Tennessee adds talented two-way transfer in Bowling Green's DJ Newman

Fresh off a weekend visit to Tennessee, right-handed pitcher and outfielder DJ Newman has committed to the Vols by way of the transfer portal.

Newman was a two-way star for Bowling Green the past three seasons, logging most starts as the club’s designated hitter with a few appearances in the outfield. The right-handed pitcher also shined on the mound prior to a pair of season-ending injuries that cut short both his 2024 and 2025 campaigns.

As a hitter, Newman appeared in 25 games this past spring, posting a team-best .419 batting average with career-high marks in on-base percentage (.495), slugging percentage (.645) and doubles (9). His nine stolen bases in 25 games was good enough for third on the squad as he finished with four home runs and 16 runs batted in. The right-handed hitter struck out 16 times and walked on 14 occasions in 2025.   

Newman was named Second-Team All-MAC in 2024 as a designated hitter, logging a .371 batting average and 1.119 OPS (third in the conference) in 35 games. He scored a career-high 45 runs, blasted 10 homers and stole 10 bases while driving in 37 runs. The two-way player racked up a 15-game hitting streak during the season, which was the eighth-longest in program history.  

As a rookie in 2023, Newman was named the First-Team All-MAC as a designated hitter while recording a .383 batting average over 41 games with 30 starts. He homered once and drove in 11 runs, stealing nine more bags in the process.

Newman was named the MAC Freshman Pitcher of the year in 2023, to go along with Freshman All-American honors from Baseball America, D1 Baseball, NCBWA and Collegiate Baseball.

On the mound, the righty made 15 appearances with three starts as a freshman in 2023, going 3-2 with a 3.49 ERA over 28.1 innings of work while striking out 33 and walking just five. Newman allowed just three runs in conference play that season, recording a 1.80 conference ERA.    

As a sophomore in 2024, Newman made eight starts on the mound with a 3.61 ERA. He struck out a career-high 42 batters across 42.1 innings pitched with just 10 walks. As the Friday night starter, Newman allowed four earned runs over four innings with five strikeouts and two walks against the Volunteers at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on March 1, 2024.  

In four starts on the mound in 2025 prior to injury, Newman recorded a 3.77 ERA over 14.1 innings with 16 strikeouts while allowing only six runs and four walks.

Newman has one season of collegiate eligibility remaining and is draft eligible, though not believed to be a major risk this summer.

Baseball Transfer Portal

The 2025 non-graduate transfer portal opened on June 2 and will remain open until July 1. Players must have their name entered in the transfer portal by July 1 if they want to move on, but new destinations do not have to be made by that time.

The Vols have benefited greatly from the transfer portal in recent cycles, reeling in the likes of Chase Dollander (2022), Griffin Merritt (2023), Maui Ahuna (2023), Zane Denton (2023), Billy Amick (2024), Cannon Peebles (2024), AJ Causey (2024), Chris Stamos (2024), Liam Doyle (2025), Andrew Fischer (2025) and Gavin Kilen (2025).

Tennessee now has six portal additions with right-handed pitchers Clay Edmondson (UNC Asheville), Mason Estrada (MIT), Bo Rhudy (Kennesaw State), Brady Frederick (ETSU) and utility Garrett Wright (Bowling Green). Tennessee has also added junior college players such as RHP Matt Barr (SUNY Niagara) and Tyler Myatt (Walters State) and picked up catcher Trent Grindlinger as a late add to the 2025 class in recent weeks.

Tennessee has now lost 13 players to the transfer portal so far: INF Jack Jones, INF Robinson Martin, LHP Bryson Thacker, RHP Brayden Sharp, RHP Austin Hunley, RHP Thomas Crabtree, OF Colby Backus, LHP Ryler Smart, LHP Dylan Loy, LHP Andrew Behnke, RHP Austin Breedlove and RHP/OF Beau Revord.