UNC baseball star mocked a late first-round pick in 2025 MLB Draft
If not for several late-inning blunders in their Chapel Hill Super Regional, the North Carolina Tar Heels would be part of this year's College World Series field.
UNC dominated Arizona in Game 1, 18-2, then lost 10-8 in Game 2. North Carolina's offense was virtually non-existent in Sunday's Game 3 loss, a 4-3 collapse, with the home team's only runs coming from a Jackson Van De Brake 3-run bomb. The Diamond Heels' bullpen struggled in Games 1 and 2, while Van De Brake committed a costly Game 3 error that shifted momentum.
North Carolina should return most of its roster in 2025, but it'll have a much younger team. One star player UNC will miss is catcher Luke Stevenson, who – despite struggling in the Chapel Hill Super Regional – proved himself worthy of an MLB Draft selection.
In USA TODAY Sports' latest 2025 MLB Mock Draft – ahead of the College World Series – which starts on Friday, June 13 at 1 p.m. with an Arizona-Coastal Carolina matchup, Stevenson is mocked 26th overall to the Philadelphia Phillies.
"(He) does not possess the current offensive profile that (Auburn catcher Ike) Irish offers, but Stevenson is a pure catcher, with an athletic 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame that hit 19 homers for the Tar Heels this season," Gabe Lacques wrote.
Stevenson hit for a career .267 batting average during his 2-year career as a Diamond Heel, collecting 117 hits, while mashing 33 home runs and driving in 116 runners. Though you may hear more about his offense, Stevenson is quite the defensive catcher, too, committing just four errors through 125 games.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
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