2025 MSBL/MABL Player Profile: Jonny Furman, Austin Metro Baseball League
By Steve LaMontia-Carlentini, MSBL Director of Communications
Jon Furman is an amazing individual and has an equally amazing story to tell. Mike Lucas, League President of the Austin Metro Baseball League, recommended we reach out to Jon.
“I would like for you to please consider doing a story on Jonathan Furman,” said Mike. “He has been a valuable member and Manager in the Austin Metro Baseball League for the past few years. He has quite a story to tell, which he can further explain.”
Jon’s story is best described by reading the following press release:
USA Deaf Baseball Appoints Jonny Furman as New National Team Head Coach
May 27, 2025
By Kenny Long, National Team Director
USA Deaf Baseball is proud to announce the appointment of Jonny Furman as the new Head Coach of the USA Deaf Baseball National Team. With a distinguished background in baseball and a lifelong dedication to the Deaf community, Coach Furman brings a powerful combination of leadership, experience, and passion to the national program.
A native of Long Island, New York, Furman was a standout multi-sport athlete in mainstream schools, excelling in baseball, football, and wrestling. As the only Deaf student in many of these environments, he developed a deep sense of perseverance and resilience. Baseball quickly became more than a sport. It was a lifelong passion and a powerful means of identity and connection.
Furman played collegiate baseball at Suffolk Community College under Coach Eric Brown and later at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) under Coach Rob Grow. His experience at RIT proved pivotal, as it marked his meaningful connection to Deaf Culture. Embracing this new chapter, Furman made the decision to forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility to fully embrace his Deaf identity and community.
While earning his teaching degree, Furman remained participating in baseball as in playing, coaching, managing, and umpiring at various levels, from Little League to summer collegiate baseball. These roles helped him develop a comprehensive understanding of the game and solidified his skills as a coach, mentor and leader.
Over the past decade, Furman has held varsity baseball coaching positions at three prominent Deaf schools: the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf (AASD), The Learning Center for the Deaf (TLC/MPS) in Massachusetts, and the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD). In addition, he has played for and managed multiple men’s league teams in Austin, Texas. His teams are known not only for their competitive performance but also for the inclusive, values-driven culture he builds.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jonny Furman to lead our National Team,” said an Executive Director for USA Deaf Baseball, Danny Gabel. “His extensive experience, strategic insight, and deep commitment to the Deaf community make him the ideal leader to guide our program forward. We are confident he will inspire excellence both on and off the field.”
As Head Coach, Furman will lead the USA Deaf Baseball National Team in preparation for upcoming national and international competitions, including the Deaf Baseball World Cup and other global events.
“I am honored to take on this role and to represent our community at the highest level of the sport,” said Coach Furman. “Baseball has been a central part of my life, and I look forward to bringing that energy, knowledge, and pride to the national team.”
Jon’s story is lengthy but well worth your time. You see, Jon is deaf in a teaching and a baseball world. Following is a combination of a sharing of Jon’s thoughts and his journey, followed by a Q&A we were fortunate to obtain from him. We’ll begin with a life’s journey in Jon’s own words. Please enjoy!
“I will be 37 in July and joined the Austin Metro Baseball League after moving to Austin from Massachusetts, where I had been playing slow-pitch softball. While I had some success in softball, baseball has always been my first love. I started playing when I was five years old.
My dad, Jon Furman, coached many of my Little League teams because he wanted to ensure my hearing disability was accommodated. He had played at Lamar University and, interestingly enough, played for Steve Sigler when MSBL first began on Long Island. Baseball was always our bond, especially after I became profoundly Deaf at age two due to spinal meningitis.
I received my first cochlear implant in 1991 on Long Island. At the time, cochlear implants were very new and not well understood, particularly in Deaf education. My parents tried to enroll me in Deaf schools, but were turned away because the schools lacked resources to support children with implants. Instead, we moved to a better school district with strong special education programs.
Doctors advised my parents to pick one language path — ASL or spoken English. There wasn’t much research back then, so the experts were essentially flying blind.
I received extensive speech therapy, which helped me navigate the hearing world, but at the cost of my cultural connection. I later realized I had missed out on Deaf culture growing up, but I hold no ill will. My parents made the best choices they could with the information they had.
I played for Coach Eric Brown at Suffolk County Community College. While I wasn’t the most talented, I had a big heart and made the team. After two years, I had the option to stay or transfer to Rochester Institute of Technology. I chose RIT — I felt like it was time to spread my wings. I walked on to the baseball team but gradually found myself pulled toward the Deaf community on campus. It was a life-changing experience, and I stepped away from my last year of eligibility to embrace that part of my identity.
After graduating, I played in MSBL and summer leagues around Long Island. I wasn’t a great hitter like my dad, but I loved the game. I missed the Deaf community so much that I returned to RIT to earn a Master’s in Deaf Education. I didn’t have the strongest academic background, but I persuaded the program director to give me a chance. He told me if I dropped below a 3.5 GPA, I’d be out. Two years later, I graduated.
Jobs in Rochester were limited, so I took on a player-manager role in the local Men’s League. It was my “practice run” before becoming a teacher and varsity coach. We made the playoffs in our first season, and I’ll never forget how that team came together.
Eventually, I was offered a teaching job in Atlanta. I played in an MSBL league there for a season and a half, but the new job and lifestyle changes wore me out. After three years, I accepted a position in Massachusetts. I tried to build a club baseball team at the school, but didn’t have the numbers. That’s also where I met my wife — she was the new school psychologist.
I introduced myself on her first day and found out months later that she was single. At a Deaf Awareness Night at Fenway Park, I asked if her boyfriend was coming — she said she didn’t have one. I moved quickly! We eventually relocated to Austin and got married here.
She’s hearing but fluent in ASL and now works as a pediatric psychologist at a hospital with both Deaf and hearing children.
I joined the Texas School for the Deaf as a middle school teacher and replaced the varsity head coach for their baseball team. Unfortunately, COVID disrupted the program and recruitment pipeline, and the team disbanded after a year.
In 2021, I joined the AMBL under Chris Hux with the Angels. I admired his military background and communication skills. A year and a half later, I took over a team and formed the Austin Statesmen. We later split into two teams due to age divisions — the 18+ Statesmen and the 30+ Austin Mets (yes, I’m a Mets fan). I passed the Statesmen to Jon Selvera, a talented player and great leader.
Managing in AMBL has been incredibly rewarding. There are challenges, of course, but seeing my players enjoy the game and grow as teammates makes it all worth it. I know I can’t make everyone happy, but they know I’m doing my best. I’m especially grateful for how supportive they’ve been of my hearing loss.
And yes, I got pulled into managing a second team again when I accepted the Head Coach position for USA Deaf Baseball. But when you get that kind of opportunity, you don’t wait for the next train.”
Is your MSBL team made up of Deaf players? We’ve had two or three Deaf players, and they’ve all had positive experiences.
What division and age bracket do you play in? I currently play in both the 18+ and 28+ brackets.
Do you just manage, or do you still play? I do both. Early on, I was more of a regular contributor. As talent increased, my role evolved — but I still try to provide that veteran presence.
What’s required to coach a Deaf team? If you’re working at a Deaf school, you should be fluent in ASL. Having a background in Deaf education is also key — it helps you understand how to foster language and inclusion, both on and off the field.
Are you totally Deaf, or do you use assistive devices? I’m profoundly Deaf but wear cochlear implants around hearing people and speak with a thick Long Island accent. When I’m with Deaf people, I take the implants off — ASL is my native language. It’s important to remember ASL isn’t universal — every country has its own sign language.
Are your team members all Deaf? For USA Deaf Baseball, all players must have at least one ear with 55+ decibel hearing loss. My MSBL teams are mostly hearing.
Do you only compete against Deaf teams with Team USA? Yes. We’ll compete in the World Deaf Baseball Championship in Japan against Deaf teams from Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, and the USA. There are ongoing talks to include Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Malaysia.
Were you the only Deaf player at Suffolk and RIT? Yes, though RIT had another Deaf player after I left. We later coached together at a Deaf youth baseball camp in Iowa and became close friends.
What challenges did you face in college baseball? Constant fear of missing out. I often tried to stay ahead socially, but it led to misunderstandings. I didn’t have the self-advocacy skills I might’ve gained at a Deaf school.
What’s the most rewarding part of coaching? When a player opens up and shares their vulnerability, that’s when real connection happens. Relationships matter. As a coach, you must make tactical decisions but also ensure your players feel seen and valued.
Where and when will global events take place? The 2nd World Deaf Baseball Championship will take place in Kanagawa, Japan, from November 1–3, 2026.
Anything else you’d like to share? We’re a nonprofit, and we’re seeking sponsors and partners to help get our best players to Japan. Without help, each player faces a $3,000–$4,000 cost. Our goal is to raise $100,000. We’ve already hosted youth clinics in DC and Austin, and we hope to do more.
Deaf kids across the country may feel alone, like I did. And while cochlear implants or hearing aids help, they aren’t cures. They’re like prosthetics — useful, but not natural. We want to find those kids and let them know we’re here.
Have you played in any MSBL national tournaments? Yes — I played in one in Austin and nearly went to Las Vegas, but it fell through. It’s tough to get guys to commit due to time and cost, but I believe we’ll get there as relationships grow.