Five UNC baseball players earn Perfect Game All-American honors

Following a stellar 2024 season, the UNC baseball program is well-represented in Perfect Game's annual All-American teams.

In fact, five Diamond Heels earned various All-American honors.

To no surprise, star centerfielder Vance Honeycutt earned first-team All-American honors. What more can you say about Honeycutt, who put together yet another historic season for the Diamond Heels, as he re-wrote his previously set single-season home run record and has cruised into the top spot on the program's all-time career home run list. Not only does he do just about everything offensively, he is an elite defensive player as well, as he's the reigning two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

Left-handed relief pitcher Dalton Pence earned second-team All-American honors, as not many relievers (if any) are as reliable as he has been all season long. As evident by how much he's been called upon during the postseason, Pence has ice in his veins, as no situation is too tough for him to handle. Over 35 appearances, Pence allowed just 12 earned runs over 54 innings of work, as he's the guy the Diamond Heels want on the mound when the game is on the line.

To add to Honeycutt and Pence's All-American selections, a trio of Diamond Heels were selected to Perfect Game's Freshman All-American squad.

Right-hander Jason DeCaro (a first-team freshman All-American selection) developed into the Tar Heels' Friday night starter, as injuries to the rotation opened up the opportunity for the freshman. He more than delivered, as he showcased why he was highly-touted coming out of high school. To make what he accomplished even more impressive, DeCaro was still 17 years old for a good portion of the 2024 season, as he was dealing against guys who were sometimes as much as 5-6 years older.

Luke Stevenson (another first-team freshman All-American selection) had big shoes to fill with the departure of Tomas Frick to the Major Leagues. Stevenson was more than ready for the challenge, as he arguably was the best freshman catcher in the entire country. His ability to handle a pitching staff along with his elite offensive ability make him a prospect that MLB scouts will definitely keep an eye on.

Finally, Gavin Gallaher (second-team freshman All-American) quickly earned his way into the Diamond Heels' starting lineup. Becoming a regular at third base, Gallaher is another two-way player who impacts the game both offensively and defensively, as he provided some big time hits and some timely defensive web gems when his team needed them the most.

The Diamond Heels are College World Series bound, thanks in large part to what these five players (along with many other contributors) have been able to do. Without these players' contributions, it's likely that the Tar Heels wouldn't be in the position they are in now, as the reigning ACC regular season champions are fortunate to have some of the nation's top talents on their active roster.