Before Vance Honeycutt became the featured star on UNC’s baseball roster, there was a promising third baseman by the name of Mac Horvath, who came from Minnesota but played his high school baseball at IMG Academy in Florida.
Horvath actually didn’t play too well in his 2021 freshman campaign, hitting just .227 with only five home runs and 22 RBIs. He started to gain some MLB Draft attention in 2023, though, leading North Carolina to an ACC Tournament Championship by improving to register a .268 batting average, 18 home runs, 53 RBIs and 19 stolen bases.
Horvath saved his best season for 2023, which the Diamond Heels really needed, as he set career highs with a .305 batting average, 24 home runs, 66 RBIs and 25 stolen bases. The Baltimore Orioles were impressed by Horvath’s junior campaign, taking him 53rd overall (second round) in the 2023 MLB Draft.
As the sports world today goes, though, players are constantly moving teams via free agency and trades.
Horvath was subjected to the latter on Friday, July 26, as Baltimore traded him to the Tampa Bay Rays.
RHP Jackson Baumeister, 3B/2B Mac Horvath and OF Matthew Etzel all join the #Rays' Top 30 Prospects list after being acquired in the Zach Eflin deal.
Baumeister: https://t.co/WMCozIwXn3
Horvath: https://t.co/IK2LokSjtq
Etzel: https://t.co/MTJElBMwTI pic.twitter.com/AORjSE17X8— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 27, 2024
Horvath, who was hitting .232 (63-for-271) with nine home runs and 41 RBIs with the High-A Aberdeen IronBirds, will now suit up for the High-A Bowling Green Hot Rods. He joins a team currently tied for first place in the South Atlantic League’s South Division.
If Horvath rises quickly through Tampa Bay’s farm system, which is consistently ranked amongst baseball’s best, he’ll be playing minutes from Boshamer Stadium with the Durham Bulls.
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