From Durham to Chapel Hill: Former Duke catcher transfers to North Carolina

This former Blue Devils' decision is going to go over well!
Jun 8, 2025; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils catcher Macon Winslow (6) runs to home after hitting a home run in the sixth inning against the Murray State Racers during the Durham Super Regionals at Jack Coombs Field.  Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images
Jun 8, 2025; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils catcher Macon Winslow (6) runs to home after hitting a home run in the sixth inning against the Murray State Racers during the Durham Super Regionals at Jack Coombs Field. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

The new world of the transfer portal brings about wild things. There's no such thing as "that player originally played for Duke," or "there's no way that former Tar Heel would go to NC State!"

We got a great glimpse of that on Monday, as former Duke catcher Macon Winslow will transfer to North Carolina to join Scott Forbes and the UNC baseball program.

With Luke Stevenson likely MLB bound, along with Macaddin Dye's decision to transfer, the UNC baseball program was in desperate need of depth behind the plate. Before Winslow's commitment, North Carolina brought in Colin Hynek, a former Georgia State standout.

Now, the Diamond Heels have created a solid foundation to work with at the catcher position.

Winslow isn't the only player departing Durham this offseason. With Chris Pollard leaving to take the head coach position at Virginia, 23 former Blue Devils elected to find new homes, as quite a few are following Pollard to his next stop.

While Pollard would love to bring his whole team with him, some won't follow him to Virginia, as Winslow is one of those players heading elsewhere.

Coming out of high school, Winslow was ranked as the No. 1 overall catcher from the state of North Carolina, and was considered a top-10 catching prospect within his recruiting class. He spent two seasons at Duke, essentially being a starter since the minute he arrived on campus.

After splitting time between the outfield and behind the plate during his freshman season, Winslow transitioned to a full-time catcher's role for the 2025 season. In 57 games played, the Hertford, North Carolina native hit .278, collecting 55 hits, 13 doubles and 9 home runs. One of his best performances of the season came against his new team, as he recorded three hits against the Tar Heels back on April 4.

Scott Forbes and the UNC baseball program have been putting in work via the transfer portal, as the staff knows they have quite a few holes to fill this offseason. They currently have five transfers committed to join the program, all of which are position players, as the everyday lineup we watched this season will look a lot different come the start of the 2026 season.