Alexander Benjamin Katz (; born October 12, 1994) is an American-Israeli professional baseball left-handed pitcher for the Staten Island FerryHawks of Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He plays internationally for Team Israel.
Katz pitched for the St. John's Red Storm, and was part of the team that won the 2015 Big East Conference Regular Season and Tournament. He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 27th Round of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft.
In 2015 and 2016 combined, pitching in the Rookie Pioneer League and Arizona League, the Single–A South Atlantic League, and the High–A Carolina League, he was 0–3 with a 2.87 ERA and 6 saves. In innings, he struck out 97 batters."Alex Katz Minor Leagues Statistics & History," Baseball-Reference.com.
Katz pitched for Team Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic. He made four relief appearances and pitched a total of scoreless innings. In May 2017, Katz was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for two international pool spots. In October 2018, he became a dual Israeli citizen. He pitched for the Israel national baseball team at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in the summer of 2021. He also pitched for Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Early life Katz was born in Manhasset, New York, to Gary and Adrienne Katz."Alex Katz," Jewish Baseball News. He has two older sisters, Anna and Natalie.
High school Katz went to Herricks High School (Class of 2012) in New Hyde Park, New York, where he pitched and played first base and outfield."Class of 2012 Top Prospects" , bluechipprospects.com He threw a 84 mph fastball. He was an All-League selection as a junior, and named All-County, Second Team All-Long Island, 2012 honorable mention Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason All-America, Perfect Game first team All-Northeast Region, MVP of the Nassau County Exceptional Senior Game, and won the Best Pitcher Award for the RTC Grand Slam Challenge (Long Island All-Star Game).Jeff Noreman (June 14, 2012). "RTC All-Star Game Showcases Top Seniors," Baseball Player Magazine.
College Katz then pitched for the St. John's Red Storm, attending the school on a baseball and academic scholarship, while majoring in sports management and minoring in business."Alex Katz Bio," RedStormSports.com. As a freshman, Katz made 22 appearances, including two starts, and went 1–3 with one save and a 5.33 ERA. During the summer of 2013, Katz pitched in the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League for the Shelter Island Bucks and in the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox."Four Questions With Alex Katz," Summer Baseball Insider, December 6, 2013. Baseball America named Katz the top pitching prospect in the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League for that season, and Perfect Game named him the Hamptons pitcher with the best breaking ball.Ian Frazer (September 4, 2013). "Hamptons Collegiate League Top 10 Prospects," Baseball America.Allan Simpson (September 16, 2013). "Hamptons Lg. prospect reports," Perfect Game USA.
As a sophomore, Katz appeared in 16 games, including nine starts, and went 1–2 with a 3.86 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 42.0 innings of work. On April 2, 2014, Katz started and struck out five in 6.0 scoreless innings of no-hit ball to earn the win as part of a combined one-hit shutout at Wagner. In the summer of 2014, Katz returned to the CCBL, playing for the Chatham Anglers.
As a junior, Katz appeared in 19 games, including 6 starts, and went 3–1 with a 3.40 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 55.2 innings of work."St. John's Season Statistics", redstormsports.com, June 2, 2015. He threw mostly a fastball, a changeup, and a slider."Red Storm Duo Heads to Green Bay," Northwoods League, March 17, 2015. In March 2015, Katz was named the Big East Conference Pitcher of the Week after striking out 13 batters in 7.0 scoreless innings in a pair of appearances that helped St. John's post consecutive shutouts in a two-game week. Katz, who made one start and one relief appearance, had a career-high 13 strikeouts in 6.0 scoreless frames to earn the win in a start against Fairfield. Katz then added 1.0 shutout inning against Central Connecticut. The lefty surrendered just one hit in his two appearances to limit the opposition to a .048 batting average (1-for-21)."Katz Named Big East Pitcher Of The Week," RedStormSports.com, March 23, 2015. Katz was part of the St. John's Red Storm baseball team that won the 2015 Big East Conference Regular Season and Tournament.Laura Amato (October 3, 2016)."St. John’s hurler heading to World Baseball Classic," TimesLedger.
Professional career Chicago White Sox Katz was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 27th round of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft.
In 2015, at the age of 20, he pitched for the Great Falls Voyagers of the Rookie Pioneer League, and for the Arizona League White Sox of the Rookie Arizona League. He was a combined 0–2 with a 2.20 ERA and 4 saves, as in innings he struck out 40 batters."Alex Katz Register Statistics & History," Baseball-Reference.com.
In 2016, he pitched for the Kannapolis Intimidators of the Single–A South Atlantic League, and the Winston-Salem Dash of the High–A Carolina League. He was a combined 0–1 with a 3.27 ERA and 2 saves, and in 55 innings he struck out 57.
Baltimore Orioles On May 20, 2017, the White Sox traded Katz to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for two international pool signing bonus spots valued at over $750,000."Orioles notes: Katz acquired for international signing slots," Baltimore Sun.Benjamin Hill (August 4, 2017). "On the Road: Keys' Katz talks Classic, cleats; After success with Team Israel, left-hander traded to O's for slots," MiLB.com. Orioles Executive Vice President Dan Duquette said of Katz: He has a good fastball and excellent strikeout record. A lot of guys like him and they project him to be a major league reliever. We’re going to send him to Frederick.... He showed a good fastball and a really good breaking ball in the [World Baseball Classic]. We got a couple good looks at him.Brittany Ghiroli (May 20, 2017). "Orioles get pitcher Alex Katz from White Sox," mlb.com. At the time of the trade, Katz had struck out 10.1 batters per 9 innings in his 62-game, 102-inning minor league career.Mark Polishuk (May 20, 2017). "Orioles Acquire Left-Hander Alex Katz From White Sox For Two International Pool Slots," MLB Trade Rumors. In 2017, pitching for the Kannapolis Intimidators before he was traded, he was 0–1 with a 4.40 ERA, and pitching for the Frederick Keys of the High–A Carolina League after the trade he was 3–2 with a 5.57 ERA.
Katz pitched in the 2018 season for the Delmarva Shorebirds of the Single–A South Atlantic League, for whom he was 3–2 with a 4.26 ERA in 25 games, and for Frederick for whom he was 0–0 with a 4.50 ERA in 5 games. Katz was released by the Orioles’ Single-A affiliate, the Frederick Keys, on October 18, 2018.
Long Island Ducks In late 2018, Katz signed a minor league deal to return to the Chicago White Sox organization, but was released during spring training in March 2019.
On April 15, 2019, Katz was signed as a spring training invitee for the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. In 2019, he logged a 4.70 ERA over innings for the Ducks. He became a free agent following the season.
Kansas City Royals On February 12, 2020, Katz signed a minor league deal with the Kansas City Royals. Katz did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Katz was released by the Royals organization on November 12.
Chicago Cubs On May 4, 2021, Katz signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs. He was assigned to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans of the Low-A East, later receiving promotions to the South Bend Cubs of the High-A Central and the Tennessee Smokies of the Double-A South. In 20 appearances between the three affiliates, Katz posted a cumulative 6.51 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 47 innings pitched. He elected minor league free agency following the season on November 7.
Staten Island FerryHawks On April 18, 2022, Katz signed with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. However, he was released prior to the start of the season on April 22.
On May 3, 2022, Katz signed with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He was 1–1 with a 4.50 ERA in 23 relief appearances covering 24 innings in which he gave up 15 hits and struck out 31 batters (11.6 strikeouts per 9 innings). He became a free agent following the season.
On April 22, 2023, Katz re-signed with the FerryHawks for the 2023 season. During the season, he was 1–2 with a 7.76 ERA in innings in which he struck out 30 batters (10.1 strikeouts per 9 innings).
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs On March 11, 2024, Katz signed with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. In 8 games for the club, Katz posted a 5.19 ERA with 8 strikeouts across innings of work.
Hagerstown Flying Boxcars On May 31, 2024, Katz was traded to the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball in exchange for Jaylyn Williams. In 14 games for Hagerstown, he struggled to a 6.50 ERA with 19 strikeouts across 18 innings of work. Katz was released by the Boxcars on July 11.
Long Island Ducks (second stint) On July 12, 2024, Katz signed with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He made one appearance for the Ducks, allowing four runs on four walks with one strikeout in of an inning. Katz was released by Long Island on July 16.
Lexington Legends On August 10, 2024, Katz signed with the Lexington Legends of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Katz was released by Lexington on August 15, after two appearances in which he did not record an out and allowed a total of three runs.
York Revolution On July 5, 2025, Katz signed with the York Revolution of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. In three appearances for York, he struggled to a 16.88 ERA with seven strikeouts across innings pitched. Katz was released by the Revolution on July 12.
Arabia Wolves In October 2025, Katz signed with the Arabia Wolves of Baseball United.https://www.baseballunited.com/teams/franchises/arabia-wolves
Staten Island FerryHawks (second stint) On April 18, 2026, Katz signed with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.https://ferryhawks.com/sports/2026/4/21/directions-2024.aspx
Team Israel; World Baseball Classic and Olympics Katz was on the roster for Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic qualifier,Vince Lara-Cinisomo (September 22, 2016). "Rosters for WBC Qualifier in Brooklyn," Baseball America. but did not make an appearance during the tournament. Team Israel beat Pakistan, Great Britain, and Brazil, all of which were better ranked."HCBL Alums Named to World Baseball Classic Rosters," Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League, February 9, 2017.
Katz pitched for Team Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic, in March 2017.David Adler (February 8, 2017). "Israel brings MLB experience to 1st WBC main draw; Vets Davis, Feldman among team members with Major League credentials", mlb.com. He pitched in 4 games, pitching 3.1 scoreless innings."Stats | 2017 World Baseball Classic" , World Baseball Classic.
In October 2018 he became a dual Israeli citizen, partly to help Israel's baseball team make the 2020 Olympics."10 U.S.-Jewish baseball players to get dual Israeli citizenship in bid to make 2020 Olympics," Haaretz, October 11, 2018."US baseball players get Israeli citizenship in boost to Olympic team," The Times of Israel, October 20, 2018.
He pitched for the Israel national baseball team in two relief appearances at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in the summer of 2021.