Keeping It Heel
Fansided

Kane Kepley's speed on the base paths slides him among elite UNC baseball company

Kane Kepley has shown off his ability to steal bases during his first season at North Carolina.
ByNick Delahanty|
Mar 1, 2025; Stanford, CA, USA; A double base sits on the field before the game between the Stanford Cardinal and the Xavier Musketeers at Sunken Diamond. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Mar 1, 2025; Stanford, CA, USA; A double base sits on the field before the game between the Stanford Cardinal and the Xavier Musketeers at Sunken Diamond. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

We've learned quite a bit about Kane Kepley during his first season wearing the Carolina Blue uniform.

From the junior outfielder's elite walk-up song (one that gets the crowd at Boshamer Stadium raising essentially whatever is in their hand at the moment to reenact the famous Simba scene from the movie, 'The Lion King') to his elite defensive ability, Kepley has quickly become a fan favorite in Chapel Hill.

While his ability to get on base (and the insane amount of times he gets hit by pitches!) stand out on the offensive side of the ball, his ability to steal bases might just be his best asset.

To show just how good of a base stealer Kepley is, check out the elite company he joined on Friday afternoon when he stole two bags during the third inning of the UNC baseball program's NCAA Tournament opener victory over Holy Cross.

The Salisbury, North Carolina native became just the fourth Tar Heel ever to swipe 40+ bases in a single-season, joining the likes of Russ Adams, Chad Holbrook and Brian Roberts among this exclusive list. This accomplishment hasn't been achieved since 2002 (Adams), showing just how difficult of a feat this is.

Following Vance Honeycutt's departure to the professional ranks, many wondered how the UNC baseball program would replace his production in center field. While no one is expected to match Honeycutt's numbers exactly, the Tar Heels did an excellent job of bringing in Kepley via the transfer portal, as he's made quite the impact in what could be his lone season as a member of the UNC baseball program (given he is projected as a 2025 MLB Draft pick).

A defensive wizard in center field, an on-base machine at the plate and an elite base stealer, Kane Kepley simply does it all, and the UNC baseball program benefits from having him at the top of their everyday lineup.

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