By R.L. Bynum
North Carolina has a recent history of bringing in talented freshman pitchers and got another one Friday with a Class of 2027 commitment.
Liam Radke, a 6–0, 185-pound right-hander from Faith Lutheran in Las Vegas, committed to TCU last September before deciding on June 24 to look for another school, then commited to UNC on Friday. The All-Southern Nevada Pitcher of the Year threw a no-hitter during his junior season when he had a 2.11 ERA with 83 strikeouts and 28 walks in 56⅓ innings.
“I’m excited to announce my commitment to the University of North Carolina,” Radke said in a Friday post on X (formerly Twitter). “I want to thank my family and coaches who have helped me get to this point. Looking forward to getting to work.”
He expects to pitch in high school next season and not come a year early like Jason DeCaro and Caden Glauber.
Prep Baseball Report lists his fastball at 92.4 mph, a slider in the 80–82 mph range, a curveball at 72–78 mph, and a changeup at 81–83 mph. He pairs those pitches with a compact, repeatable delivery and a 3/4 slot that produces arm‑side life and consistent command.
Two Oklahoma pitchers who UNC faced in the College World Series, brothers LJ and Xander Mercurius, played at Faith Lutheran.
Radke is a place-kicker in football with a season-high 46-yard field goal. He booted a game-winning field goal to send his team to the state playoffs.
He is a legitimate two‑way athlete who is also an outfielder in high school and can contribute in multiple ways as his pitching role develops. Those tools give UNC options: use him as a starter, a multi‑inning reliever, or a matchup weapon while he refines his secondary offerings.
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Photo by Elliott Figman
