Baseball on a Budget
Sussex County Miners’ starting pitcher, Ari Kaufman, is living his dream but counting his pennies.
Working two jobs and living with a host family, Ari Kaufman lives his childhood dream, but has a financially unstable life.
Kaufman has a job in the finance business and trains younger athletes. He lives with a host family in Branchville, N.J. as his career in the Minor League does not provide enough money for him to live on his own.
While most would consider his life to be a difficult one, Kaufman is immensely grateful for living his dream of being a professional baseball player.
Kaufman’s history with baseball began at age of 6 with the encouragement of both his parents. “Baseball symbolizes my childhood,” he said, as it was pivotal to the creation of his future goals.
Aspiring to one day play for the major teams, Kaufman continued to play baseball in college and experienced one of the most impacting challenges of his life.
“The hardest thing was the jump from college baseball to professional baseball,” he said.
Professional baseball was much more competitive. With little income, Kaufman had his work cut out for him as he adjusted to the life of a baseball player.
Despite the odds, Kaufman remains optimistic and hopes to keep moving up in the ranks of professional baseball.
His proudest moment was when he got his contract to play with the Sussex County Miners.
Obtaining this contract entailed living a financially sparse life, but Kaufman keeps his gaze fixed on the major league. “I would play for any team that would take me,” he says.
Playing baseball has always been Kaufman’s passion because of how it makes him feel. “I love the feeling of the crowd watching and the nerves,” he said. It is this very feeling that motivates him to face his financial obstacles head on.
