Trio of UNC baseball players tabbed as Gold Glove Award finalists

The focus on Tuesday surrounded the UNC baseball program's College World Series matchup with Florida State, but some big news was announced that seemed to get lost in the shuffle.

The American Baseball Coaches Association announced the finalists for the 2024 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I Gold Glove team! The finalists were voted on and selected by the ABCA NCAA Division I All-America & Coach of the Year Committee.

This year, three UNC baseball players made the list of finalists for their stellar play defensively.

Starting on the mound, left-hander Shea Sprague was one of the best fielding pitchers in the country. The Elon transfer improved as the season went along, as he went from starting the year in the bullpen to becoming the Diamond Heels' No. 2 starter.

You can easily make a case that the UNC baseball program's middle infielders both deserve spots on this list, but only one made the cut. Second baseman Alex Madera was named a finalist at his position, as the Arcadia transfer posted a .991 fielding percentage while recording 90 putouts and 137 assists.

Finally, the least surprising of the list is centerfielder Vance Honeycutt, the reigning two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Honeycutt was tested even more during his junior season and rose to the occasion, recording 191 putouts and five assists while carrying a .985 fielding percentage.

The Tar Heels defense was a key component to its success, as multiple players served as above-average fielders throughout the 2024 season. These three Diamond Heels stand out the most, as what they did defensively earned them some national recognition.

We won't have to wait long to find out this year's winners, as the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove recipients will be announced on Wednesday, June 19 via X/Twitter by Rawlings Sporting Goods.