By R.L. Bynum

CHAPEL HILL — It’s a sign that Coach Scott Forbes has returned North Carolina to one of the nation’s best programs when losing six draft picks hasn’t changed lofty expectations.

The Tar Heels, No. 6 in the D1 Baseball preseason poll, reloaded.

Coming off an ACC regular-season title, a trip to the College World Series and a 48–16 season, UNC had to replace its entire starting outfield — all picked in the MLB draft — but did it with three speedy, talented, experienced transfers.

“You’d like to use that word,” Forbes said as to whether his program reloaded. “I don’t think we’ll know how much we reloaded until the season gets going. We lost some really, really good players and some really great leaders. But I do feel confident that we have some players that can step in and give us a chance to compete nationally.”

UNC, which opens Feb. 14 with a three-game home series against Texas Tech, will have power, speed, outstanding defense up the middle, a talented starting rotation and a veteran taking over as closer.

Forbes, entering his fifth season as head coach after earning ACC Coach of the Year honors last season, likes his team’s toughness.

“I think we have some guys that will fight you — not bench-clearing brawl type — they’re hard-nosed, blue-collar players,” he said. “I think the strength of our team is going to be pitching, and up the middle, behind the plate, middle infield and center field. It’s a fierce battle to get into that mix on this pitching staff to pitch significant innings, which is a good thing.”

The most significant losses were center fielder Vance Honeycutt, the Baltimore Orioles’ first-round pick; left fielder Casey Cook, a third-round pick of the Texas Rangers; right fielder Anthony Donofrio, a 10th-round pick of the Seattle Mariners; closer Dalton Pence, an 11th-round pick of the Texas Rangers; starting pitcher Shea Sprague, a 13th-round pick of the Boston Red Sox; and first baseman Parks Harber, who signed with the New York Yankees.

“You don’t necessarily replace those type of guys right away,” Forbes said. “We’ll have a different type of team. I don’t think we’re going to hit 115 home runs. We may. That would be a pleasant surprise.”

All three outfield starters hit for average and piled up the steals last season — junior center fielder Kane Kepley (left in top photo) from Liberty (.330, 25 steals), junior left fielder Rom Kellis from Florence-Darlington Technical College (.404, 20 steals) and fifth-year right fielder Tyson Bass (right in top photo) from N.C. Wesleyan (.358, 31 steals).

Kepley has big shoes to fill taking over for Honeycutt in center.

“He’s a special player, a different-type player than Vance,” Forbes said. “He’s not different from the standpoint that he plays extremely hard. He can really run the bases, but he’s left-handed. He’s probably not going to hit 30 home runs, but he’s got some power in there, so we’re lucky to have him.”

Bass hit 22 home runs last season and showed prodigious power in the fall, while Kellis hit 16 last season.

The challenge for the transfers is proving themselves at a higher level in the ACC, which has seven teams in the preseason Top 25, topped by No. 2 Virginia (46–17 last season). Also ranked are No. 9 Florida State (49–17), No. 11 Duke (40–20), No. 13 N.C. State (38–23), No. 14 Wake Forest (38–22) and No. 15 Clemson (44–16). UNC is picked third in the preseason ACC coaches poll released Thursday, behind favorite Virginia (which got 13 of 16 first-place votes) and Florida State.

Kepley brings top-level defense, bolstering the outstanding defense up the middle, including sophomore catcher Luke Stevenson (likely a high pick in the 2025 MLB draft, who D1Baseball ranks as the No. 3 catcher in the country).

“He is that special talent that you get lucky to get on campus, kind of like a Honeycutt,” Forbes said of Stevenson. “What he did as a true freshman last year, in my opinion, was unbelievable. Catching that load, putting up those numbers.”

In the middle of the infield will be senior Alex Madera (who shifts from second base to shortstop with Colby Wilkerson graduating) and Jackson Van De Brake, who returns to the second base spot he played two seasons ago for his fifth college season. 

At the corners are redshirt senior Hunter Stokely, who missed most of last season with a hand injury, at first base and sophomore Gavin Gallaher at third base.

At the top of the rotation is sophomore right-hander Jason DeCaro, who emerged as a 17-year-old ace last season with an impressive four-pitch mix. Forbes said DeCaro has gotten bigger and stronger in the offseason.

“He’s also more mature with his routine,” Forbes said. “He’s more mature with everything, and he’s got a lot of big-game experience. He led our team in innings pitched. He was a big-game pitcher, but I would say overall, just top to bottom, academics, leadership, he’s matured tremendously.”

Sophomore left-hander Folger Boaz, who began the season as the ace before needing surgery to repair his UCL after nine starts, is also back. Also returning are senior right-hander Aidan Haugh and sophomore right-hander Olin Johnson.

Junior right-hander Matthew Matthijs, third in the country last season with 12 wins, takes over at closer for Dalton Pence (an 11th-round pick of the Texas Rangers).

“A little bit unconventional-type closer, kind of like Dalton,” said Forbes, who strongly hinted that Matthijs has added a fourth pitch that is going to be a weapon. “He can go more than just three outs because he’s got multiple pitches.

“He’s always been a low-pulse guy. I was a pitching coach for a long time, and I like those low-pulse guys,” Forbes said. “When I go take a trip [to the mound], the heart’s not beating too fast. I know the look in the eye, and you have to have that when you’re a closer. There aren’t many huffing-and-puffing closers who can sustain a full season at this level in college, we’re in the big leagues, and Matty is one of those.”

Forbes said that redshirt senior right-hander Jake Knapp, although expected to start, could also be used in that role after missing last season. Knapp, who had surgery to repair a torn UCL in his throwing arm, threw off the mound on Wednesday for the first time.

NOTES — Scott Jackson is back on the UNC staff as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator after eight seasons as Liberty’s head coach. Jackson undoubtedly is the big reason Kepley, catcher Macaddin Dye and left-handed pitcher Cale Bolton transferred from Liberty. … Van De Brake went into the offseason with uncertainty, but the NCAA granted him a fifth year of eligibility in mid-December after participating in fall ball, hopeful that that decision was coming. … Carolina’s Boshamer Stadium dugout was expanded, now including two rows of seating. … UNC doesn’t face a ranked team until the April 3 through April 5 home series against No. 11 Duke. … UNC announced that it has sold a record number of season tickets, a 30% increase from last season.

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Key roster changes

Departures: Center fielder Vance Honeycutt, left fielder Casey Cook, right fielder Anthony Donofrio, first baseman Parks Harber, closer Dalton Pence and starting pitcher Shea Sprague
Incoming transfers: Center fielder Kane Kepley (from Liberty), right fielder Tyler Bass (N.C. Wesleyan), infielder/outfielder Rom Kellis (Florence-Darlington Technical College) and DH Sam Angelo (Monclair State)

Expected starters

At media day, Forbes named his lineup, top starters and closer if UNC played today; 2024 statistics listed:

Position	Player	Hgt	Wgt	Year	B/T	BA/HR/RBI/SB
C	Luke Stevenson	6–1	210	Soph.	L/R	.284/14/58/2
1B	Hunter Stokely	6–3	241	RS senior	L/R	.333/0/0/0
2B	Jackson Van De Brake	6–1	202	5th year	R/R	.213/1/11/5
SS	Alex Madera	5–10	179	5th year	L/R	.303/2/34/10
3B	Gavin Gallaher	6–1	191	Soph.	R/R	.314/8/38/5
LF	B — Rom Kellis	6–1	203	Junior	R/R	.404/16/73/20
CF	A — Kane Kepley	5–8	180	Junior	L/L	.332/9/31/25
RF	C — Tyson Bass	6–3	211	5th year	R/R	.358/22/57/31
DH	D — Sam Angelo	6–1	245	Senior	L/L	.436/18/60/7
Top pitchers	Player	Hgt	Wgt	Year	Record	IP/ERA/K/BB
Starter	RH Jason DeCaro	6–5	230	Soph.	6–1	90⅓/3.81/78/44
Starter	RH Jake Knapp	6–5	270	RS Sr.		Missed season
Starter	LH Folger Boaz	6–2	212	Soph.	3–1	39/5.77/38/19
Starter	RH Aidan Haugh	6–6	229	Senior	4–3	54/4.83/61/27
Starter	RH Olin Johnson	6–6	230	Soph.	4–3	16⅓/4.96/10/8
Closer	RH Matthew Matthijs	6–3	230	Junior	12–4	58/3.72/56/18

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UNC schedule

Date(s)	Day/ month	Time	Opponent
	February
15–18	Fri.–Sun.	4, 2, 1	vs. Texas Tech
18	Tuesday	4 p.m.	vs. N.C. A&T
19	Wednesday	4 p.m.	vs. Kansas State
21	Friday	5 p.m.	at East Carolina
22	Saturday	2 p.m.	vs. East Carolina at Durham Bulls Athletic Park
23	Sunday	4 p.m.	vs. East Carolina
28	Friday	4 p.m.	vs. Stony Brook
	March
1–2	Sat., Sun.	2 p.m., 1 p.m.	vs. Stony Brook
4	Tuesday	4 p.m.	Coastal Carolina
5	Wednesday	4 p.m.	College of Charleston
7–9	Fri.-Sun.	4, 1, 1	vs. Stanford
11	Tuesday	4 p.m.	at UNCW
14–16	Fri.–Sun.	6, 2, 1	at Louisville
19	Wednesday	6 p.m.	vs. UConn
21–23	Fri.–Sun.	3, 2, 1	at Boston College
25	Tuesday	7 p.m.	vs. South Carolina in Charlotte
28–30	Fri.–Sun	6, 2, 1	vs. Miami
	April
1	Tuesday	6 p.m.	vs. Gardner-Webb
3–5	Thu.–Sat.	6, 6, 2	vs. No. 11 Duke
8	Tuesday	6 p.m.	at Elon
10–12	Thu.–Sat.	6, 6, 2	vs. No. 14 Wake Forest
15	Tuesday	6 p.m.	vs. Charlotte
18–20	Fri.–Sun.	7, 3, 1	at Virginia Tech
22	Tuesday	6 p.m.	vs. Presbyterian
25–27	Fri.–Sun.	6, 3, 1	at Pittsburgh
29	Tuesday	6 p.m.	vs. George Mason
30	Wednesday	6 p.m.	vs. Queens
	May
6	Tuesday	6 p.m.	vs. Campbell
9–11	Fri.–Sun	6, noon, 1	vs. No. 13 N.C. State
13	Tuesday	6 p.m.	vs. UNCW
15–17	Thu.–Sat.	6, 6, 2	at No. 9 Florida State
		ACC tournament
20–25	Tue.–Sun.		Durham Bulls Athletic Park
30–31	Fri.–Sat.	NCAA regionals	Campus sites
	June
1	Sunday	NCAA regionals	Campus sites
6–8	Fri.–Sun.	Super Regionals	Campus sites
18–30	Wed.–Mon.	College World Series	Omaha, Neb.

Photo by Joe Bray courtesy of UNC Athletics