EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE junior first baseman Ryan Niedzwiedz (North Aurora, Illinois) was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 15th round of the Major League Baseball draft Sunday afternoon. He was chosen with the 434th overall pick.
The 2026 Ohio Valley Conference co-Player of the Year and an All-Midwest Region selection by the American Baseball Coaches Association, Niedzwiedz is the first SIUE player drafted since the Cougars had two draft picks in 2023.
"I'm incredibly excited for Ryan and this opportunity to continue his baseball career with the Colorado Rockies organization," SIUE Head Coach Sean Lyons said. "He's earned this opportunity through the hard work, dedication, and consistency he's shown competing for the Cougars. I'm thrilled to see him rewarded for the outstanding season and exceptional career he's had here, and I know he'll represent our program with pride at the next level."
Niedzwiedz blasted a program single season record 27 home runs to lead the OVC in 2026. His home run total ranked seventh in NCAA Division I baseball and also was second-most in an OVC season. He led the league with 69 runs batted in, which was the most in a Division I season at SIUE and third most in any single season. His 69 RBIs also ranked 24th in NCAA Division I.
He also finished second in the OVC with a .768 slugging percentage which ranked 13th in the NCAA and second all-time for a single season at SIUE.
It wasn't just power for Niedzwiedz, who led the team with 80 total hits, to rank fourth on SIUE's Division I single season list.
The 2026 season capped a remarkable three-year career for Niedzwiedz who finished as SIUE's all-time home run leader with 46. He ranks 10th among SIUE Division I players and second among three-year players with 212 career hits. He is SIUE's Division I RBI leader with 166, which ranks fourth all-time for the Cougars. He ranks seventh among Division I players with a .326 batting average.
Niedzwiedz is the fourth player in SIUE's Division I era to be drafted into a Major League organization, joining SIUE Hall of Famer Spencer Patton (Kansas City, 2011), Avery Owusu-Asiedu (Philadelphia, 2023), Brennan Orf (Toronto, 2023).
