Joc Pederson

At 32 years old, Joc Pederson has this physical status:

Joc Russell Pederson ( PEE-d?r-s?n; born April 21, 1992) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Pederson was drafted by the Dodgers in the 11th round of the 2010 MLB draft, out of Palo Alto High School.

His father, Stu Pederson, played for the Dodgers in 1985. In 2011, he hit .353 while leading the Pioneer League in RBIs and outfield assists, and was both a Pioneer League and Rookie League All Star.

In 2012, he was named the Dodgers' "Minor League Player of the Year".

By virtue of his Jewish heritage, he played for the Israel national baseball team in the qualifying rounds of the 2013 World Baseball Classic. In 2013, Pederson was both a mid-season and postseason Southern League All-Star, and led the league in slugging percentage.

He was ranked the Dodgers' # 1 prospect by Baseball America after the 2013 season.

In 2014, he became the first player in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) in 79 years, and the fourth all-time, to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases in the same season.

That year Pederson led the PCL in runs, home runs, walks, on-base percentage, and OPS, while stealing 30 bases.

He was named the PCL Most Valuable Player, to both the mid-season and postseason PCL All-Star teams, and was selected as Baseball America's AAA Player of the Year.

In 2015, he was named the 8th-best prospect in baseball by Baseball America. He began the 2015 season as the Dodgers' starting center fielder, and the third-youngest player in the NL.

Pederson was selected to the NL team in the 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, and was chosen to start in left field.

He made it to the final round of the 2015 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby, but lost to Cincinnati Reds third baseman Todd Frazier.

In 2017, he set a record with a hit and a run scored in each of his first six World Series games.

Early life

Pederson was born in Palo Alto, California, and is the son of Shelly (née Cahn) and Stu Pederson. Stu played in eight games for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1985, and spent 12 years in Minor League Baseball. Joc's mother was an athletic trainer in college. He is Jewish by birth, and is eligible because he is Jewish to play for the Israel national baseball team, which he has done. Pederson's Jewish maternal great-great-great-grandfather and great-great-great-uncle immigrated to the United States in the 1840s, and were charter members of synagogue Temple Emanuel in San Francisco. His great-great-grandfather Leopold Cahn (born in 1864; son of Israel Cahn, a wool merchant), great-grandmother Zelda Sugarman (born in 1907), and great-great-grandmother Fannie Morris (born in 1873) were born in San Francisco. Pederson grew up a San Francisco Giants fan.

Joc's older brother, Tyger, played baseball for the University of the Pacific, and then played second base in the Dodgers minor league system. Joc's eldest brother, Champ, has Down syndrome and sometimes stays with him during the season. His younger sister, Jacey, is an elite national amateur soccer player who played forward on the US Under-17 and Under-19 Women's National Soccer Teams and has played for the UCLA Bruins women's soccer team. Through 2021, Pederson was second among Jewish baseball players in career home run frequency (behind Hank Greenberg), ninth in career home runs (behind Kevin Youkilis and Mike Lieberthal), and tenth in career slugging percentage (behind Sid Gordon).

Pederson attended Palo Alto High School. In his senior year, Pederson batted .466 with a .577 on-base percentage (OBP) and an .852 slugging percentage, with 20 stolen bases in 22 attempts, playing center field and leading off for the school's baseball team. He also played for the school's football team, leading it with 30 receptions in his senior year, for 650 yards and 9 touchdowns. Pederson was the team's number one wide receiver, racking up more yards and touchdowns than his teammate, future NFL wide receiver Davante Adams. Pederson graduated in 2010.

Personal life

Pederson married longtime girlfriend Kelsey Williams in January 2018. They live in Studio City, California. In October 2018, during the National League Championship Series between the Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers, their daughter was born. The couple's son was born a month before the Dodgers' 2020 World Series championship victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

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Professional career

Pederson was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 11th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft. Joc had agreed to attend the University of Southern California, where his father played college baseball, but the Dodgers instead signed him. To sign with the Dodgers, he was offered a $600,000 signing bonus. The bonus was the second-highest paid to any draft pick signed by the Dodgers that year, and it was four times more than was typical for players drafted after the fifth round. Pederson needed more money, but he turned down their bid because he knew "my dream — my great hope — was to become a big leagues star."

Pederson led the league with a.331 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) rank, a.997 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) percentage, and nine outfield assists in 2011. When playing in 68 games, he came in second with 24 stolen bases, second in on-base percentage, third with 54 runs, and third with 36 walks. Pederson was selected as both a Pioneer League and Rookie League All Star, as well as a Topps Short-Season/Rookie League All Star. In the 2011 season, Baseball America named him the Best Hitter for Average in the Dodgers system.

In 2012, Pederson was promoted to the Califerous (Advanced) Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League at age 20. He batted.396/.526 for 96 runs (4th in the league), 48 extra base hits, and 26 stolen bases for the Quakes. Pederson was named as the 2012 "Minor League Player of the Year" by the Dodgers, and MILB.com named him as a Dodgers All Star. He was selected by Baseball America as the player with the highest strike zone discipline in the Dodgers system. Following the season, the Dodgers announced him to the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League, where he was an AFL Rising Star in 2012. Before the 2012 season, he was ranked # 4 by Baseball America (and # 3 prospect by MILB.com).

Pederson was promoted to the Class AA Chattanooga Lookouts in the Southern League in 2013, making him the youngest member of the team and the second-youngest position player in the league. Pederson was selected to play for the United States in the All-Star Futures Game, and he was also selected to play in the Southern League All-Star Game. While leading the league with a.497 slugging percentage, he reached.278. Pederson also finished second with 22 home runs and 81 runs scored; third with 31 stolen bases, a.381 on-base percentage, and fifth in walks; and fifth in walks. In 123 games during the season, he had 58 RBIs and ten outfield assists, mainly in the leadoff position. Pederson was a Topps All Star and a Baseball America Minor League All Star, and he received a Topps Double-A All Star award. He later played winter ball for the Cardenales de Lara in the Venezuelan Winter League, where he had a.439 on-base percentage. After the 2013 season, Baseball America named him as the Dodgers' No. 1 prospect.

By Baseball America in February 2014, Pederson was rated as the 34th best prospect in baseball. That year, the Dodgers welcomed him to spring training. Pederson was then drafted to the Class AAA Albuquerque Isotopes to begin the 2014 season. Since batting.398 (second-best in the league)/.544/.663 with 6 home runs and 9 steals, he was named Minor League Prospect of the Month by MLBPipeline.com in April 2014. He was the fifth-best position player in the Pacific Coast League and more than five years younger than the average. "Pederson is the Dodgers' No. 1," baseball America's Ben Badler said. No. 1: No. 1 is a candidate. I think he's overrated at 34 years old in baseball, and I still think he's underrated."

After batting.319/.437 (leading the PCL), 17 home runs (tied for first in the PCL), 58 runs scored (tied for sixth in the PCL), and 20 stolen bases (3rd in the PCL), in 74 games, Pederson was named to the mid-season Pacific Coast League All-Star team (leading the PCL). Pederson made his first appearance in the PCL in 80 years (since Frank Demaree in 1934, in 186 games), his fourth all-time, and his fourth all-time to reach 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season on August 23. Lefty O'Doul (1927, in 189 games), and Hall of Famer Tony Lazzeri (1925, in 197 games) were the only other Pacific Coast League players to do so. He was also the second Dodger minor leaguer to do it, joining Chin-Feng Chen (1999; 31/31 for Class A San Bernardino).

Pederson's season ended with a.303/.435 (leading the league) and 522 (third in the league). He led the PCL with 106 runs, 33 home runs, 100 walks, and a 1.017 OPS, while still taking 30 bases (third in the league). Pederson set Isotopes single-season records for walks and runs scored. He batted.306/.573 against righties and.422/.598 against lefties, while lefties batting.366 with runners on base. He received the 2014 PCL Most Valuable Player Award, a selection to the All-PCL team, and the PCL Rookie of the Year Award after the season. He was named the Year's Best AAA Player of the Year by Baseball America, a Class AAA All-Star and a member of their 2014 Minor League All-Star team. For the second time this year, Pederson was named the organization's top player, though he was co-winner with shortstop Corey Seager this year.

Pederson was added to the Dodgers' 40-man roster for September and named up to the Major Leagues for the first time on September 1, 2014. "He's the best center field fielder in our company," manager Don Mattingly said.

With two outs and two runners on base, Pederson pinch-hit for pitcher Yimi Garca on Thursday night against the Washington Nationals. Rafael Soriano was up for a full count but the game was called off due to a strike, but he was called out on strikes to end the game. He began in center field the next day and made his first Major League hit on a single off Doug Fister in the second inning. He had four hits in 28 at bats in 18 games.

Pederson was ranked as the top prospect in baseball in 2015 by Baseball America, and MLB.com named him as the 13th best prospect in baseball going into the 2015 season. Matt Kemp's offseason trade created an opening in center field, and Pederson was named the Opening Day starting center fielder, deposing veteran Andre Ethier for the position.

In a 7–4 victory over A. J. Schugel of the Arizona Diamondbacks, he scored his first MLB home run on April 12. He hit Rubby De La Rosa of the Diamondbacks of the Diamondbacks for his first major league grand slam off the ground on May 1, 446-foot defeat. Pederson was home in both games of a day-night doubleheader on June 2; his second homer travelled an estimated 480 feet. He homered in his fifth straight game on June 3, becoming only the fifth Dodgers to do so.

Pederson was named in the National League for the first time since Hideo Nomo in 1995, the first Dodgers rookie to be named as an All Star. He was also selected to compete in the 2015 Home Run Derby. Pederson, the nation's fourth seed, made it all the way to the final round, losing 15–14 to Todd Frazier.

However, Pederson's results in June and July were disappointing. He batted.230 with 20 home runs before the All-Star Game, and he would only hit six in the second half of the season, batting.178 for the remainder of the season. Pederson's starting center fielder job was postponed due to his extended absence on August 23, 2013.

He made.210/.346/.417 in 2015, the second-most by a Dodger rookie in franchise history, behind Mike Piazza's 35 in 1993), 67 runs, 54 RBIs, and 92 walks (third in the NL). His batting average was the lowest among qualified hitters. In 2000, he had the lowest RBI total by a player with 25 or more home runs (Ron Gant also had 26 home runs with 54 RBIs). He also tied Matt Kemp for the Dodgers franchise strikeout record of 170 (3rd in the National League). His exit velocity, which was a 114.3 mph batted ball, was in the top 4% of all major leaguers. He was selected to Baseball America's All-Rookie squad at the end of the season.

In the 2015 NL West Division Series (NLDS), the Dodgers won the NL West title and Pederson advanced to the playoffs for the first time as Los Angeles battle the New York Mets. He had appeared in Games 1 and 5 of the series, but the Dodgers lost in five games to the Mets.

Despite losing his starting position in the 2015 season, Pederson began his career with the Dodgers last season, but mainly against right-handers. In a 5–1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels, he hit solo home runs against Jered Weaver and A. J. Achter on May 17. In a 7–4 victory over Archie Bradley, he hit two solo home runs against them on June 14, defeating them both on June 14 and 19. Pederson missed a game against the Milwaukee Brewers after spraining his right AC joint while making a diving catch against the outfield wall, but he returned on July 19. In a 9–7 victory over the Diamondbacks, he hit a two-run home run against Daniel Hudson and had four RBIs. In a 5–0 victory over the Miami Marlins on September 10, he hit solo home runs against Tom Koehler and Brian Ellington.

Pederson played in 137 games in 2016, batting 246/.362/.495 with 25 home runs, 25 doubles, and 68 RBIs. His 25 home runs averaged a distance of 412.1 feet (the 7th-longest average distance of any MLB player), and he saw 4.18 pitches-per-plate appearances (the most in the NL). In each of his first two seasons, he became the first Dodger to reach 25 home runs. His average exit velocity on a batted ball of 92.3 mph was in the top 5% of all major leaguers.

Pederson reached the playoffs for the second year in a row as the Dodgers clinched their fourth straight NL West title. Pederson had a terrible RBI in Game 4 of the 2016 NLDS against the Nationals, driving in a run when Joe Ross hit him with a pitch with the bases loaded. Pederson had an RBI double against Reynaldo López in the fifth inning, and the Dodgers defeated the Dodgers 6-5. In the seventh innings of Game 5's seventh game, Scherzer was evicted from the game and opened the scoring for the Dodgers, who defeated the Chicago Cubs 4–3. As the Dodgers defeated the Cubs 6–0 in Game 3 of the NLCS, he had an RBI single against Mike Montgomery and scored a run. In the series, he had four hits in 21 at bats, scoring three runs, but the Dodgers lost in six games to the Cubs.

Pederson started the 2017 season off with a bang against the San Diego Padres on Opening Day (April 3). On Opening Day, it was the first grand slam by a Dodger hitter since Eric Karros hit one against Montreal on April 3, 2000. He had five RBIs on Opening Day, the most by a Dodger since Ral Mondes did six against the Diamondbacks in 1999. Pederson collided with teammate Yasiel Puig in the outfield on May 23, resulting in a 2–1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, and went on the 7-day concussion disabled list. González did not return until June 13, when he was on the disabled list. After playing.048 in 15 games, Pederson's batting average dropped from.248 on July 28 to.215 on August 18. Curtis Granderson, a New York Mets fan, was sent to Triple-A on August 19. "It was [my first demoted] for the first time," Pederson reflected. "But the [PCL] showed me a lot, the stuff I needed to work on." Pederson seemed to have made helpful changes, but he only batted.182 after being recalled in September. With 11 home runs and 35 RBIs in 273 at bats, he batted.212/.407 in 2017. His exit velocity on a batted ball of 114.1 mph was in the top 5% of all major leaguers.

For the fifth year in a row, the Dodgers won the NL West, but Pederson was left off the roster for the playoffs. He was called up to the 2017 NLCS roster because of an injury to All-Star shortstop Corey Seager. Pederson was mainly off the bench in the series, but he did get off to a good start in Game 3; the Dodgers captured the series in five games. The Seager returned to the Houston Astros in 2017 for the 2017 World Series, and Granderson was left off the roster to make room for him, opening up playing time for other Dodger outfielders. After not being involved in Game 1, Pederson began five of the next six World Series games. In the World Series, Pederson set a Dodgers postseason record for five consecutive games, defeating Billy Cox, Andre Ethier, and A.J. Ellison. In Game 2, Justin Verlander's first home run for the Dodgers, he scored his fifth home run against him, but the Dodgers would lose 7–6. Pederson hit three-run home run against Joe Musgrove in Game 4, leading 3–1 in the top of the ninth. The Dodgers defeated the Dodgers 6–2. After the game, Joc boss Dave Roberts told reporters, "That was a huge hit." In Game 6, the Dodgers defeated Musgrove in a new home run. He batted.333/.400/.944 and led the Dodgers in runs (6) and home runs (3), while tying for the team's top in doubles (2) and RBIs (5) in 18 at bats. However, the Dodgers will lose in seven games to the Astros.

Pederson's one-year, $2.6 million deal with the Dodgers began before the 2018 season, avoiding salary arbitration. He spent a considerable portion of the season with right-handed Kemp, whom the Dodgers had recalled. In Dodger victories on June 2 and 8, he had two home-run games within a week of each other.

Pederson's eighth leadoff home run of the season on September 29, off of San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Dereck Rodra, beating Davey Lopes for the franchise record for leadoff home runs in a season. He batted in 59 games as the leadoff hitter, hitting.309/.386/.818. In his 2018 debut, he played in 148 games, hitting.321/.522 with 25 home runs and 56 RBIs in 395 at bats. His rise in his slugging percentage of.115 over the previous year led him to his fifth-best slugging percentage in the majors. Pederson had the third best fielding percentage among National League left fielders (.992), placing fifth in assists (six), and ranked third overall among them in assists (six).

For the sixth year in a row, the Dodgers won the NL West, bringing Pederson to the playoffs for the fourth year in a row. Pederson had a first pitch leadoff home run against Mike Foltynewicz of the Braves in Game One of the 2018 NLDS, a 6–0 victory. In all of the Dodgers' other games of the season, he had hits. As Los Angeles defeated the Brewers in seven games in the NLCS, he had three hits in 13 at bats. Pederson walked 15 innings of Game 3, hitting Rick Porcho solo in the third inning of an 18-inning, 3–2 Dodger victory after being on the bench in the first two games of the 2018 World Series against the Boston Red Sox. Los Angeles's only victory of the season came as a result of five games against the Red Sox.

Pederson has committed to a one-year, $5 million deal with the Dodgers for 2019, avoiding salary arbitration. Chris Taylor pounded in left field with Chris Taylor, but Pederson would finish the year with a career-best 450 at bats. Pederson's 100th home run against San Diego Paddack started on May 14 against him. From May 19 to.239 at bats, Pederson's average increased his batting average from.218 to.274, but at the All-Star Break, it will fall to.239. Pederson competed in the Home Run Derby at the 2019 MLB All-Star Game, losing in the semi-finals to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in a match that was a tiebreaker. He went from September 1 to four in National League history (after Larry Walker) and had an extra-base hit in six consecutive at bats.

According to bleacherreport.com's Mike Chiari, Pederson "enjoyed a career year in 2019." He appeared in 149 games, hitting.239/.339/.538 with 36 home runs and 74 RBIs in 450 at bats, and was 5th in the NL and tied for fifth among all Dodgers with a home run every 12.5 at bats. He posted six multi-homer games from the leadoff position, beating Francisco Lindor in 2018).

Pederson smashed the Washington Nationals in the first game of the 2019 NLDS, breaking the record for the Dodgers home run of the year with a 114.9 mph exit speed. The Dodgers dominated the game 6–0. In Game 5, Pederson had two hits and a run, but the Nationals won by 7-3 in ten innings, clinching a series win.

Since missing an arbitration hearing with the Dodgers, Pederson was given a $7.5 million salary for the 2020 season. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the MLB season didn't begin until July 24. As a result, the season only lasted 60 games; Pederson appeared in 43 of them. Despite being primarily a corner outfielder, the NL installed him at designated hitter for the first time this season. In a 7–6 Dodger victory over the Padres in their second game of a doubleheader against the Padres on August 5, he hit two home runs and had five RBIs.

Pederson batted.190/.397 with 21 runs, seven home runs, and 16 RBIs in 121 at bats in 2020. He finished the year fourth in career at-bats-per-home run (16.6), and tenth in career hit by pitch (44). His average exit velocity on batted balls of 93.0 mph was in the top 4% of all major leaguers. In the first round of the playoffs, he had only one bat at bat, but he had two hits in five at bats, including two RBIs.

He was one of three Dodgers to reach a home run in the first inning of a playoff game for the first time. "They call it 'Joctober' for a reason," Dodgers starting pitcher Alex Wood said of Pederson's playoff triumph. In that series, Pederson had seven hits in 18 at bats. Pederson's fifth home run of his World Series career, as well as a second-inning solo shot against Tyler Glasnow that proved to be the winning margin in Los Angeles's 4–2 victory. "The guy appears on the big stage," Max Muncy said. This is just what he does. When the Dodgers won the championship, Pederson had four hits in ten at bats in the World Series.

Overall, Pederson batted.382 (leading the Dodgers)/.432/.559 with a.991 OPS, two home runs, and eight RBIs in the Dodgers' playoffs. He became a free agent after the World Series.

Pederson signed a one-year $7 million guaranteed contract with the Chicago Cubs on February 5, 2021, which also included a mutual option for the 2022 season. He was motivated to join the Cubs because he wanted more playing time than he had with the Dodgers. Due to his usual #31 being cut by the Cubs for both Greg Maddux and Fergie Jenkins, Pederson decided to wear the new number #24 for his team service, starting in left field every day. He was on the injured list on April 22, but was struggling offensively at the time, with 1 HR, 4 RBIs, and 20 strikeouts. On May 3, Pederson returned and was inserted in the leadoff spot in the lineup as regular leadoff hitter Ian Happ was injured after an outfield collision. 42 of his final 57 games with the Cubs were from the leadoff position, and he raised his batting average to.269.

Pederson was active in 73 games for the Cubs, hitting.230/.418 with 11 home runs and 39 RBIs in 256 at bats. He played 66 games in left field, three in right field, two in center field, and one at first base.

Bryce Ball, a minor league prospect, was traded to the Atlanta Braves on July 15, 2021. Ronald Acua Jr. sustained ACL damage in a long-term ACL injury, and Pederson stepped into Acua Jr.'s roles as right field and leadoff hitter. With #31 being scratched by Greg Maddux and #24 being taken by a new teammate William Contreras, Pederson chose #22 to honor two former teammates, Clayton Kershaw and Jason Heyward, both from Los Angeles and Chicago, respectively. In the fourth inning, Pederson's rookie Josh Fleming scored his first home run against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Pederson, a member of the Atlanta Braves, batted.249/.428 with 7 home runs and 22 RBIs in 173 at bats in 2021. He played 36 games in right field and 24 in center field. He batted.230/.359/.435, against the righties, but against lefties he went.378/.378/.378 with 21 starts, in comparison to his previous three seasons, in which he had only nine starts against left-handers. He batted.284/.484 with runners in scoring position.

Pederson wore a signature pearl necklace throughout the 2021 season, resulting in fans wearing replica pearl necklaces to the team's games. Pederson's pearl necklace was sent to the National Baseball Hall of Fame after the Braves' World Series victory.

Despite starting only twice in four games and making him the third player in a single postseason series, Pederson hit two pinch runs as Atlanta defeated the Brewers in the 2021 National League Division Series, making him the third player in history with two in a single postseason series. As the Braves came from behind to beat the Dodgers 5–4, Pederson hit a two-run home run against three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer in Game 2 of the 2021 National League Championship Series. His home run distance was 454 feet (138 meters), up to that point (the longest home run of the 2021/2021 season) and with a departure speed of 112.2 mph (180.6 km/h) (the third-hardest-hit home run Scherzer had surrendered since Statcast began collecting data in 2015). Pederson tied for 24th on the all-time list for 12 home runs in the playoffs. The Braves won the 2021 World Series, making Pederson the ninth player in Major League history to win back-to-back World Series with different clubs.

He had a.501 career against right-handed pitching, and after his first full season in 2015, he ranked 5th in home runs (130), 7th in walks (295). He had played 412 games in center field, 229 games in right field, 54 games in right field, and 20 games at first base.

On March 16, 2022, Pederson signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the San Francisco Giants, returning to the National League West as well as the Bay Area, where he grew up.

In his 18th career multi-homer game against Nationals right-hander Joan Adon, Pederson recorded a 441-foot leadoff home run, the longest Giants leadoff home run since Statcast's inception in 2015 and his 24th career leadoff home run since Statcast's inception in 2015.

As he led the Giants to a 13–12 victory over the New York Mets on May 24, Pederson hit three home runs and eight RBIs. In a game at Oracle Park, Pederson became the second Giant to reach three home runs, joining Pablo Sandoval. His eight RBIs tied for his eighth RBIs, which was previously held by Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda, and Brandon Crawford. He became the first Giants player to reach three multi-run home runs in a game since Willie Mays' 1961 appearance. In both the eighth and ninth innings, he was only the second major league player in the last century, joining Joe DiMaggio to hit three home runs, have 8 RBIs, and have game-tying RBIs. Pederson became both a Giants player and a visiting celebrity in McCovey Cove as both a Giants player and a visiting visitor, taking the role alongside Ryan Klesko.

In his return to Dodger Stadium for the 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Pederson's second career All-Star pick and start.

With 23 home runs and 70 RBIs, Pederson hit.353/.521 in 380 at bats in 2022. In both average exit velocity (93.1 mph) and percentage of balls that were hard hit (51.9%), he was in the top 2% of all batters. He batted.378/.784 with two outs and runners in scoring position. At 17.3, he was 10th among active players in his career at bats per home run.

International career

Pederson was eligible to compete for the Israel national baseball team in the qualifying rounds of the 2013 World Baseball Classic, making him the youngest player on the team, owing to his Jewish roots. The Israeli team has the same requirement as Israel for automatic Israeli citizenship: that a person have at least one Jewish grandparent. After obtaining them from her father Larry Cahn's synagogue, her mother reveals the papers proving his Jewish roots.

He batted second for Team Israel and scored.308 with three steals. In right field, Pederson started all three games of the qualifier. Pederson went 1 for 5 with two strikeouts and left three runners on base during the first game. In the second game, he went 2-for-4 with a run out and a strike out, as well as stealing a base. Pederson went 1-for-4, scored two runs, walked twice, struck out, and took a base in the third and final game. Gabe Kapler, one of Pederson's Team Israel coaches, was a mentor with the San Francisco Giants for nine years.

Pederson said on July 19, 2022, he committed to playing for Israel again in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, which will be held in Miami from March 11-15. Ian Kinsler, the manager of Team Israel, will be on site with Gold Glove outfielder Harrison Bader and others.

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