Tag: Matthew Matthijs

Three UNC baseball stars make preseason history with All-America honors

The Diamond Heels have a trio of All-Americans heading into the 2025 college baseball season.

The 2024 college baseball season was a magical ride for the North Carolina Tar Heels, who continued to show why they’re one of the sport’s best.

UNC compiled a 48-16 record, won its first regular season ACC Championship since 2013 and, to one-up those achievements, reached its first College World Series in six years.

The Diamond Heels won so much because everyone stepped up. North Carolina dealt with injuries, particularly to its pitching staff, but reserves rose to the occasion.

That’s why it shouldn’t come as a surprise that a few of those UNC stars earned preseason honors.

Starting pitcher Jason DeCaro, relief pitcher Matthew Matthijs and catcher Luke Stevenson each earned D1Baseball Preseason All-America honors.

DeCaro didn’t start 2024 as the Diamond Heels’ ace, but unofficially earned that title after Folger Boaz’ injury. DeCaro ended his freshman season with a 6-1 win-loss record, 3.81 earned run average and North Carolina-best 78 strikeouts.

At one point, Matthijs led all of Division-I in wins. Matthijs blossomed to become UNC’s top middle reliever, ending his year with a team-best 12 wins. Matthijs finished fourth amongst D-I pitchers in victories, while adding 49 strikeouts and allowing just 49 hits.

Stevenson emerged as one of the top catchers in college baseball during 2024, starting all but one of the Diamond Heels’ 64 games. While Stevenson is a solid defensive catcher, he really made his impact at the dish, compiling a .284 batting average with 14 home runs and 58 RBIs.

With all North Carolina’s departures in the offseason, headlined by MLB first round draftee Vance Honeycutt, its above trio of DeCaro, Matthijs and Stevenson will be heavily counted on for 2025 success.

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UNC baseball program earns a Top-10 spot in D1Baseball’s Preseason Rankings

Do the Diamond Heels deserve their preseason ranking?

The North Carolina Tar Heels continue to sport one of college baseball’s top programs, despite never winning a College World Series title.

Headlined by future MLB first-round draft pick Vance Honeycutt and a dominant bullpen, UNC made the 2024 CWS, its first appearance since 2018. North Carolina also won its first ACC Regular Season Championship since 2013 and, despite bowing out early in the ACC Tournament, was a good threat to go deep in Omaha.

The Diamond Heels beat Virginia to open up their CWS run, then lost to eventual champion Tennessee and Florida State.

Despite all the talent UNC lost to the MLB Draft, it still has a favorable outlook entering the 2025 college baseball season, which starts in February.

In D1Baseball’s Preseason Top 25 Rankings, released on Monday, January 13, North Carolina found itself sixth.

The Diamond Heels are a spot ahead of Oregon State, which beat them in the 2006 and 2007 CWS Finals, plus one slot behind Alabama.

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UNC will carry a particularly younger roster this coming season, but return arguably college baseball’s best catcher in Luke Stevenson, who is also amongst the 2025 MLB Draft’s top prospects. North Carolina doesn’t have to replace anyone in its pitching rotation, plus it gets 2024 wins leader Matthew Matthijs back, so there’s some excitement to build around.

The Diamond Heels will be tested significantly during their Opening Weekend, hosting Texas Tech in a 3-game series from February 14-16. The Red Raiders made the College World Series in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2019, plus they have seven NCAA Tournament appearances since 2015.

Preseason projections are just that, but UNC is primed for another big season in 2025.

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Several Diamond Heels earn All-America Honors ahead of College World Series

How many UNC baseball players were named All-Americans on Wednesday?

There is talent sprinkled across the UNC baseball roster.

All of that talent helped North Carolina advance to it first College World Series appearance since 2018, as it looks for national title number one this season.

The Diamond Heels’ most recognizable name is Vance Honeycutt, the only player in ACC baseball history to make the 50-70 club. There’s also Casey Cook, Parks Harber, Alberto Osuna and Luke Stevenson, but those are only a few of many stars at the plate.

On the mound, UNC carries the likes of freshman ace Jason DeCaro, 12-game winner Matthew Matthijs and star closer Dalton Pence. These three are easily North Carolina’s best pitchers, but you don’t have to look far for more stars.

Speaking of talent, several Diamond Heels earned All-America honors ahead of their CWS opener on Friday, June 14 at 2 p.m. ET.

Honeycutt (First Team), Pence (Second Team), DeCaro (Freshman First Team), starting catcher Luke Stevenson (Freshman First Team) and starting third baseman Gavin Gallaher (Freshman Second Team) all nabbed Perfect Game All-America Honors on Wednesday afternoon.

Honeycutt (Second Team), Matthijs (Third Team) and starting UNC first baseman Parks Harber (Second Team) all NCBWA All-America Honors.

Honeycutt leads the Diamond Heels with 26 home runs and 28 stolen bases, Stevenson has a North Carolina-high 484 putouts behind the plate, Gallaher broke into the starting lineup and is fourth on UNC with a .337 batting average, while Harber leads the Diamond Heels with a .341 average and is one of two players with 60 RBIs (Honeycutt).

Pence carries a team-high 71 strikeouts into the CWS and, among qualified pitchers, a team-best 2.04 earned run average. DeCaro’s six wins are most amongst starters (and second on North Carolina), while Matthijs’ 12 victories lead UNC and has him tied for second in Division I.

Will the Diamond Heels’ All-Americans continue their superstar-level play in Omaha?

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Two UNC baseball standouts named Dick Howser Trophy semifinalists

Not one – but two – UNC baseball stars are in consideration for the best player in college baseball.

If you follow the North Carolina Tar Heels intently on the baseball diamond, chances are you know about star center fielder Vance Honeycutt.

Not only is Honeycutt the reigning ACC Defensive Player of the year, but he’s a top-rate hitter. He currently leads UNC with 22 home runs, is second with 57 RBIs, plus he’s one of eight Diamond Heels (.333) with a .300 average.

On the pitcher’s mound, Matthew Matthijs is a name you should familiarize yourself with. Matthijs is one of the top starts in an up-and-down bullpen, as his 11 wins tie himself atop Division I with Samford’s Michael Ross.

When either Honeycutt or Matthijs plays well, typically so does North Carolina. UNC is atop the ACC with 39 wins, but a Thursday win at archrival Duke could make it one of just four 40-game winners in the country (Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas A&M).

Honeycutt and Matthijs are being recognized for their efforts on the baseball diamond this season, as they were recently named semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy.

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If that award sounds pretty prestigious, that’s because it is.

The Dick Howser Trophy is awarded annually to the top player in college baseball. Current Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes won the award last season, while former Texas Longhorn Ivan Melendez did so the season before.

The Diamond Heels have two of the sport’s best on their roster. Can they help lead UNC to its first College World Series title?

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Diamond Heels carry first 10-game winner across college baseball

Just how good has UNC relief pitcher Matthew Matthijs been this year? Try best in college baseball.

Just one game out of first place in the ACC Coastal Division, the UNC baseball team is having a successful start to its 2024 season.

North Carolina (22-4, 7-2) is winners of its last six games, including Tuesday’s come-from behind, 10-5 stomping of North Carolina A&T. Nine regulars in UNC’s starting lineup are hitting at least .300, while the Diamond Heels sport one of the nation’s best young pitching groups.

North Carolina’s bullpen, in particular, is dominant. So dominant that UNC actually carries college baseball’s wins leader, Matthew Matthijs, on its roster.

Matthijs (10-1) just picked up his 10th win against NC A&T on Tuesday, becoming the first pitcher in college baseball to reach that mark.

Matthijs has come out of the bullpen in all 14 of his appearances, striking out 22 batters, allowing just 16 hits and six earned runs across 23 1/3 innings pitched. He has a team-leading .81 WHIP, which means he doesn’t give up lots of hits or walks.

Having a strong pitching group to rely on is super beneficial for the Diamond Heels, as that was a glaring weakness in 2023. Most of UNC’s pitchers are young, such as freshman starter Folger Boaz.

If North Carolina can keep delivering balanced games, there’s no reason to see why it shouldn’t be able to host and win a Regional in this year’s NCAA Tournament.

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