Yankees’ Shocking Draft Pick: Player Who Drew Swastika Sparks Outrage

The New York Yankees’ decision to draft Core Jackson, a 21-year-old shortstop from the University of Utah, in the fifth round of the 2025 MLB Draft has ignited controversy due to his admission of drawing a swastika on a Jewish student’s dorm door in October 2021 while a freshman at the University of Nebraska. Jackson, then 17, told The Athletic he was “blackout drunk” and had no memory of the act or its motive, stating, “I felt like the worst person in the world. I don’t want there to be any excuses for my actions.” The University of Nebraska imposed a fine, mandated online sensitivity training, and required community service, but Jackson faced no criminal charges or baseball team suspension. Campus police instructed him not to contact the affected student to apologize.

Jackson’s redemption journey began in 2024 when he disclosed the incident to a Boston Red Sox scout. His agent, Blake Corosky, who also represents Jacob Steinmetz, the first Orthodox Jewish MLB draftee, nearly dropped Jackson but continued under conditions: Jackson had to inform all 30 MLB teams of his actions and work with Elliot Steinmetz, Yeshiva University’s basketball coach, to understand antisemitism’s impact. Steinmetz noted, “Right away, you could tell [Jackson] was the nicest, sweetest kid in the world, [but] dumb as rocks when it came to these kinds of issues.” Jackson, raised in a Christian household in rural Wyoming with little exposure to Jewish history, completed a five-week Holocaust education course with Yeshiva graduate student Ann Squicciarini, who confirmed his engagement. Steinmetz emphasized, “It’s not redeemable if you think it’s just a joke. It’s redeemable if you do the work.”

Yankees scouting director Damon Oppenheimer described the vetting as his most thorough in 23 years, involving Jewish executives like team president Randy Levine and owner Hal Steinbrenner’s approval. “We were looking for accountability,” Oppenheimer said. “He’s shown his accountability here.” Jackson, undrafted in 2024 likely due to the incident, hit .363 with four home runs and 41 RBIs at Utah in 2024, earning a $147,500 signing bonus, below the $411,100 slot value. Now the Yankees’ No. 18 prospect at High-A Hudson Valley, he’s batting .188. Jackson added, “I would ask for their forgiveness and let them know I’m not the same person I was when that happened. I’ve grown up. I’ve learned. I’ve reconciled.” A 2024 impaired driving charge, reduced from a DUI, further complicated his record, requiring community service and substance abuse training. The decision has sparked debate in New York, home to 1.4 million Jewish residents, balancing talent against past actions.