Even weeks after the North Carolina Tar Heels exited the College World Series against fellow ACC rival Florida State, I still think about what a special group of players Scott Forbes had the opportunity to coach.
The unquestioned superstar on the 2024 UNC baseball team was center fielder Vance Honeycutt. Not only did Honeycutt win his second-consecutive ACC Defensive Player of the Year award, or become the first 50-70 player in ACC history, but he delivered multiple clutch walkoffs during North Carolina’s postseason run.
Another major part of the Diamond Heels’ success was their freshman class, headlined by freshman ace Jason DeCaro and starting catcher Luke Stevenson.
DeCaro ended his first collegiate season with a 6-1 win-loss record, 3.81 earned run average and a team-high 78 strikeouts, while Stevenson hit .284 with 14 home runs, 58 runs batted in and recorded a team-best 511 putouts.
Not only are DeCaro and Stevenson playing with the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team right now, but they were also named D1Baseball Freshman All-Americans.
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Out of 300 Division I baseball teams, it’s pretty amazing to think UNC is the only one with two First Team Freshman All-Americans.
If you thought this season was special, wait until next year. North Carolina returns most of its roster, with the notable exceptions of Honeycutt, Alberto Osuna and Alex Madera.
If Stevenson and DeCaro play like their 2024 selves next season, they’ll form one of the country’s premier batteries.
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