Orioles Sign Undrafted Free Agent Who Was Previously Committed to Nebraska

The 2025 MLB draft was a busy one for the Baltimore Orioles, who had seven selections to make through the first three rounds on Day 1.

To the surprise of no one, all four of their first-round selections, including compensatory picks, were used on positional players.

It is the strategy that general manager Mike Elias has used throughout his tenure leading the front office, focusing the team’s resources early on in the draft on high-upside hitters. Later on, the team would load up on arms.

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This time around, the strategy has a slight adjustment, with two pitchers being selected in the second round.

In need of help on the mound, it was nice to see the Orioles commit some premium draft capital into their pitching depth.

Baltimore didn’t stop adding pitchers even when the draft came to a conclusion, with over 600 players being selected.

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As shared by Jake Rill of MLB.com on X, the Orioles were able to convince a small-school pitcher who was set to pitch for a power conference program to forgo his commitment and sign a deal as an undrafted free agent.

Right-handed pitcher D.J. Hennen of Augustana University in South Dakota was originally committed to continue his collegiate career at the University of Nebraska in the Big 10.

He is instead now joining Baltimore, as it was announced on his Instagram, via a screenshot shared by Rill, that he signed a deal with the American League East squad.

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