Trio Of Tar Heels Tabbed All-America By Baseball America
June 20, 2025 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – North Carolina pitchers Jake Knapp, Walker McDuffie, and Ryan Lynch have all received All-America honors from Baseball America, the organization announced on Friday.
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Knapp, College Baseball Foundation's National Pitcher of the Year, was named to the national third team while McDuffie and Lynch earned spots on the freshman second team. It's the fourth such award so far this postseason for Knapp, officially qualifying him as a consensus All-American. McDuffie has been given three freshman All-America honors and this is the second for Lynch.
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The 2025 ACC Pitcher of the Year and NCBWA District 4 Player of the Year has been phenomenal this season in battling back from Tommy John surgery that took away his 2024 campaign. His 14-0 record is both the best in the country and the best in program history, as he finished with the most wins without defeat ever by a Tar Heel. He wrapped up his season with a 2.02 ERA in 102.1 innings pitched, two complete games, 88 strikeouts, and only 16 walks.
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The flamethrowing freshman Lynch lead the regular relievers in ERA (2.93) before joining the starting rotation in the postseason. His only three starts of the year came in just about the most high leverage situations you could dream up, the ACC Championship Game and two elimination games in the NCAA tournament. He was exquisite in all three outings, allowing just four earned runs in 16.0 innings with 18 strikeouts and a .167 opposing batting average.
Lee County legend Walker McDuffie was exceptional out of the bullpen all season for the Tar Heels, leading the team with 28 appearances while racking up 55.1 IP, 72 strikeouts, and three combined shutouts. The All-ACC Freshman team member had the most saves by a true freshman Tar Heel (6) since Trent Thornton in 2013.
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Both Lynch and McDuffie gave UNC multiple freshman with more than one save in a season since at least 1997.
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Knapp, College Baseball Foundation's National Pitcher of the Year, was named to the national third team while McDuffie and Lynch earned spots on the freshman second team. It's the fourth such award so far this postseason for Knapp, officially qualifying him as a consensus All-American. McDuffie has been given three freshman All-America honors and this is the second for Lynch.
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The 2025 ACC Pitcher of the Year and NCBWA District 4 Player of the Year has been phenomenal this season in battling back from Tommy John surgery that took away his 2024 campaign. His 14-0 record is both the best in the country and the best in program history, as he finished with the most wins without defeat ever by a Tar Heel. He wrapped up his season with a 2.02 ERA in 102.1 innings pitched, two complete games, 88 strikeouts, and only 16 walks.
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The flamethrowing freshman Lynch lead the regular relievers in ERA (2.93) before joining the starting rotation in the postseason. His only three starts of the year came in just about the most high leverage situations you could dream up, the ACC Championship Game and two elimination games in the NCAA tournament. He was exquisite in all three outings, allowing just four earned runs in 16.0 innings with 18 strikeouts and a .167 opposing batting average.
Lee County legend Walker McDuffie was exceptional out of the bullpen all season for the Tar Heels, leading the team with 28 appearances while racking up 55.1 IP, 72 strikeouts, and three combined shutouts. The All-ACC Freshman team member had the most saves by a true freshman Tar Heel (6) since Trent Thornton in 2013.
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Both Lynch and McDuffie gave UNC multiple freshman with more than one save in a season since at least 1997.
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Players Mentioned
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