By R.L. Bynum
The seasons for the three former North Carolina players currently in the major leagues have been a mixed bag, including impressive play from Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch and struggles for Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen.
The most impressive of the 26 Tar Heels in the minor leagues have been pitchers Cooper Criswell, Dalton Pence and Austin Love, as well as first basemen Aaron Sabato and Parks Harber and third baseman Mac Horvath.
Meanwhile, pitcher Daniel Bard, who hasn’t played in the major leagues since 2023 and turns 40 on June 25, signed a minor-league contract with the Seattle Mariners on June 3 and is hoping to return to the majors.
Busch has played outstanding defense in his second season with the NL Central-leading Cubs, following the Los Angeles Dodgers’ trading him on Jan. 11, 2024, and is hitting a career-high .265.
The left-handed hitting Busch, who often gets games off when the opponent starts a left-handed pitcher (he’s hitting .138 against lefties), collected 21 homers and 65 RBI in 152 games last season and already has 11 homers and 39 RBI in 67 games.
Busch, who was 2 for 4 in Sunday’s Cubs 3-2 10-inning win over Pittsburgh, has hit safely in 12 of his last 14 games since May 27 and is hitting .320 with 14 home runs during that span. Among MLB first basemen, he is third in slugging percentage (.505), fourth in OPS (.865), eighth in OBP (.361), and his 11 home runs are tied for fifth-most.
Coming off two outstanding seasons for the Diamondbacks in which he was a perennial Cy Young Award candidate (17–9, 3.47 ERA in 2023 and 14–6, 3.65 ERA in 2024), Gallen already has more losses than last season at 4–8.
His career-worst 5.19 ERA is the fifth-highest among qualified starting pitchers, and he’s allowed the fourth-most earned runs (46).
Gallen has the lowest strikeout rate (21.7) of his career and the highest walk rate (10.4%) since his rookie season in 2019. It comes at a bad time since Gallen is a free agent at the end of the season.
The highlight of his season was in a 4–3 Arizona win over New York at Yankee Stadium on April 2 when he struck out a career-high 13 in pitching 6⅔ three-hit shutout innings.
His only start giving up fewer than four earned runs since May 6 was in an 8–3 win at Atlanta on June 3 when he went seven innings, giving up four hits and striking out four.
Bard, who last pitched in the majors for the Colorado Rockies in 2023 after being named NL Comeback Player of the Year in 2020, made his debut pitching for the Mariners’ Arizona Complex League on Friday, giving up two hits and two earned runs in one inning.
Seattle Mariners pitcher Trent Thornton spent time on the injured list with appendicitis and was activated June 7. Since being activated, he’s given up six earned runs in 3⅓ innings over two appearances.
On Friday, Sabato, a first-round pick of the Minnesota Twins in the 2020 draft, earned his first promotion to Triple-A after hitting .305 with nine homers and 26 RBI in Double-A for the Wichita Wind Surge in a career-best season.
Sabato, who hit 18 home runs as a UNC freshman, had a 1.101 OPS against left-handers in Double-A. In his first three games for Triple-A St. Paul Saints, he’s 2 of 11.
With the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox of the International League, Cooper Criswell is 2–1 with a 1.34 ERA, 12 walks and 40 strikeouts in eight games. He’s played five games with Boston, where he went 1–0 with a 6.00 ERA in five games.
Chriswell threw four hitless innings and retired the first 11 batters he faced on April 17 in a combined seven-inning no-hitter, the second in franchise history, in an 8–0 win over Rochester.
Pence, the closer on UNC’s 2024 College World Series team, is 3–0 with a 3.38 ERA, nine walks and 40 strikeouts in 34⅔ innings and 16 games (including seven starts) with the Class A Hickory Crawdads (Texas Rangers affiliate) in the Carolina League.
Another member of that 2024 CWS team, Harber, is hitting .326 with three homers, 27 RBI and two steals in 34 games for the Class A Hudson Valley Renegades (New York Yankees affiliate) in the South Atlantic League.
Horvath, who hit 13 home runs, 59 RBI and 35 steals in 2024 in his first full season in Class A+, already is tied for fifth in the South Atlantic League with 10 home runs and tied for sixth with 37 RBI this season with 13 steals for the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay Rays).
Horvath, one of only a few players in the minors with double digits in home runs and steals, went 3 for 4 with a double, homer and six RBI on May 17 in a 13–0 seven-inning home win against the Asheville Tourists.
Love, the ace on UNC’s 2021 team, is 3–0 with a save and a 2.42 ERA in 16 games for the Double-A Springfield Cardinals in the Texas League.
Four other members of last season’s CWS team are in the minors, with outfielders Casey Cook, Anthony Donofrio and Vance Honeycutt playing for Class A+ teams (the highest level of Class A) and pitcher Shea Sprague playing in Class A.
Cook and Honeycutt advanced from Class A Carolina League assignments last season to the Class A+ South Atlantic League this season, and each has struggled at the plate. Donofrio similarly advanced, moving from the Class A California League to the Class A+ Midwest League this season.
Honeycutt is hitting .207 with two home runs and 31 RBI, and has 31 walks against 84 strikeouts for the Aberdeen Ironbirds (Orioles affiliate), but has also recorded 19 steals. He suffered left hip flexor tightness earlier this month and missed a couple of games.
In spring training, Honeycutt had an inside-the-park home run.
Honeycutt has shown off his terrific throwing arm this season as well.
Cook is hitting .167 with three homers and 17 RBI with 16 steals playing for the Hub City Spartanburgers (Rangers affiliate).
Playing for the Everett Aquasox (Mariners affiliate), Donafrio is hitting .248 with two homers, 16 RBI and five steals.
Sprague threw 3⅓ shutout innings with no walks and five strikeouts in his only appearance during a brief stay with the Boston Red Sox’s Class A+ Greenville Drive of the South Atlantic League. He’s spent the rest of the season with the Class A Salem Red Sox of the Carolina League, and is 2–2, with a 4.42 ERA, 15 walks and 42 strikeouts.
Nashville Sounds (Milwaukee Brewers affiliate) pitcher J.B. Bukauskas is expected to miss the entire season after having lat surgery in February. He only made 12 appearances in 2024 (6 with Milwaukee and six with Triple-A Nashville) with a lat injury.
The Colorado Rockies released catcher Jacob Stallings on June 6 after he hit .143 with no home runs and six RBI in 29 games.
Tar Heels in pro baseball
Major leagues
— Michael Busch, Chicago Cubs first baseman (UNC 2017–19) — .265 (career best), 11 homers, 38 RBI, 3 steals
— Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher (UNC 2014–16) — 15 starts, 4–8, 5.19 ERA, 86⅔ innings, 40 walks, 81 strikeouts
— Trent Thornton, Seattle Mariners pitcher (UNC 2013–15) — Activated from 15-day injured list June 7 after going on the list with appendicitis on May 6; 18 games, 1–0, 7.71 ERA, 18⅔ innings, 7 walks, 12 strikeouts; Triple-A Tacoma rehab outings: 2 games, 1–0, 3.38 ERA, 0 walks, 3 strikeouts
Triple-A
— Tyler Baum, Las Vegas Aviators (Athletics affiliate) pitcher (UNC 2017–19) — 5 games, 0–2, 14.54 ERA, 4⅓ innings, 5 walks, 4 strikeouts
— J.B. Bukauskas, Nashville Sounds (Brewers) pitcher (UNC 2015–17)— On full-season injured list after having lat surgery in February
— Cooper Criswell, Worcester Red Sox (Red Sox) pitcher (UNC 2018) — 8 games, 7 starts, 2–1, 1.34 ERA, 33⅔ innings, 12 walks, 40 strikeouts; Boston: 5 games, 1–0, 6.00 ERA, 9 innings, 0 walks, 4 strikeouts
— Kyle Datres, Columbus Clippers (Guardians) third baseman (UNC 2016–18) — 39 games, .204, 2 homers, 9 RBI
— Brian Moran, Gwinnett Stripers (Braves) pitcher (UNC 2007–09) — 5 games, 0–1, 3.72 ERA, 9⅔ innings, 2 walks, 11 strikeouts
— Ryder Ryan, Indianapolis Indians (Pirates) pitcher (UNC 2016) — 19 games, 2 starts, 3–1, 3.94 ERA, 29⅔ innings, 19 walks, 38 strikeouts
— Aaron Sabato, St. Paul Saints (Twins) first baseman (UNC 2019–20) — 3 games, .182; Double-A Wichita Wind Surge (Twins) first baseman — 39 games, .305, 9 homers, 26 RBI
Double-A
— Austin Bergner, Erie SeaWolves (Tigers) pitcher (UNC 2017–19) — 11 games, 4 starts, 4–3, 3.93 ERA, 34⅓ innings, 12 walks, 31 strikeouts; Triple-A Toledo: 2 games, 1–0, 9.00 ERA, 6 innings, 4 walks, 5 strikeouts
— Austin Love, Springfield Cardinals (Cardinals) pitcher (UNC 2019–21) — 16 games, 3–0, 1 save, 2.42 ERA, 22⅓ innings, 16 walks, 23 strikeouts
— Shawn Rapp, Akron Rubber Ducks (Guardians) pitcher (UNC 2020–22) — 16 games, 0–3, 8.31 ERA, 17⅓ innings, 10 walks, 14 strikeouts; Triple-A Columbus: 1 game, 0–0, 0.00 ERA, ⅔ of an inning, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts
— Caleb Roberts, Armadillo Sod Poodles (Diamondbacks) catcher (UNC 2019–21) — 47 games, .208, 0 homers, 17 RBI
— Cody Roberts, San Antonio Missions (Padres) catcher (UNC 2016–18) — 12 games, .304, 1 homer, 8 RBI; Triple-A El Paso: 12 games, .300, 1 homer, 3 RBI
— Danny Serretti, Erie SeaWolves (Tigers) shortstop (UNC 2019–22) — 23 games, .221, 12 RBI, 2 steals
Class A+
— Max Carlson, Greenville Drive (Red Sox) pitcher (UNC 2021–23) — 11 games, 2 starts, 3–1, 4.08 ERA, 35⅓ innings, 6 walks, 49 strikeouts
— Casey Cook, Hub City Spartanburgers (Rangers) outfielder (UNC 2022–23) — 55 games, .167, 3 homers, 17 RBI, 16 steals
— Anthony Donofrio, Everett Aquasox (Mariners) outfielder (UNC 2024) — 38 games, .248, 2 homers, 16 RBI, 5 steals
— Tomas Frick, Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees) catcher (UNC 2021–23) — 33 games, .209, 2 homers, 15 RBI, 2 steals
— Vance Honeycutt, Aberdeen Ironbirds (Orioles) outfielder (UNC 2022–24) — 52 games, .207, 2 homers, 31 RBI, 19 steals, 31 walks, 84 strikeouts
— Mac Horvath, Bowling Green Hot Rods (Rays) third baseman (UNC 2021–23) — 53 games, .220, 10 homers, 37 RBI, 13 steals
— Davison Palermo, Spokane Indians (Rockies) pitcher (UNC 2020–22) — 24 games, 1–2, 2.53 ERA, 32 innings, 12 walks, 37 strikeouts
— Shaddon Peavyhouse, Everett Aquasox (Mariners) pitcher (UNC 2022) — 12 games, 3 starts, 0–2, 7.36 ERA, 25⅔ innings, 18 walks, 23 strikeouts
— Brandon Schaeffer, Everett Aquasox (Mariners) pitcher (UNC 2022) — Placed on 60-day injury list on March 18
Class A
— Parks Harber, Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees) first baseman (UNC 2024) — 34 games, .326, 3 homers, 27 RBI, 2 steals; Tampa Tarpons: 20 games, .304, 3 homers, 13 RBI, 4 steals
Dalton Pence, Hickory Crawdads (Rangers) pitcher (UNC 2023–24) — 16 games, 7 starts, 3–0, 3.38 ERA, 34⅔ innings, 9 walks, 50 strikeouts
— Ben Peterson, San Jose Giants (Giants) pitcher (UNC 2023–24) — 17 games, 1–1, 4.57 ERA, 21⅔ innings, 6 walks, 22 strikeouts
— Shea Sprague, Salem Red Sox (Red Sox) pitcher (UNC 2024) — 9 games, 2 starts, 2–2, 4.42 ERA, 38⅔ innings, 15 walks, 42 strikeouts; Double-A Greenville: 1 game, 1–0, 0.00 ERA, 3⅓ innings, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts
Arizona Complex League
— Daniel Bard, Mariners (UNC 2004–06) — 1 game, 1 inning, 2 hits, 2 runs, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts
Photo via mlb.com
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