Junior centerfielder Vance Honeycutt was selected as the No. 22 pick in the first round by the Baltimore Orioles in the MLB Draft on Sunday evening.
During his three seasons with the Tar Heels, Honeycutt etched his name in UNC history.
In May, the leadoff hitter became UNC's home run king after notching his 58th career moon shot against Louisville. By the end of the year, Honeycutt recorded 65 homers in total, pushing him to the fourth-most in ACC history. This season, Honeycutt recorded 28 home runs, breaking the single season record he set during his first year at UNC and making him the first Tar Heel to record multiple 20-home run seasons.
Overall, the centerfielder batted .318, drove in 70 runs and recorded 28 stolen bases during the 2024 campaign. He was the only player in the Power 4 conferences to finish his career with over 60 home runs and 70 stolen bases. During his career, he stole 76 bases in total.
He also finished his career ranked top 10 in UNC history in runs, total bases, slugging percentage, stolen bases, walks and RBIs.
After pushing the Tar Heels to the College World Series with several walk-off performances in the postseason, the accolades continued even when UNC's season ended at the hands of Florida State.
In June, Honeycutt became the first Tar Heel to receive the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for his work in the outfield. This award came after the junior was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year in May, making him the first in league history to be named defensive player of the year back-to-back.
Honeycutt will look to add his athleticism and ability to contribute on the field and in the batter's box to hopefully become a contributing member on the Orioles.
