By R.L. Bynum
OMAHA, Neb. — The lineup will look drastically different when North Carolina opens the 2025 baseball season in February.
Coach Scott Forbes must replenish his roster with transfers and freshmen for the Tar Heels to return to Omaha because most of his 2024 lineup will be gone. Even before UNC’s first Men’s College World Series opener, Forbes said that he had already secured a couple of transfer commitments and was working to get more.
Once the reality hit Forbes that the season was over, it was undoubtedly just as tough for him to process the talent on this season’s roster that he’ll no longer coach.
“The longer you do it, you just realize those relationships and that brings you pure joy,” said Forbes after Florida State ended UNC’s season with a 9–5 win. “It’s hard when you lose like that. But we talk about it all the time: To win a national championship, where is your joy coming from? I think these guys know where that comes from. It comes from creating those memories and having those relationships that you’re never going to lose.”
During the last offseason, Forbes lured three regular position players — graduate right fielder Anthony Donofrio from Quinnipiac (.326, 53 RBI), graduate second baseman Alex Madera from Arcadia (.303, 34 RBI) and first baseman Parks Harber from Georgia (team-leading .343 with 20 homes, 63 RBI) — out of the transfer portal, but Madera is the only one of the three eligible to return.
Forbes got two junior starting pitchers in the portal last offseason who should be back: former Elon left-hander Shea Sprague (3–2, 4.25 ERA) and former Fayetteville Tech right-hander Aiden Haugh (4–3, 4.83 ERA).
The transfer portal opened on June 4, and players can enter their names until July 2.
The speedy outfield and the players who made the Tar Heels so talented defensively up the middle could all be gone.
The only two position players who started in Tuesday’s 9–5 season-ending loss to Florida State who are definitely back are catcher Luke Stevenson (.284, 14 homers, 58 RBI) and third baseman Gavin Gallaher (.314, eight homers, 38 RBI), who are coming off terrific freshman seasons.
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“I’m just so happy that they got to experience Omaha,” Forbes said. “And we’ve got a lot of young guys that I’m hoping can help all these other guys that come back to UNC and come in, that they can also experience Omaha.”
The Tar Heels will look different in the outfield without Donfrio, and most likely without Vance Honeycutt and possibly without Casey Cook. That group was outstanding. Donofrio had the speed to play center field on any other team that didn’t have a player at that position with the range of Honeycutt.
Honeycutt (.318, school-record 28 home runs, 72 RBI, 28 steals) will be a first-round draft pick at the July 14 draft, and left fielder Casey Cook (.341, 18 homers, 78 RBI) is also expected to be drafted in the first couple of rounds and could turn pro.
The Tar Heels will lose at least half of the double-play combination of senior shortstop Colby Wilkerson (.270, 33 RBI) and Madera in the infield as well as Harber. Gone is senior Alberto Osuna (.281, 14 homers, 56 RBI), the designated hitter most of the season. Jackson Van De Brake, who played that position in the last two games, could possibly be back.
Senior first baseman Hunter Stokely, who played only three games this season and suffered a season-ending injury, could return for a redshirt season.
The pitching situation is much better, with UNC only losing three senior right-handed relievers: Ben Peterson (3–2, 4.70 ERA), Connor Bovair (1–0, 3.62 ERA) and Matt Poston (5–2, 5.12 ERA).
The Tar Heels should get senior right-hander Jake Knapp back for a redshirt season. He would have been their ace if not for a season-ending injury a week before the season opener.
Four pitchers who started weekend games this season are expected back, including freshman left-hander Folger Boaz, who was the ace for the first eight weeks before suffering a season-ending injury on April 9.
Also returning will be freshman right-hander Jason DeCaro (6–1, 3.81 ERA), who became the ace after Boaz’s injury, change-up artist Sprague and Haugh.
Back in the bullpen will be sophomore right-hander Matthew Matthijs (12–4, 3.72 ERA), who tied for the third-most wins in the country and redshirt sophomore left-hander Dalton Pence (5–1, 2.45 ERA, team-high eight saves) could also return.
According to D1 Baseball, Princeton pitcher Tom Chmielewski has committed to UNC. The 6-2, 200-pound left-hander was 6-6 with a 3.40 ERA this season as a junior, walking 19 and striking out 73 in 13 starts.
More newcomers are expected as Forbes tries to construct another roster capable of getting back to Omaha.
College World Series
At Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Neb.
Pool play
All listed times are ET
June 12 results
West Virginia 7, Troy 5
North Carolina 6, Ole Miss 2
June 13 results
Oklahoma 9, Alabama 0
Georgia 7, Texas 1
June 14 results
Troy 12, Ole Miss 8; Ole Miss eliminated
North Carolina 5, West Virginia 2
June 15 results
Texas 14, Alabama 2; Alabama eliminated
Oklahoma 4, Georgia 3
Tuesday’s results
West Virginia 12, Troy 0; Troy eliminated
Georgia 2, Texas 0; Texas eliminated
Wednesday’s results
North Carolina 12, West Virginia 7; West Virginia eliminated
Oklahoma 11, Georgia 4; Georgia eliminated
CWS Finals
(Best-of-3 series)
North Carolina vs. Oklahoma
Game 1 Saturday: Oklahoma 9, North Carolina 3
Game 2 Sunday: North Carolina 6, Oklahoma 2
Game 3 Monday: Oklahoma 13, North Carolina 2; Sooners win national title
| Date(s) | Day/ month | Scores | Opponent (current rank) | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February | ||||
| 13–14 | Fri., Sat. | W, 9–4; W, 12–2 (7); W, 4–3 (11) | vs. Indiana | 3–0 |
| 17 | Tuesday | W, 10–0 (7) | vs. Richmond | 4–0 |
| 18 | Wednesday | W, 5–3 | vs. Longwood | 5–0 |
| 20–22 | Fri.-Sun | W, 10–0 (8); L, 10–3; T, 3–3 | vs. East Carolina | 6–1–1 |
| 24 | Tuesday | W, 9–1 | vs. N.C. A&T | 7–1–1 |
| 25 | Wednesday | W, 13–3 (7) | vs. VCU | 8–1–1 |
| 27–28 | Fri., Sat. | W, 16–3 (7); W, 12–2 (7) | vs. Le Moyne | 10–1–1 |
| March | ||||
| 1 | Sunday | W, 21–1 (7) | vs. Le Moyne | 11–1–1 |
| 3 | Tuesday | W, 5–1 | vs. Elon | 12–1–1 |
| 6–7 | Fri., Sat | L, 13–3 (7); L, 9–2; W, 8–7 (12) | vs. Virginia | 13–3–1, 1–2 ACC |
| 10 | Tuesday | W, 13–3 (7) | vs. Bucknell | 14–3–1 |
| 13–15 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 8–1; W, 6–2; W, 10–2 | at California | 17–3–1, 4–2 |
| 18 | Wednesday | W, 8–2 | vs. UNCG | 18–3–1 |
| 20–22 | Fri.–Sun. | W, 11–1 (8); L, 2–0; W, 7–6 | vs. Louisville | 20–4–1, 6–3 |
| 24 | Tuesday | W, 9–1 | vs. South Carolina in Charlotte | 21–4–1 |
| 28, 29 | Sat., Sun | W, 6–5; W, 13–7; W, 15–10 | at Notre Dame | 24–4–1, 9–3 |
| 31 | Tuesday | W, 5–4 (14) | vs. Campbell | 25–4–1 |
| April | ||||
| 2–4 | Thur.-Sat. | L, 6–1; W, 5–2; W, 8–7 | vs. Boston College | 27–5–1, 11–4 |
| 7 | Tuesday | W, 8–4 | vs. Charlotte | 28–5–1 |
| 10–12 | Fri.–Sun. | L, 9–5; W, 6–4 (14); W, 12–5 | at Clemson | 30–6–1, 13–5 |
| 14 | Tuesday | W, 14–5 | vs. UNCW | 31–6–1 |
| 17–19 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 5–2; W, 14–4 (8); L, 5–2 | vs. No. 2 Georgia Tech | 33–7–1, 15–6 |
| 21 | Tuesday | W, 9–2 | vs. High Point | 34–7–1 |
| 23–25 | Thur.–Sat. | W, 3–1; L, 3–1; W, 22–5 (7) | at Duke | 36–8–1, 17–7 |
| 28 | Tuesday | L, 12–2 | vs. Coastal Carolina | 36–9–1 |
| May | ||||
| 3 | Sunday | W, 13–0 (7) (non-conference game) | vs. Duke | 37–9–1 |
| 8–10 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 4–1; W, 12–2 (8); W, 7–3 | vs. Pittsburgh | 40–9–1, 20–7 |
| 12 | Tuesday | W, 13–7 | at UNCW | 41–9–1 |
| 14–16 | Thur.-Sat. | W, 9–4; W, 17–7 (8); L, 7–2 | at N.C. State | 43–10–1, 22–8 |
| ACC tournament | Charlotte | |||
| 22 | Friday | W, 10–4 | Quarterfinal vs. Virginia Tech | 44–10–1 |
| 23 | Saturday | W, 13–5 | Semifinal vs. Pittsburgh | 45–10–1 |
| 24 | Sunday | L, 13–6 | Championship vs. No. 2 Ga. Tech | 45–11–1 |
| NCAA tournament | ||||
| Chapel Hill Regional | ||||
| 29 | Friday | W, 8–0 | VCU | 46–11–1 |
| 30–31 | Sat.–Sun. | W, 7–5; W, 9–3 | East Carolina | 48–11–1 |
| June | ||||
| Chapel Hill Super Regionals | ||||
| 5–7 | Fri.–Sun. | L, 9–5; W, 4–0; W, 4–3 | Southern Cal | 50–12–1 |
| College World Series | Omaha, Neb. | |||
| 12 | Friday | W, 6–2 | No. 18 Ole Miss | 51–12–1 |
| 14, 17 | Sun., Wed. | W, 5–2; W, 12–7 | No. 9 West Virginia | 53–12–1 |
| 20–22 | Sat.-Mon. | L, 9–3; W, 6–2; L, 13–2 | CWS Finals vs. Oklahoma | 54–14–1 |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
