University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Joe Bray
Diamond Heels Open Fall Practice
September 15, 2023 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The UNC baseball team will hold their first official team practice of the fall Friday afternoon at Boshamer Stadium.
Fall practice will extend into late October, concluding with the program's annual Navy and Blue Fall World Series Oct. 24-28.
The Tar Heels, who went 36-24 overall and made thier sixth consecutive NCAA Tournamet appearance, return 19 players from 2023 while welcoming the ACC's top-ranked recruiting class, according to Perfect Game.
The club returns seven position players who started at least 50 games, led by ACC Defensive Player of the Year Vance Honeycutt and All-ACC selections Jackson Van De Brake and Casey Cook. Five of the seven returning starters, including Van De Brake, are entering their senior season with Patrick Alvarez, Johnny Castagnozzi, Alberto Osuna, Hunter Stokely, and Colby Wilkerson set the don the Carolina Blue for the final time.
The Tar Heels must replace All-America outfielder Mac Horvath, who was taken by the Baltimore Orioles in the second round of the 2023 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, along with catcher Tomas Frick, who the New York Yankees selected in the 15th round of the draft.
On the mound, UNC returns seven pitchers with 35 or more innings thrown last season. Seniors Connor Bovair and Jake Knapp ranked second and third on the squad in innings pitched behind Boston Red Sox draftee Max Carlson. The Tar Heels also return their top reliever, Matt Poston, who struck out 49 batters in 42 2/3 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .149 batting average. He led the team with five saves and 31 appearances.
Carolina also returns a foursome of sophomore hurlers: Matthew Matthijs, Cam Padgett, Dalton Pence, and Kyle Percival, along with right-handed reliever Ben Peterson. Redshirt freshmen Connor Hegan and Michael Colonna also return for the 2024 campaign.
Follow the Tar Heels
For complete coverage of UNC baseball, please follow the Tar Heels on social media at @DiamondHeels (Twitter), UNCDiamondHeels (Facebook), and @CarolinaBaseball (Instagram) or visit the official home of UNC Athletics at GoHeels.com.
Fall practice will extend into late October, concluding with the program's annual Navy and Blue Fall World Series Oct. 24-28.
The Tar Heels, who went 36-24 overall and made thier sixth consecutive NCAA Tournamet appearance, return 19 players from 2023 while welcoming the ACC's top-ranked recruiting class, according to Perfect Game.
The club returns seven position players who started at least 50 games, led by ACC Defensive Player of the Year Vance Honeycutt and All-ACC selections Jackson Van De Brake and Casey Cook. Five of the seven returning starters, including Van De Brake, are entering their senior season with Patrick Alvarez, Johnny Castagnozzi, Alberto Osuna, Hunter Stokely, and Colby Wilkerson set the don the Carolina Blue for the final time.
The Tar Heels must replace All-America outfielder Mac Horvath, who was taken by the Baltimore Orioles in the second round of the 2023 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, along with catcher Tomas Frick, who the New York Yankees selected in the 15th round of the draft.
On the mound, UNC returns seven pitchers with 35 or more innings thrown last season. Seniors Connor Bovair and Jake Knapp ranked second and third on the squad in innings pitched behind Boston Red Sox draftee Max Carlson. The Tar Heels also return their top reliever, Matt Poston, who struck out 49 batters in 42 2/3 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .149 batting average. He led the team with five saves and 31 appearances.
Carolina also returns a foursome of sophomore hurlers: Matthew Matthijs, Cam Padgett, Dalton Pence, and Kyle Percival, along with right-handed reliever Ben Peterson. Redshirt freshmen Connor Hegan and Michael Colonna also return for the 2024 campaign.
Follow the Tar Heels
For complete coverage of UNC baseball, please follow the Tar Heels on social media at @DiamondHeels (Twitter), UNCDiamondHeels (Facebook), and @CarolinaBaseball (Instagram) or visit the official home of UNC Athletics at GoHeels.com.
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