Matthew Matthijs has been through a lot throughout his UNC baseball career.
The right-hander from Greenville, North Carolina burst onto the scene right away, immediately becoming one of Scott Forbes' most trusted bullpen weapons. During the 2024 season, Matthijs was incredible, posting a 12-4 record with a 3.72 ERA over 36 appearances out of the pen, being used in a variety of key situations where the Diamond Heels needed some big outs.
Unfortunately, the injury bug got to Matthijs in a huge way, as he was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery following an injury to his UCL. He was limited to 17 appearances and his 2026 season (at least the start of it) was in jeopardy, but that didn't stop the veteran from working his tail off to get back on the mound.
In fact, Matthijs, who was elected a team captain, was back for the start of the season, a remarkable comeback from such a major injury. While he wasn't as effective in 2026 as he was prior to the injury, Matthijs is still working back to form and will be there in no time.
Fortunately, his baseball journey isn't ending with his college eligibility being exhausted.
Matthew Matthijs selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 2026 MLB Draft
Matthijs became the sixth Diamond Heel to hear his name called in the 2026 MLB Draft, as the Seattle Mariners took a chance on him in Round 17.
Say hey to our newest Tar Heel 👋
— Mariners Player Development (@MsPlayerDev) July 12, 2026
We’ve selected RHP @matthijs_hans out of @DiamondHeels in Round 17. #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/8vccKpmsiV
This is a low-risk, very high reward type of selection for the Mariners. If it wasn't for the injury, Matthijs would've been selected much earlier than he was, but given the circumstances, he fell into the franchise's lap.
Like we said earlier; Matthijs is still working his way back from Tommy John surgery, a rehab process that just doesn't happen overnight.
The Mariners know that his best baseball is ahead of him. As he continues to get back to form, Matthijs has the makings of being a fast rising prospect in their minor league system, especially given his ability to get outs out of the bullpen in various roles.
Whether you need one big out or need him to pitch multiple innings, Matthijs has proven that he will be ready when his number is called.
The Diamond Heels made program history during Day 1 of the 2026 MLB Draft
Matthew Matthijs is very deserving of this opportunity to begin his professional baseball career with the Mariners organization. An outstanding pitcher and an even better leader during his time in Chapel Hill, Matthijs has experienced the highs and lows that come along with this sport, and never once used his injury to negatively impact him. Instead, he continued to work and remained a key leader in the locker room, earning the respect of his peers and coaches.
Now, Matthijs will take his talents to the pros, and if you've followed the Diamond Heels over his tenure on campus, you know that he's a guy who will continue to defy the odds and work tremendously hard to achieve the goals he has in place for himself.
We can confirm that the Mariners got a really good one in Matthew Matthijs. They won't regret that selection one bit!
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