By R.L. Bynum
Carolina players should be popular picks at the MLB draft, even though the Tar Heels made the College World Series Finals with a roster featuring deep talent rather than first-round headliners.
After a 54–14–1 season that ended one win short of a national championship, several Tar Heels enter the July 11–12 draft knowing their names will be called, led by right-handed pitchers Ryan Lynch and Jason DeCaro, shortstop Jake Schaffner and center fielder Owen Hull.
Lynch, draft-eligible after only two college seasons because of his age, has the highest projection among UNC players, ranked No. 97 by MLB.com and No. 107 by ESPN, putting him in the range where he could come off the board in the third or fourth round.
The big right-hander moved from a relief role as a freshman into the weekend rotation and earned third-team All-ACC honors, going 5–4 with a 4.32 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 19 games.
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His size, low three-quarters arm slot and ability to create uncomfortable angles have continued to intrigue scouts. He can get his sinker over at 94 or 96 mph with horizontal action that makes it difficult for hitters to lift. His slider comes in at 83 to 85 mph and he’s got an effective changeup.
Schaffner may be the most interesting position-player case.
MLB.com ranks him No. 91, and ESPN listed him No. 103, putting him in the same general third-round range. The left-handed-hitting shortstop gave the Tar Heels premium production at the leadoff spot, batting .356 with a 1.019 OPS, 19 doubles, eight triples, six home runs, 50 RBI, 85 runs, 45 walks and 26 steals in 68 games.
He had plate discipline, added extra-base impact and gave UNC speed at the top of the order, all while holding down shortstop for one of the country’s best teams.
He joined DeCaro and Hull on the All-ACC First Team. Schaffner and Hull gave UNC a dynamic one-two punch.
DeCaro, ranked No. 125 by MLB.com and No. 120 by ESPN, would be the next Tar Heel pitcher selected after Lynch, late in the fourth round if MLB.com is rightW.
His draft case is built on a longer track record as a weekend starter, his age, his 6–5 build and a full pitch mix that projects well to scouts. The right-hander was a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist and first-team All-ACC selection after producing one of the best ERAs in the country at 2.87.
DeCaro’s draft slot may depend less on whether teams like him and more on how they value his ceiling compared with other college arms in the same range. He has been one of the steadier pitchers in the ACC, but teams picking in the third through fifth rounds often split between safety and pure stuff.
DeCaro offers enough of both to be taken in that area, particularly for an organization that values youth and a starter’s workload.
Hull forced his way into the draft conversation with one of the best offensive seasons on the roster. Ranked No. 158 by MLB.com (though not making ESPN’s top 155 list), he led the team in four categories, hitting .393 with a 1.115 OPS, 27 doubles and 48 walks (tied with catcher Macon Winslow). He also scored 60 runs and stole 18 bases.
Hull, whose double in Game 3 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional against USC sent UNC to Omaha, isn’t listed with the same top-125 projections.
But his production and All-ACC First-Team selection make him a strong candidate to be selected, especially by a club that trusts the bat and sees enough defensive fit in the outfield.
Gavin Gallaher is ranked No. 198 by MLB.com (not making ESPN’s top 155 list). The veteran earned a Gold Glove at second base — after previously playing third base — while hitting .291 with an .865 OPS, 14 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs and 64 RBI in 69 games.
Eight of his 11 regular-season home runs either tied games or put the Tar Heels ahead, and he joined Lynch and Winslow on the All-ACC Third Team. Gallaher’s value comes from his track record, defensive versatility and right-handed power, traits that could fit in the middle rounds.
Winslow’s potential draft spot is helped by position scarcity. Catchers with experience handling high-level college pitching staffs are always monitored closely. In addition, he only allowed 10 stolen bases.
Winslow added offensive value by batting .282 with an .883 OPS, 14 doubles, 10 home runs, 57 RBI and 48 walks despite playing through an injury that turned him into mostly a DH.
Cooper Nicholson could be another name to watch with his right-handed power and patience at the plate. The third baseman’s batting average settled at .253, but his power and on-base skills stood out, with a .986 OPS, 17 home runs, 53 RBI, 45 walks and 25 hit-by-pitches.
UNC’s draft class may not match 2025 at the top, when catcher Luke Stevenson (No. 35 overall to the Seattle Mariners) and pitchers Aidan Haugh (No. 177 to the Tampa Bay Rays) and Jake Knapp (No. 241 to the Chicago Cubs) gave the program a high-profile group. Still, the 2026 roster offers scouts a broader collection of options.
Lynch, Schaffner and DeCaro are the clearest top-150 candidates. Hull, Gallaher, Winslow and Nicholson give the Tar Heels a realistic chance to place several more players in pro baseball.
For a program that has stacked Omaha-level rosters in recent seasons, that is the next measure of momentum. Carolina has built a roster good enough to chase a national title, and that should be reflected in the draft.
Photo courtesy of the ACC
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