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The San Diego Padres selected UNC pitcher Ryan Lynch with the 98th overall pick in the third round of the MLB Draft on Saturday, with the right-hander capping a two‑season rise in Chapel Hill that featured big‑game starts, a mid‑90s fastball and a wipeout slider.
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Jason DeCaro as the No. 80 overall pick in the third round of the MLB Draft on Saturday after a junior season at North Carolina when he combined heavy innings, swing‑and‑miss stuff, and a steady, process‑driven approach.
The Boston Red Sox selected Owen Hull as the No. 67 overall pick in the competitive balance pick in the second round of the MLB Draft on Saturday after Hull consistently delivering clutch performances during his only season at North Carolina.
Jake Schaffner was selected Saturday by the Boston Red Sox as the No. 20 overall pick in the first round of the MLB Draft, capping a season in Chapel Hill that paired elite on‑base skills with Gold Glove‑level defense and postseason poise.
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.
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.
Center fielder Vance Honeycutt did it all at UNC, from hitting a school-record 65 home runs and consistently saving runs with his outstanding range on defense to becoming the only Power 5 conference player in NCAA history with at least 60 home runs and at least 70 steals (76). Those numbers impress MLB scouts, but their reservations have Honeycutt curiously falling from a projected top-5 pick a year ago to between the middle and the bottom of the first round for Sunday’s MLB Draft.
