— After a few standout seasons with the Augustana College (South Dakota) baseball program, Alexandria graduate J.D. Hennen is set to embark on a professional career.
After amassing a 13-3 record with a 4.37 ERA over the last couple of seasons at Augustana, Hennen signed with the Baltimore Orioles organization on Monday.
In his three seasons at Augustana, Hennen, an Alexandria High School Class of 2022 graduate, struck out 146 batters and allowed only 76 hits, 65 runs, and 67 walks.
In 2025, Hennen went 7-2 on the mound with a 4.29 ERA, 74 strikeouts, 36 hits, 33 runs, and 41 walks.
Hennen ranked seventh in the NCAA Division II ranks this season in hits allowed per nine innings with 5.72, and ranked 17th in strikeouts per nine innings with 11.75.
Alexandria’s JD Hennen pitches in game one against Brainerd on May 5, 2022.
Eric Morken / Alexandria Echo Press
Hennen threw a 17-strikeout no-hitter against Bemidji State on March 9, 2025. He was named the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association National Pitcher of the Week that week.
Hennen was named to the All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference team in each of the last two seasons and was named to the All-NSIC Tournament Team twice.
Hennen put himself in the Augustana career record books many times.
Hennen ranks fifth in lowest career opponent batting average (.188), 10th in most strikeouts per nine innings (minimum 25 innings pitched), with 11.39, and is tied for fourth in career shutouts with two.
Sam Stuve covers a variety of sports in the Douglas County area. Sam is a December 2021 graduate from Iowa State University. Sam joined the Echo Press in January 2022 and became the Sports and Outdoors Editor in February 2023.