By R.L. Bynum

Jake Knapp’s incredible final college season has earned him the College Baseball Foundation’s National Pitcher of the Year award.

He becomes the first ACC pitcher to earn the award since it was first given in 2009 and the first from UNC to earn a national pitcher of the year award since Andrew Miller in 2006.

“Jake is an incredible human being and leader,” UNC coach Scott Forbes said. “Watching him have to sit out last year only to come back and lead our team and have such amazing success is a testament to how hard he works and the man that he is. I’m so proud of him and so happy to see him earn this award.”

The right-hander went 14–0 with the most wins without a loss in program history and tied for the most single-season wins in program history. That came after missing his junior season because of an elbow injury.

He joins a group of former winners that includes Stephen Strasburg, Aaron Nola, Jonathan Gray and Paul Skenes.

His 2.02 ERA was the best among power-conference pitchers and fourth-best in the country. In 102⅓ innings, he struck out 88 and only walked 16. Knapp didn’t walk a batter in six starts and threw more than 100 pitches 11 times.

It’s just the latest honor for Knapp, who is the ACC Pitcher of the Year, the NCBWA District 4 Player of the Year and a first-team All-American.

Other finalists for the National Pitcher of the Year were Baylor right-hander Gabe Craig, Coastal Carolina right-hander Jacob Morrison, UNCW right-hander Zane Taylor and Texas left-hander Dylan Volantis.

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CBF National Pitchers of the Year

2025 — Jake Knapp, RHP, North Carolina
2024 — Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas
2023 — Paul Skenes, RHP, LSU, 202
2022 — Cooper Hjerpe, LHP, Oregon State
2021 — Kevin Kopps, RHP, Arkansas
2020 — Not awarded (season suspended)
2019 — Ethan Small, LHP, Mississippi State
2018 — Luke Heimlich, LHP, Oregon State
2017 — Steven Gingery, LHP, Texas Tech
2016 — Eric Lauer, LHP, Kent State
2015 — Carson Fulmer, RHP, Vanderbilt
2014 — Aaron Nola, RHP, LSU
2013 — Jonathan Gray, RHP, Oklahoma
2012 — Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford
2011 — Trevor Bauer, UCLA, RHP
2010 — Alex Wimmers, RHP, Ohio State
2009 — Stephen Strasburg, RHP, San Diego State

Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics Communications