The Houston Astros pulled off one of the more surprising draft signings in their class.
They were able to get DJ Newman’s contract done despite picking the University of Tennessee transfer commitment in the 15th round. The star from Bowling Green won’t ever play for the Volunteers, and instead, he’ll bring his pitching and hitting talents to the Astros’ organization
Newman’s selection in the 15th round may have suggested an uncertainty for teams as to whether he’d sign or stay in college baseball. But Houston got it done.
Only three players when selected in the 2025 MLB Draft were officially listed as two-way players. Newman was one of them.
In high school in Archbold, Ohio, Newman was a multi-sport star, and at BGSU, he showed he could both pitch and hit from the right side.
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Over three seasons with the Falcons, Newman hit .388 with 20 doubles and 15 home runs. On the mound, he had a 3.60 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 85 innings pitched.
Newman was one of the best freshmen in the country in 2023, was strong again in a historic season for BGSU in 2024 and then battled injuries this spring.
Now, he’s a professional baseball player with a chance to make some noise.
His future positional usage still has plenty of time to be determined. The important part for the Astros is that they’ve got Newman, and they can figure the rest out from here.
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