NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Trevecca Nazarene University junior Hunter Newman (JR/Chapmansboro, Tenn.), an all-American third baseman, was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 22nd round with the 671st pick. The last two Trojans drafted in the Major League Baseball (MLB) Amateur Draft were PJ Francescon and Craig Stem. Both were drafted in the 2011 draft. 

Ryan Schmalz Talks Newman Draft (Video)

Trevecca Bio Page for Newman (View)

Hunter Newman (Video)

Hunter Newman Photos (#25)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Article (Read)

Newman said, " It was the most amazing phone call I've ever gotten. I owe so much to coach (Ryan) Schmalz, coach (Nachion) Moore, coach (Luke) Brown, coach (Mark) Rayburn, and coach (Brad) Coon. I wouldn't have this chance if it wasn't for them working with me on and off the field. I want to thank God so much for giving me this opportunity! I'm going to miss playing with all of my boys at Trevecca, but they are going to do great things next year and I can't wait to watch how they do!"

Trevecca baseball coach Ryan Schmalz said, "I'm really happy for Hunter. The draft is a special time for these guys, a life-long dream to be a professional. He's worked really hard and dedicated himself his whole life to have this chance. My opinion is he is going to be a professional for a long time."

Schmalz added, "From the day he stepped on campus he has probably been our best hitter. He's a baseball rat, but a small town guy who likes to hunt and fish. He'll be an asset on an off the field to any team he plays for."

After being an all-star in the Valley League last year, he is playing in the Coastal Plains League (Edenton Steamers) this summer and has already earned the Coastal Plains League Player of the Week honor.

Newman is  American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings All-American. The Goodpasture Christian School product made the second team  and added this honor to a laundry list of accolades from various organizations this season. He is a third-team member of the 2015 Daktronics All-American team, making him the first Trevecca or Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) player to make that team. Two organizations, the ABCA/Rawlings and Daktronics, named him their 2015 Midwest Player of the Year. He is the 2015 G-MAC Player of the Year, a G-MAC first team all-conference selection, a ABCA/Rawlings Midwest Region first team honoree, a Daktronics Midwest Region first teamer, and honored as a NCBWA Midwest Region first team member.  

Newman hit .451 and led the Trojans and the G-MAC in batting average, home runs (18), runs batted in (77), slugging percentage (.877), on-base percentage (.558), total bases (171), walks (39) and tied for the lead in hit by pitches (13). His 18 home runs are 11th best in Division II.

Newman is a three-time selection to the G-MAC all-conference team. He helped lead the Trojans to a 36-18 mark and the G-MAC regular and postseason championships for the third-consecutive season. Newman is on course to set nearly every Trevecca baseball offensive mark as a senior. In just three years he has established several records in the young history of the G-MAC.

Francescon, from Nolensville, Tenn., was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 40th round while Stem was taken by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 15th round, he was the 464th overall pick, just one pick behind former Trojan Brad Coon who was the 463rd pick in 2005.

2011 was the first time Trevecca has ever had two players drafted in the same year.

Francescon transferred to Trevecca from Middle Tennessee State University prior to the 2010-2011 school year. Francescon played his high school baseball at Ravenwood High School.

Francescon is currently pitching with the Class AA Tennessee Smokies. He is a Southern League All-Star for the second year in a row. He is the Smokies closer with a .71 ERA and seven saves in eight tries.

He had made two previous all-star teams, including last year with the Smokies and with Daytona in Class A. He made an appearance for the big league Chicago Cubs during spring training. 

Stem, Hermitage Tenn., transferred to Trevecca from Western Kentucky prior to the 2010-2011 school year. Stem played at Donelson Christian Academy in Donelson, Tenn. Stem was traded from the Dodgers to the Miami Marlins over the winter. He was an all-star in the Australian league over the winter. He pitched for the Marlins in a game against his current team, the Jacksonville Suns, in the final preseason game this year. 

Stem is having a stellar season to date with a 1.71 earned run average.

Coon, who reached Triple-A Salt Lake for more than a season, was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 15th round of the 2005 MLB Amateur Draft. Coon now serves and an assistant for former Trevecca coach Jeff Forehand at Lipscomb University. Coon was elected to the Trevecca Athletic Hall of Fame last year. 

Former TNU pitcher and Coon's teammate B.J. Jenkins was taken by the San Diego Padres in the 28th round in the 2004 MLB Draft.

Former Trevecca pitcher Tim Dunn was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 46th round of the 2009 draft. Dunn returned for his senior season at Trevecca, but an arm injury prevented him from being drafted again in 2010. 

Trevecca outfielder Mario Campos was a 29th round selection by the Boston Red Sox in the 2001 draft. Another Trojan outfielder, Seth Richmond, was taken in the 1983 draft when the Houston Astros picked him in the 24th round. 

Mike Mills, who pitched his senior year at Birmingham Southern but played for Trevecca his first three seasons, was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the seventh round of the 1983 MLB Amateur Draft. Mills, while with Trevecca, was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 32nd round of the 1982 MLB Draft.

Dunn, Francescon, Coon, Jenkins, Campos, Richmond, and Mills are the only known Trojans that have been drafted by a Major League team. Trevecca has had several players signed by Major League teams. Rob Erwin, Keith Black, Eric Van Slyke, Luke Brown, Maurice Cole and Jeremy Todd were signed and played professional.