How good were the North Carolina Tar Heels during the 2024 college baseball season?
So good, each of their starting outfielders – Vance Honeycutt, Casey Cook and Anthony Donofrio – were picked in the MLB Draft.
UNC’s outfielder trio anchored a 2024 ACC Regular Season Championship and a trip to Omaha, Neb. for its first College World Series berth since 2018.
Honeycutt became the first player in ACC history to hit 50 career home runs and steal 70 career bases, Cook enjoyed a massive power surge and led North Carolina with 78 RBIs, while Donofrio finished third amongst Tar Heel hitters in batting average and second in stolen bases.
I’m extremely happy for Honeycutt, Cook and Donofrio, but their departures mean one: UNC has to replace its entire starting outfield in 2025.
While I expect North Carolina to hit the transfer portal hard, plus promote a few reserves to starting roles, there’s a major reinforcement coming to Chapel Hill from high school.
On Tuesday, July 16, Sawyer Black announced his commitment to the Diamond Heels.
Im excited to announce my commitment to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill! Go Heels! pic.twitter.com/IrIp7u0qmR
— Sawyer Black (@sawyerlblack2) July 16, 2024
Black, who played his high school ball at Wesleyan Christian Academy in High Point, is the top-ranked outfielder in North Carolina. He’s the state’s third-best overall player and 133rd nationally.
According to Tar Heel Tribune, Black led Wesleyan Christian in hitting (.453), on-base percentage (.590), home runs (9), runs (46), hits (39), RBI (40), slugging percentage (.930) and triples (3) while stealing 10 bases in 30 games.
Black will be following former Liberty coach Scott Jackson to Chapel Hill, as Black previously committed to the Flames, before Jackson announced his resignation.
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