Buckeye Reporter

Bowling Green State University junior DJ Newman has been selected by the Houston Astros in the 15th round of the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft, with the 456th overall pick. Newman signed a contract with the Astros organization last week.

Newman becomes the 68th player in Bowling Green baseball program history to be drafted into Major League Baseball. The Falcons are now one of three teams in the Mid-American Conference to have a player selected in both the 2024 and 2025 MLB Drafts, alongside Ball State and Miami (OH).

With Nathan Archer’s selection by the Chicago White Sox in the 12th round of the 2024 MLB Draft, Bowling Green marks back-to-back years with players drafted for the first time since 2010-11. In those years, Brennan Smith was picked by the Detroit Tigers (33rd round, 2010), Jon Berti went to the Toronto Blue Jays (18th round, 2011), and Ross Gerdeman was chosen by the Arizona Diamondbacks (35th round, 2011).

"Congratulations to DJ on graduating into professional baseball with the Houston Astros," said BGSU head coach Kyle Hallock. "This selection is the result of hard work through elite production while persevering through adversity. DJ's skill development in our program and will to succeed are major components to his success.

"As a local product, we appreciate the mark he left on our program. His college career concludes as a MLB Draft selection from BGSU and we look forward to supporting his journey to the big leagues."

During his three seasons at Bowling Green, Newman earned multiple conference and national accolades as a two-way player. He was named John Elerud Two-Way Player of the Week by the College Baseball Foundation on March 18 after hitting .583 with two home runs, six runs scored, four RBI, and pitching four innings with two strikeouts that week. Over this past season, Newman hit .419—fourth best in school history for players with between 50-100 at-bats.

In 2024, despite missing part of the season due to injury, Newman was named Second-Team All-MAC as a designated hitter. He played in 35 games (34 starts), made eight appearances as a pitcher, posted a .371/.455/.664 slash line—ranking inside MAC’s top ten—and maintained a 3.61 ERA with 42 strikeouts over 42.1 innings pitched.

As a freshman, Newman received unanimous Freshman All-America honors along with MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year and First-Team All-MAC as designated hitter recognition. He led both Bowling Green and all MAC freshmen in batting average (.383) and finished third in conference on-base percentage (.481). On the mound that year he recorded a 3.49 ERA with 33 strikeouts against five walks over 28.1 innings.