Three Tar Heels Tabbed Preseason All-America By D1Baseball

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – D1Baseball has named three Carolina baseball players to its 2025 Preseason All-America team, the organization announced on Monday morning. Jason Decaro was selected for the first team, Matthew Matthijs for the second, and Luke Stevenson on the third.

The Tar Heels were one of only three programs to place at least three players on the list, joined by preseason top-ranked teams Texas A&M and Virginia. It is the most preseason All-America honors that North Carolina has received from D1Baseball since they started awarding them in 2015. It is the fifth time the Diamond Heels have put more than one on one of the three teams, last getting two with Aaron Sabato and Austin Love in 2020.

Big things are expected of DeCaro this season after he earned Freshman All-America honors from D1Baseball at the end of the 2024 campaign. He ranked seventh nationally among NCAA Division I freshmen with a 3.81 ERA, sixth-best overall in the ACC while also leading the conference in starts (18).

The sophomore campaign for Matthijs saw him complete the breakout after he flashed greatness as a freshman. In 2024, the Greenville, N.C., native led the ACC and ranked second among NCAA Division I pitchers in victories with 12 while also appearing in a conference best 36 games with a 3.72 ERA.

Stevenson was named to the Freshman All-America first team right alongside DeCaro after a 2024 season where he slashed .284/.420/.536 with 14 home runs, 58 RBIs, and a team-best 48 walks (ninth best in the conference). Big league eyes will be all over the Wake Forest, N.C. native as this offseason MLB.com listed him as the No. 1 catcher prospect heading into the upcoming draft.

The trio will be back in Boshamer Stadium on Feb. 14 when the Heels host Texas Tech in their season opener.

Players Mentioned

Matthew Matthijs

Luke Stevenson

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