DJ NEWMAN
RJ SHUNCK
By: Nate Calvin
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
sports@thevillagereporter.com
ARCHBOLD – Archbold’s DJ Newman and Evergreen graduate RJ Shunck had their names called in the recent Major League Baseball Draft.
Newman, who just transferred to Tennessee after three years at Bowling Green was chosen in the 15th round by the Houston Astros while Shunck, who just finished his junior year at Toledo, was taken in the 16th round by the Miami Marlins.
This past spring, Newman started 25 games for the Falcons before having his season cut short due to an injury. During that time, he posted a team-best and career high .419 batting average, a .645 slugging percentage with a career-high nine doubles.
He made four starts on the mound, tossing 14.1 innings with 16 strikeouts, six runs allowed, four walks, and a 3.77 ERA.
During his 2024 season, he appeared in 35 games, 34 of them starts, an injury ended his sophomore season early.
Newman recorded a 15-game hitting streak before the injury and was ranked in the top ten in four different MAC offensive categories.
The two-way player also registered a career high four wins on the hill for the Falcons in 2024, maintained a 3.61 ERA, struck out a career-high 42 batters in 42.1 innings of work, and held opposing hitters to just a .239 average.
For Shunck in 2025, he pitched in 19 games, starting three, with 36.2 innings pitched, collected 40 strikeouts, earned three saves, and registered a 4.42 ERA while allowing 28 hits and 18 runs.
The two-time all-state honoree at Evergreen, appeared in 12 games as sophomore in 2024. Nine of those 12 were starts as he totaled 28.2 innings with 40 strikeouts and an 8.16 ERA.