UNC Baseball lands transfer from national powerhouse

The UNC baseball program has added an impact arm from one of the nation’s most successful and consistent programs.

After this week’s MLB Draft, the 2023 college baseball rosters are beginning to take shape. The UNC baseball program, which has the potential to lose three impactful arms, utilized the transfer portal to help strengthen its pitching staff.

With two seasons under his belt at the collegiate level, Vanderbilt transfer and left-handed pitcher Nelson Berkwich is headed to Chapel Hill. The Boca Raton, Florida native committed to Scott Forbes and the Diamond Heels over the weekend.

Berkwich, who was used primarily as a reliever, appeared in 28 career games with the Commodores. The southpaw pitched to the tune of a 3.03 ERA at Vanderbilt, compiling a 2-0 record and 38 strikeouts in 29 2/3 innings.

Berkwich seemed destined to star out of the Commodore bullpen as a sophomore, not allowing an earned run over his first 11 appearances. 12 of Berkwich’s 18 appearances this past season were scoreless efforts, highlighting his consistency and reliability out of the pen.

As the summer ball season comes to an end, Berkwich finished his stint with the Bourne Braves of the prominent Cape Cod League. The future Tar Heel recorded action in five games, amassing a 1.96 ERA in 18 1/3 innings.

Berkwich earned a 1-0 record with 18 strikeouts while allowing just four walks.

The addition of Berkwich to the North Carolina pitching staff should help mitigate potential losses to the pros. The UNC baseball program could lose three key arms to the MLB Draft, along with USC transfer and Diamond Heel commit Matt Keating, who recently signed with the New York Yankees.

As Berkwich heads to Chapel Hill, he has the opportunity to establish himself as a consistent bullpen piece, something that Tar Heels could really use moving forward.

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