Former UNC baseball star Mac Horvath traded to the Tampa Bay Rays

Well, so much for our dreams of Mac Horvath and Vance Honeycutt hitting in the same lineup (for now, at least).

Horvath, the former UNC baseball star, has been traded to the Tampa Bay Rays as part of a deal that sends Zach Eflin to the Baltimore Orioles.

Considered the No. 10 overall prospect in the Orioles minor league system, Horvath was selected by the club in the second round of the 2023 MLB Draft. During his short stint with the franchise, Horvath appeared in 93 games, posting a .252 batting average, 14 home runs, and 52 RBIs between split time in Rookie, Single-A, and High-A ball.

With various injuries within the starting rotation, the Orioles are desperate for some pitching help. As they have a roster that is ready to contend for a deep postseason run now, they called upon their division foe to help provide them with some depth, as Eflin is a guy who was considered one of the better arms available prior to the upcoming MLB trade deadline.

The Orioles do have a surplus of young position player talent, as they were able to dive deep into their farm system to part ways with three quality players in the deal. For Horvath, the opportunity with the Rays may end up being a good one, as the organization is looking to rebuild and will look to develop the next wave of talent to build the team into a contender once again, especially with their new stadium looming in the near future.

If you keep tabs on the former UNC baseball players in the pros, it's time to move Mac Horvath to another American League East squad. While being traded isn't always ideal, it's a friendly reminder that at least one other club sees potential in you and wants the opportunity to add you to their club.