – by virtue of which he qualified to play for Team Israel.Michael Powell (September 21, 2016)
"Good Bat? Cannon Arm? Jewish? Sign Him Up!"
''nytimes.com''.
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
His father played both college
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
and
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
for the
Colorado Buffaloes The Colorado Buffaloes are the athletic teams that represent the University of Colorado. The university sponsors 17 varsity sports teams. Both the men's and women's teams are called the Buffaloes (Buffs for short) or, rarely, the Golden Buffalo ...
, before serving as an assistant
baseball coach In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, who determines the starting lineup and batting order, decides how to substitute players during the game, and makes strategy decisi ...
at
San Joaquin Delta College San Joaquin Delta College (Delta College) is a public community college in Stockton, California. It was founded in 1935 as Stockton Junior College. The college serves a district area that includes all of San Joaquin County and parts of Alameda, ...
. Ty Kelly is a
vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. ...
. Kelly attended St. Mary's High School in Stockton, California, where he played both basketball and baseball, graduating in 2006. In baseball, he batted just under .400 as a senior, and received All-Tri-City Athletic League (TCAL) and all-area honors. In basketball, Kelly was named All-TCAL Defensive Player of the Year.


College baseball

Kelly played his freshman year of
college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional p ...
for the
Loyola Marymount Lions The Loyola Marymount Lions are the athletic teams that represent Loyola Marymount University, a Jesuit institution in Los Angeles, California. The school competes in NCAA Division I and the West Coast Conference. Sports sponsored Baseball ...
. He then transferred to the
University of California, Davis The University of California, Davis (UC Davis, UCD, or Davis) is a public land-grant research university near Davis, California. Named a Public Ivy, it is the northernmost of the ten campuses of the University of California system. The inst ...
, where he majored in Communications in his sophomore and junior years."Ty Kelly Stats, Highlights, Bio"
'' MiLB.com''. Minor League Baseball. 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
Kelly led the
Big West Conference The Big West Conference (BWC) is an American collegiate athletic conference whose member institutions participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The conference was originally formed on July 1, 1969, as the Pacific ...
with a .397
batting average Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic. Cricket In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
(BA) as a sophomore in 2008, and was # 2 in the Big West Conference in hits, with 94, playing for the Aggies. He helped the Aggies reach the
NCAA Division I baseball tournament The NCAA Division I Baseball Championship is held each year from May through June and features 64 college baseball teams in the United States, culminating in the eight-team Men's College World Series at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Neb ...
in their first year of eligibility. In 2008, Kelly played collegiate summer baseball for the
Brewster Whitecaps The Brewster Whitecaps are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Brewster, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in the league's East Division. The Whitecaps play their home games at Stony Bro ...
of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and was named a league all-star. He was on the Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Watch List in 2009, and batted .307 with 20 doubles (tied for 3rd in the Conference). His career batting average and hits total rank second and third, respectively, in Aggies history.


Career


Minor Leagues


Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles selected Kelly in the 13th round (386th overall) of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft. He began his Minor League Baseball (MiLB) career that year as a third baseman and second baseman, with a .265
batting Batting may refer to: * Batting (baseball), the act of attempting to hit a ball thrown by the pitcher with a baseball bat, in order to score runs * Batting (cricket), the act of defending one's wicket with the cricket bat while attempting to score ...
(BA) and 33 walks (BB) in 61 games, for the Short-Season A
Aberdeen Ironbirds The Aberdeen IronBirds are a Minor League Baseball team based in the city of Aberdeen in Harford County, Maryland. They are the High-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles and compete in the South Atlantic League. They were previously members of the ...
. Kelly was named a 2009 mid-season New York-Penn League All Star. In 2010, Kelly played third base and second base for the Class-A
Delmarva Shorebirds The Delmarva Shorebirds are a Minor League Baseball team based in Salisbury, Maryland. They are members of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Their home games are played at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. The Shor ...
of the
South Atlantic League The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its ...
; he batted .259 with 4 home runs (HR), 58
runs batted in A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the ba ...
(RBI), 30 doubles, 68 BB (5th in the league), and 11 sacrifice hits (3rd). In 2011, Kelly batted .274 with 4 home runs, 46 RBIs, and 67 walks (5th in the league) for Delmarva, primarily playing third base and left field. He was named a 2011 mid-season South Atlantic League All Star. In 2012, Kelly hit a combined .327/.425/.467, with 11 HR, and 70 RBI, split between the Advanced-A
Frederick Keys The Frederick Keys are a collegiate summer baseball team of the MLB Draft League. The Keys are based in Frederick, Maryland. The franchise is named for "Star-Spangled Banner" writer Francis Scott Key, a native of Frederick County. A new team masc ...
of the
Carolina League The Carolina League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated along the Atlantic Coast of the United States since 1945. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 unti ...
– for whom he batted .346 (2nd in the league)/.460 (2nd)/.513 (8th) with 54 walks (5th), while primarily playing second base and third base; Double-A Bowie Baysox of the Eastern League (primarily playing third base and left field); and Triple-A
Norfolk Tides The Norfolk Tides are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They are located in Norfolk, Virginia, and are named in nautical reference to the city's location on the Chesapea ...
of the International League (IL) (playing second base and third base). Kelly was named Player of the Week in the Carolina League on July 16, 2012. He was named a 2012 mid-season Carolina League All Star. Kelly was named an MiLB.com Organization All-Star in 2012, for both Baltimore and Seattle. For the season, he led Orioles minor-leaguers in hits, batting, and total bases, and was third in RBI.


Seattle Mariners

In 2013, Kelly hit .283 in 72 games for Bowie before being traded to the
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion team ...
on June 30, for outfielder
Eric Thames Eric Allyn Thames ( ; born November 10, 1986) is an American professional baseball first baseman and outfielder who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee B ...
. He was named a 2013 mid-season Eastern League All Star. Kelly then batted .320/.456/.406, with 51 BB, in 54 games, for the Triple-A
Tacoma Rainiers The Tacoma Rainiers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Tacoma, Washington, and play their home games at Cheney Stadium, which opened in 1960 ...
of the Pacific Coast League (PCL). His 5-walk game on August 16, 2013, tied a PCL single-game record. On the season, Kelly batted .298/.417/.392 and recorded 85 runs, 27 doubles, and 102 walks (second in the minors, behind Greg Bird), in 126 games. He led the minor leagues in fewest swings-per-at-bat (at 30.8%). Kelly was named a 2013 '' Baseball America'' High Class A All Star, and a 2013 MiLB.com Organization All-Star for Seattle. In returning to Tacoma for 2014, Kelly batted .263/.381 (10th in the league)/.412, with 15 homers, in 134 games; he started 64 games at second base, 36 games at third base, 15 games in right field, and 5 games in left field. Kelly ranked 2nd in the PCL with 85 walks (trailing only
Joc Pederson Joc Russell Pederson ( ; born April 21, 1992) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Atlanta Br ...
of the Dodgers), 8th in runs (81), and placed in the top 5 in MiLB in fewest swings-per-at-bat (with 36.4%). He was named a 2014 MiLB.com Organization All-Star for Seattle.


St. Louis Cardinals

Kelly was traded to the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
for pitcher Sam Gaviglio on November 20, 2014. As a member of the Cardinals organization, Kelly played for the AAA
Memphis Redbirds The Memphis Redbirds are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They are located in Memphis, Tennessee, and are named for their Major League Baseball affiliate. The Redbir ...
of the PCL and batted .203 in 79 games.


Toronto Blue Jays

On July 22, 2015, he was claimed off waivers by the
Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
, and optioned to the Triple-A
Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen ...
of the IL. Kelly was
designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...
on August 29, and outrighted to the Bisons on August 31. He played in 117 games in 2015, batting .226, with 3 home runs, and 33 RBI. Kelly elected free agency on November 7. Kelly's career minor league stat line includes a .275/.374/.380 batting average, 54 home runs, 482 RBI, 3,892 at bats, and 1,094 games played. He played 400 games at second base, 370 games at third base, 148 games in left field, 64 games in right field, 50 games at shortstop, 35 games in center field, 4 games at first base, and made 3 pitching appearances (3 innings in Triple-A).


Major leagues


New York Mets

On November 13, 2015, Kelly signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets that included an invitation to spring training. The Mets promoted Kelly to the major leagues on May 23, 2016, in his eighth pro season (after 855 minor league games, and 3,063 minor league at bats), to replace an injured
Lucas Duda Lucas Christopher Duda (born February 3, 1986) is an American former professional baseball first baseman who played most of his Major League Baseball career for the New York Mets. He was the starting first baseman for the 2015 Mets team that wo ...
. At the time, he was leading the minor leagues with a .391 batting average and a .478 on base percentage. Kelly made his major league debut starting at third base against the
Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
on May 24. Kelly hit his first home run against
Jameson Taillon Jameson Lee Taillon ( ; born November 18, 1991) is a Canadian-American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees. The Pirat ...
on June 8 in Pittsburgh. In 2016, he had a 1.22 walks/strikeout ratio, the best in the major leagues, in 71 plate appearances. He played 39 games for the Mets at six different positions, batted .241/.352/.345 in 58 at bats, and got a hit in his only postseason at bat, against four-time All Star
Madison Bumgarner Madison Kyle Bumgarner (born August 1, 1989), commonly known by his nickname, "MadBum", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). Previously, he pitched for the San Francisco Giants ...
. In February 2017, Kelly was outrighted to the Mets' Triple-A team and invited to major league spring training by the Mets. In 2017, he made the New York Mets' opening day roster, and played in one game as a pinch hitter. He was designated for assignment on April 8 in order to make room for pitcher
Paul Sewald Paul Stanton Sewald (born May 26, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the New York Mets. Sewald played college baseball for the San Diego Tore ...
on the
25-man roster A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, and ...
.


Toronto Blue Jays (second stint)

On April 10, 2017, the
Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
claimed Kelly off waivers from the New York Mets. Kelly was recalled by the Blue Jays on April 18 and placed on the team's 25-man roster, sat on the team's bench, and was then designated for assignment on April 21 without having appeared in a Major League game.


Philadelphia Phillies

On April 22, 2017, the Blue Jays sent Kelly to the Philadelphia Phillies, his third major league team of the season, for cash. In 69 games, Kelly played second base, third base, and all three outfield positions, and batted .193 (.400 in extra inning games)/.260/.341 with 2 home runs and 14 RBIs in 88 at bats. On October 5, he elected to be a free agent.


Return to New York Mets

In January 2018, Kelly agreed to a minor league contract with the New York Mets, with an invitation to spring training. In July, Kelly was designated for assignment, cleared waivers, and accepted an assignment to AAA Las Vegas. In the 2018 season, he had 11 at bats for the major league team. On October 2, he elected to become a free agent. As of the end of the 2018 season, Kelly had played every position in the minor leagues except
catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the ( home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the ca ...
.


Los Angeles Angels

On February 5, 2019, Kelly signed a minor league contract with the
Los Angeles Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team h ...
that included an invitation to spring training. On August 25, 2019, Kelly announced his retirement from professional baseball. He humorously announced it on Twitter, as a four-time Pro Bowl football quarterback retired on the same day: "
Andrew Luck Andrew Austen Luck (born September 12, 1989) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. One of the most highly touted amateur prospects during hi ...
trying to steal my retirement thunder. Let me have my moment, Andrew." Kelly finished his major league career having batted .203/.288/.323, with 3 home runs, and 21 RBI, in 158 at bats, over 118 games. He played 18 games at second base, 18 games in left field, 15 games at third base, 4 games in right field, 2 games in center field, and one game at first base.


Seattle Mariners (second stint)

On January 28, 2021, Kelly came out of retirement to sign with the
Kansas City Monarchs The Kansas City Monarchs were the longest-running franchise in the history of baseball's Negro leagues. Operating in Kansas City, Missouri, and owned by J. L. Wilkinson, they were charter members of the Negro National League from 1920 to 19 ...
of the
American Association of Professional Baseball The American Association of Professional Baseball is an independent professional baseball league founded in 2005. It operates in the central United States and Canada, mostly in cities not served by Major League Baseball teams or their minor lea ...
. On April 7, 2021, prior to the AA season, Kelly was traded from Kansas City to the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball in exchange for a PTBNL. On May 22, 2021, prior to the start of the ALPB season, Kelly’s contract was selected by the
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion team ...
organization. Kelly hit .227/.337/.333 with 2 home runs and 10 RBI in 24 games for the Triple-A
Tacoma Rainiers The Tacoma Rainiers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Tacoma, Washington, and play their home games at Cheney Stadium, which opened in 1960 ...
. He was released by the Mariners organization on July 8.


Long Island Ducks

On August 13, 2021, Kelly signed with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He batted .298/.431/.386 and stole five bases in six attempts over 114 at bats, as he played all outfield positions and all infield positions other than first base over 38 games. He became a free agent following the season.


Los Angeles Dodgers

On March 7, 2022, Kelly signed a minor league contract with the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
. He played in 22 games for the
Oklahoma City Dodgers The Oklahoma City Dodgers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and play their home games at Chickasaw Bricktown Ba ...
and five for the Tulsa Drillers, hitting .152 between the two levels. He was released on August 23, 2022.


Team Israel; World Baseball Classic and Olympics

Kelly was originally scheduled to play for
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
at the 2017 World Baseball Classic qualifier in September 2016, but was called up to the Mets at the time, so he could not play. He started at third base for Team Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic in the main tournament, in March 2017. After Israel – ranked #41 in the world – defeated third-ranked
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...
by a score of 2–1 in 10 innings in the first game, Kelly tweeted: "Definitely the most stressful game I've ever been a part of. But it was worth it." He wore an Israel Baseball band around his left wrist into the 2017 season. Later in 2017, playing at the Marlins when they held Jewish Heritage Day, Kelly said "I had tears in my eyes, hearing the Israel national anthem." In September 2019, Kelly obtained
Israeli citizenship Israeli citizenship law details the conditions by which a person holds citizenship of Israel. The two primary pieces of legislation governing these requirements are the 1950 Law of Return and 1952 Citizenship Law. Every Jew in the world has ...
and joined Team Israel for the 2019 European Baseball Championship in Germany in September 2019. His becoming Israeli made his Jewish grandmother, Gail, who lives in Boca Raton, Florida, very proud. Kelly said: "I mean, she loves being Jewish. She talks about her Jewish upbringing all the time, so this is really exciting for her." He also played for the team at the Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament in Italy in September 2019, which Israel won to qualify to play baseball at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Kelly played shortstop and batted .176/.300/.294 in the tournament. He played third base for Team Israel at the
2020 Summer Olympics The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 1 ...
in Tokyo in the summer of 2021, and tied for fourth-most at the Olympics with four walks. He batted 1-for-16, and played error-less defense. Kelly will play for Team Israel in the
2023 World Baseball Classic The 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), an international professional baseball tournament, is set to be the fifth iteration of the World Baseball Classic. It was originally set for 2021 (as per tradition to hold the event every four years), but wa ...
in Miami, starting March 11–15, 2023. He will be playing for Team Israel manager and former All-Star
Ian Kinsler Ian Michael Kinsler ( he, איאן קינסלר; born June 22, 1982) is an American-Israeli former professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for ...
, and alongside All-Star outfielder
Joc Pederson Joc Russell Pederson ( ; born April 21, 1992) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Atlanta Br ...
and pitcher Dean Kremer, among others.


See also

* List of Jewish baseball players


References


External links

*
"Former Met Ty Kelly Joins the Show! MMO Weekly 2022 Episode 19,"
September 22, 2022 (''video'') {{DEFAULTSORT:Kelly, Ty 1988 births Living people 2017 World Baseball Classic players 2023 World Baseball Classic players 2019 European Baseball Championship players Aberdeen IronBirds players Baseball players at the 2020 Summer Olympics Baseball players from Dallas Bowie Baysox players Brewster Whitecaps players Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Delmarva Shorebirds players Frederick Keys players Israeli American Israeli baseball players Jewish American baseball players Jewish Major League Baseball players Las Vegas 51s players Long Island Ducks players Loyola Marymount Lions baseball players Major League Baseball left fielders Major League Baseball third basemen Memphis Redbirds players New York Mets players Norfolk Tides players Oklahoma City Dodgers players Olympic baseball players of Israel Philadelphia Phillies players Salt Lake Bees players Tacoma Rainiers players Tulsa Drillers players Twitch (service) streamers UC Davis Aggies baseball players 21st-century American Jews