Keeping It Heel
Fansided

2020 MLB Season: Highlighting Featured Tar Heels on Opening Day

By Richard Adkins

JUPITER, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 19: Andrew Miller #21 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws a pitch during a team workout at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on February 19, 2020 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
JUPITER, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 19: Andrew Miller #21 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws a pitch during a team workout at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on February 19, 2020 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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PHOENIX, ARIZONA – JULY 06: Pitcher Zac Gallen #23 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches during an intrasquad game ahead of the abbreviated MLB season at Chase Field on July 06, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona. The 2020 season, which has been postponed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is set to start later this month. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – JULY 06: Pitcher Zac Gallen #23 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches during an intrasquad game ahead of the abbreviated MLB season at Chase Field on July 06, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona. The 2020 season, which has been postponed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is set to start later this month. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Zac Gallen

Former UNC pitcher Zac Gallen had one of the biggest leaps of improvement for a pitcher while playing for Carolina in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. After pitching an ERA of 4.64 in 85 innings his freshman season, he had an impressive bounce-back his sophomore season pitching an ERA of 2.79 in 84 innings. That same season he had 74 strikeouts and had the honors of second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference.

The now Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher was drafted in the third round of the 2016 draft and has a bright future as his workload becomes heavier each season as he gets established. In 15 games played in his young career the Tar Heel sits with a 3-6 record with an ERA of 2.81 and 96 strikeouts in 80 innings pitched.

Gallen has made some really impressive strides in his career, getting him to where he is now at this point in his career. The Diamondbacks’ pitcher is expected to be third in the team’s rotation and will make his first start on Sunday in San Diego.

A big year could be on the horizon for Gallen.

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