UNC Baseball: Tar Heels land 2023 recruit

OMAHA, NE - JUNE 21: Starting pitcher Adam Warren #28 (L) of the North Carolina Tar Heels enjoys a laugh with pitching coach Scott Forbes #21 and catcher Tim Federowicz #19 (R) before being relieved from the game in the seventh inning of their 7-4 win over the Rice Owls in Game 13 of the NCAA College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium on June 21, 2007 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
OMAHA, NE - JUNE 21: Starting pitcher Adam Warren #28 (L) of the North Carolina Tar Heels enjoys a laugh with pitching coach Scott Forbes #21 and catcher Tim Federowicz #19 (R) before being relieved from the game in the seventh inning of their 7-4 win over the Rice Owls in Game 13 of the NCAA College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium on June 21, 2007 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The UNC baseball team has secured a big commitment from one of the area’s top recruits in the class of 2023.

Scott Forbes was recently named the new head baseball coach at the University of North Carolina, taking over for legendary coach Mike Fox.

As Forbes looks to make his imprint on the program, the new Tar Heels coach has landed a big commitment from one of the top local players in the class of 2023.

Gavin Gallaher recently announced his commitment to the University of North Carolina. The 2023 middle infield prospect currently ranks as the No. 147 recruit in his graduating class according to Perfect Game. Gallaher is a local kid, as he is an Apex, North Carolina native. He currently plays his high school baseball at Pro5 Baseball Academy in Holly Springs, North Carolina.

Although he is only a sophomore, Gallaher was ready to make his commitment to the Tar Heels. Playing college baseball at North Carolina has always been a dream of his, as he mentioned in an interview with The Daily Tar Heel:

"“Just living here and being close to home, I have been going to basketball games, baseball games and football growing up. It just kind of feels like it’s home to me.”"

Even though North Carolina served as a “dream school” for Gallaher, the talented middle infielder says that his college decision was not an easy one. For top-ranked players like Gallaher, there is usually an abundance of pressure that surrounds their decision, and the impacts of the COVID-19 virus also seemed to alter his recruitment process a bit.

Regardless, the process is now over for Gallaher, as he will officially be a Tar Heel in a few years.  The program’s history along with his growing relationship with Forbes seemed to be the major factors in Gallaher choosing Chapel Hill as his future home.

We may have to wait a few years to see Gallaher on the North Carolina campus, but his showcase coach, John Batchelor, thinks that Tar Heel fans will love watching him play once he arrives:

"“I’ll tell you what, the fans are going to love watching him play, because he plays with a ton of passion. He loves the game, he plays it hard and he plays it the right way.”"

Continue to follow the Keeping It Heel team for all the latest news and updates regarding the North Carolina Baseball program.