One of the top prep baseball players in Kansas is staying home.

Manhattan High rising junior Asher Newton announced his commitment to Kansas State baseball, sharing the news Thursday on social media with the caption, “Staying Home. Go Cats!”

Newton, a 6-foot, 180-pound shortstop in the Class of 2028, recently represented Team Kansas at the 2026 Prep Baseball Future Games before announcing his commitment to the Wildcats.

The commitment comes after a standout sophomore season in which Newton helped lead Manhattan to a 21-5 record, a Class 6A regional championship and the program’s second consecutive state tournament appearance. The Indians’ season ended in the state quarterfinals against eventual 6A champion Washburn Rural.

Newton earned first-team All-Centennial League and second-team Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches All-State honors after producing one of the top offensive seasons in the league.

Batting out of the leadoff spot, Newton hit .390 with a .519 on-base percentage and a 1.190 OPS. He led the Indians in triples (six), home runs (two), RBI (28), runs scored (28) and stolen bases (16).

The commitment continues a family tradition of baseball beyond Manhattan High. Older brother Sawyer, a first-team All-Centennial League selection this spring, will continue his baseball career at Cloud County Community College in Concordia.

Newton also remains one of Manhattan’s top multi-sport athletes. He is expected to be one of the Indians’ few returning players with varsity experience on the basketball court after Manhattan graduated a core of four seniors, including Sawyer. As a sophomore, Newton averaged 2.3 points and 1.5 rebounds per game off the bench, highlighted by a career-high 10-point performance.

He also becomes the latest former or current Manhattan High standout with ties to the K-State program. Earlier this year, former Indian Kyler Horsman transferred to K-State after beginning his collegiate career at Barton Community College.

Horsman starred for Manhattan in 2023 before spending time at Barton, where he set the program record with 18 home runs in a single season this spring, earning Barton’s Male Athlete of the Year honors. 

Newton still has two seasons remaining with the Indians. He can officially sign with K-State in November of 2027, having made a verbal commitment to the Wildcats in the meantime.