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Diamond Heels: North Carolina ranked in Baseball America’s preseason top ten

By Bryson Gordon

FORT BRAGG, NC - JULY 03: A detailed view of baseballs prior to the game between the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves on July 3, 2016 in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The Fort Bragg Game marks the first regular season MLB game ever to be played on an active military base. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
FORT BRAGG, NC - JULY 03: A detailed view of baseballs prior to the game between the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves on July 3, 2016 in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The Fort Bragg Game marks the first regular season MLB game ever to be played on an active military base. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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The Diamond Heels are looking to build on the regular season success they had last year, but they still need the postseason success.

College baseball season is quickly approaching. There is not much better than the College World Series, but that is a place that the North Carolina Diamond Heels have not been in five years.

They are hoping to end that drought this season, and the preseason rankings believe they can.

Baseball America, one of the top baseball publications in the country released its preseason top-25 today, and the Tar Heels are high on the list.

The Diamond Heels checked in at number six on the preseason rankings list.

This is a good sign for a Tar Heels team that lost quite a few key players. Former ace JB Bukauskas is now in the Houston Astros farm system and is one of their top prospects.

The Diamond Heels also lost Brian Miller and Logan Warmoth to the draft, both first-round picks as well.

But despite that, the Tar Heels have a clear successor as the ace of the staff. Luca Dalatri showed he could carry the team last year. In his freshman season, Dalatri went 7-3, with a 3.34 ERA.

Out of the bullpen, North Carolina will bring in star reliever Josh Hiatt who locked down the closer role last year after the bullpen had struggled in 2016.

The redshirt sophomore had a 1.90 ERA in 32 appearances, which is incredible.

On the offensive end of things, the Tar Heels bring back sophomore Ashton McGee, who hit .327 and tied for second on the team with seven homers last year. Brandon Riley will also step into a bigger role for the Diamond Heels.

Riley hit .317 last year, and was one of the many players with seven home runs, like McGee. Those two guys will be forced to carry the offense, but they are more than capable, as they showed last year.

Baseball America believes the Diamond Heels can get back to the College World Series. This team is very capable of winning the ACC, and maybe even a national championship.

They just need to right the postseason ship after a disappointing showing last year.

Related Story: A pair former Diamond Heels are looking for a fresh start in the MLB.

For all updates on the Diamond Heels, stay with Keeping It Heel through baseball season!

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