UNC bringing in ACC’s best baseball freshman class, top 10 in the country, four transfers

By R.L. Bynum

North Carolina’s incoming freshman baseball class is among the top 10 in the country and ranked the best in the ACC despite losing two recruits who signed with major-league organizations.

Wake Forest High School catcher Luke Stevenson, Cumming, Ga., right-handed pitcher Francesco Capocci (top photo) and Apex shortstop Gavin Gallaher lead the 19-player class, which Perfect Game ranks No. 10 in the country. Capocci is one of 13 pitchers in the class.

The next-highest ranked freshman class among ACC teams is No. 13 Louisville, followed by No. 14 Florida State, No. 15 Georgia Tech, No. 20 Miami, No. 21 Virginia, No. 22 Clemson and No. 23 N.C. State.

The freshmen are in addition to four players transferring into the program, highlighted by former Georgia infielder Parks Harber and former Elon left-handed pitcher Shea Sprague. Former Eastern Michigan pitcher Luke Russo originally was going to transfer to UNC but signed with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Two members of the original freshman class signed pro contracts. The Minnesota Twins drafted in the first round as the fifth overall pick and signed Oak Island outfielder Walker Jenkins, who Perfect Game ranked No. 1 in the country. The Chicago Cubs drafted in the 11th round and signed Stafford, Va., outfielder Zyhir Hope, ranked No. 193.

Stevenson, ranked 127th in the country and ninth in the state, is a 6–1, 210-pound left-handed hitter who Perfect Game named to its First Team High School All-American team. As a senior, he hit .512 with 11 doubles, 17 home runs and 58 RBI in 33 games.

The 6–4 Capocci, who throws a fastball that can reach 90 mph, went 5–1 with a 1.20 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 35 innings, holding opponents to a .088 batting average. He’s ranked No. 133 in the country.

Gallaher, 6–1, 185 pounds, is ranked No. 149 overall in the class, the 39th-best shortstop in the country and second-best in the state.

The only other position player in the class ranked that Perfect Game ranks higher than No. 500 is Fayetteville, Ga., outfielder Kaleb Cost (No. 233). He also is a defensive back on the UNC football team after being a four-star recruit in that sport.

Other pitchers ranked higher than 500th are 6-5 East Northport, N.Y., right-hander Jason DeCaro (No. 208), 6–4 New City, N.Y., right-hander Boston Flannery (No. 256), 6–6 Winston-Salem right-hander Harrison Lewis (No. 284), 6–3 Holly Springs left-hander Mason Yokum (No. 363), 6–2 Pilot Mountain left-hander Folger Boaz (No. 406) and 6–6 Bellingham, Wash., right-hander Olin Johnson (No. 426).

Other pitchers in the freshman class are Clayton 6–1 left-hander Hugh Collins, Hillsborough 6–2 right-hander Ryan Hench, Waxhaw 6–5 right-hander Jacob Kirby, Boynton Beach, Fla., 6–2 left-hander Matthew LaPira, Fuqua-Varina 6–6 left-hander Huel Lamar Smith and Cornelius 6–2 left-hander Max White.

Other incoming freshman position players are Lake Worth, Fla., 5–11 shortstop Matthew Lashley, Smyrna, Ga., 6–2 catcher Caleb Lavalee and Asheboro 5–9 third baseman Tyler Parks.

Harbor, 6–3, who played at first and third base as a junior last season for the Bulldogs, hit .283 with 18 home runs and 56 RBI, including hitting .300 in SEC games, and had a .973 fielding percentage.

The 6–3 Sprague earned All-CAA honors last season as a sophomore, going 6–3 with a 1.89 ERA (10th-best in the country) and 1.02 WHIP in 10 starts over 19 games. In 2002, he was the CAA Co-Rookie of the Year.

Also transferring to Carolina is 5–10 infielder Eliot Dix from Longwood and 6–2 right-hander pitcher Ryan Fischer from New Jersey Tech.

Dix, from Greensboro, was Second Team All-Big South after hitting .341 as a redshirt junior last season with 13 multi-hit games.

Fischer earned second-team All-America East honors as a senior last season as a Friday starter, going 4–7 with a 5.16 ERA with 22 walks and 74 strikeouts in 90⅔ innings. Playing this summer for the Bourne Braves in the Cape Cod League, who won the league title Sunday night, Fischer went 1–1 with a 3.52 ERA with six walks and 24 strikeouts in 30⅔ innings during the regular season.