By R.L. Bynum
North Carolina snagged its second catcher from the transfer portal, and didn’t have to go very far to get him.
After two seasons at Duke, Macon Winslow is transferring to UNC. He made the announcement Monday afternoon on his Instagram account, calling it a “New Chapter.”
The 6–0, 200-pound Hertford native, who split time between outfield and catcher as a freshman, hit .278 with 13 doubles, nine home runs with 48 RBI and 31 walks with a slugging percentage of .490 and a .391 on-base percentage last season. Winslow, who threw out nine of 31 baserunners trying to steal, was on the midseason watchlist for the Buster Posey Award for college baseball’s top catcher.
Winslow is Carolina’s sixth transfer portal commitment and second catcher, following Georgia State catcher Colin Hynek, and addresses a clear need with sophomore Luke Stevenson expected to be a first-round pick in the July MLB draft.
Winslow was one of 23 Blue Devils players to enter the transfer portal after Coach Chris Pollard left Duke to take the head coaching job at Virginia. So far, three of those players — DH Sam Harris, outfielder AJ Gracia and right fielder Kyle Johnson — have committed to Virginia.
Winslow, ranked No. 413 on Baseball America’s Top 500 draft prospects for 2026, entered the portal on June 10, the day Pollard announced his departure, with a “do not contact” tag.
He went 3 for 5 with two RBI in Duke’s 9–5 victory over Carolina at Boshamer Stadium on April 4. He went 0 for 3 in his only other appearance in that series. He only played in one game of the regular-season-ending UNC at Duke series in 2024, going 0 for 1 with two walks in UNC’s 14–6 victory in the last game of the series.
He hit the game-tying home run for Duke in the bottom of the ninth inning of the Blue Devils’ 4–3 victory over Pittsburgh in the ACC tournament this season.
In Duke’s 5–4 loss to Murray State in the deciding game of the Duke Super Regional, Winslow trimmed the Blue Devils’ deficit to one with an eighth-inning home run.
When Duke won the Athens Regional, he was named to the All-Regional team.
Out of Pro5 Baseball Academy, where he was a teammate of UNC third baseman Gavin Gallaher, he was the No. 1-rated catcher in North Carolina, with Stevenson No. 2.
According to Inside Carolina, Winslow will play in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Harwich Mariners with UNC pitcher Olin Johnson.
Other transfers to commit to the Tar Heels are Stony Brook first baseman Eric Paulsen, Georgia State outfielder Michael Maginnis, North Dakota State shortstop Jake Schaffner and UNCW pitcher Trace Baker. Baker, however, is expected to be drafted and could sign a pro contract.
UNC transfer commitments
| Player | Pos. | Class (next season) | Career statistics | Former school |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owen Hull | RF | Junior | .367, 8 HRs, 63 RBI, 42 SBs | George Mason |
| Macon Winslow | C | Junior | .267, 13 HRs, 65 RBI | Duke |
| Jake Schaffner | SS | Junior | .353, 37 RBI 34 steals | North Dakota State |
| Colin Hynek | C | Senior | .228, 33 HRs, 91 RBI | Georgia State |
| Michael Maginnis | OF | Senior | .295, 26 HRs, 111 RBI, 40 SBs | Georgia State |
| Erik Paulsen | 1B | Junior | .330, 13 HRs, 68 RBI, 8 SBs | Stony Brook |
Photo via goduke.com
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