On Tuesday, Kane Kepley made his professional baseball debut for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, the Single-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs organization.
Playing center field and hitting in the leadoff spot, the only real difference was that Kepley was not sporting a UNC baseball uniform. Everything else, well, let's just say some things never change.
Trivia question time!
If you're a fan of the UNC baseball program and get this wrong, we are going to be extremely disappointed in you!
What the the result of Kepley's first at-bat at the professional level?
Time's up!
If you guessed, "hit by pitch," then you are CORRECT!
Kepley was a ball-magnet in his lone season as a Tar Heel, finishing the season with 27 hit by pitches. This appears to be a characteristic of Kepley's game that will follow him throughout his baseball career, given he likes to set up close to the plate to challenge pitchers to test him on the inside part of the plate.
In most cases, pitchers can't execute, resulting in him getting hit by a pitch and getting on base (which is great considering his elite ability to steal bases)
Oh yeah, and Kepley recorded his first professional hit as well, poking a ground ball into center field for a base hit.
First of many for Kane Kepley !!! 🥹 pic.twitter.com/iFCyjXYYFz
— Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) August 6, 2025
Kepley's first at-bat in the pros couldn't have been scripted any better. It serves as a comical moment for fans of the UNC baseball program, as they grew accustomed to seeing Kepley earn a free base after being hit by a pitch.
The only thing that's really missing is the Diamond Heel faithful who held up plush dolls (and in some cases, adult beverages) to reenact the famous scene from the Lion King in which baby Simba is revealed in honor of Kepley's walk-up song.
Once he makes it to Chicago, the UNC baseball fan base has to give Cubs fans a little tutorial on how to act prior to a Kane Kepley at-bat!