North Carolina continued ACC play with a matchup against top rival Duke. Outside of potential first overall pick in 2024 Vance Honeycutt, each team has a pair of draft-eligible infielders to watch.
3B Mac Horvath, North Carolina
In the fourth inning of Thursday’s series opener against Duke, Horvath went down and got an Owen Proksch breaking ball, breaking the game open with what turned out to be the difference-making three-run shot– his 12th homer of the season. He also turned a 95 mph fastball into a hard lineout to third base in the second.
Carolina’s No. 2 hitter has a strong, durable build, with an efficient, compact swing. With plus plate discipline, Horvath is able to make quality contact on pitches in the zone while drawing plenty of walks. He tapped into his considerable raw power as a sophomore, driving the ball over the fence on a regular basis and using the whole field to rack up extra-base hits– through Tuesday, March 28, he is tied with Georgia’s Connor Tate for the most extra-base hits in the country with 22.
A third baseman by trade, Horvath has been tasked with manning right field for the Tar Heels of late. He wasn’t asked to do too much in right on Thursday, but did range back nicely towards the wall to track down a fly ball off the bat of Jay Beshears in the ninth inning. He should be able to handle third base at the next level without any issue, but versatility never hurts.
Horvath has as much helium as anyone in the country, with a legitimate shot being at least a comp pick.
OF Vance Honeycutt, North Carolina
Honeycutt snapped a six-game hitting streak on Thursday, going 0-for-4 in the series opener against Duke. He did have a pair of hard-hit outs, however, that just didn’t go his way, including a fly-out to the wall in left that would’ve given Carolina a three-run lead in the fourth had it cleared the fence.
Honeycutt has recently struggled a bit with velocity. He was consistently late on and even swung through fastballs as low as 91 mph. Still, as Duke right-hander Adam Boucher came in pumping 96 in the second inning, the Carolina outfielder was able to remain patient and draw a walk.
He’s big and athletic with fast hands and extremely loud tools, and while there is some pre-swing movement, he is able to maintain great barrel control. He was his usual reliable self in center field on Thursday night, gliding to balls in the gaps and running them down with ease.
Honeycutt hasn’t quite played at the level he did as a freshman – he has yet to homer in ACC play – but the toolset is undeniable. He’s done nothing to hurt his case for being the top pick in next year’s draft.
2B Jackson Van De Brake, North Carolina
Van De Brake reached base four times in Thursday’s win over Duke, recording three of Carolina’s seven hits– including a pair of doubles. The JuCo transfer hasn’t homered since March 10, but he continues to produce in the middle of Scott Forbes’ lineup.
In his first five weeks of Division 1 ball, Van De Brake has displayed strong bat-to-ball skills and excellent barrel control, with the ability to use the entire field. He stays balanced throughout his swing, letting his quick hands and fluid athleticism do the work.
He may not project as a gold glove infielder, but he is agile and sure-handed enough to play second base, with the arm strength to play third, if necessary. Van De Brake has the look of a Day 2 utility infielder, with the chance to make a name for himself over the next two months.
RHP Max Carlson, North Carolina
Carlson settled down nicely after a rocky first couple of innings against the Blue Devils, but he still struggled with command and once again fell victim to the longball– he’s allowed seven homers in just 28 innings of work on the year.
Carlson has a sturdy, medium frame with just average athleticism and a bit of a jerky delivery. He sat in the low 90s to start, but was maxing out at 89 just a few innings into the game. As he tired, he began to lean more heavily on his secondary stuff– which is typically more effective than his fastball, anyway. His slider is capable of being an out pitch, but is far too inconsistent– he hung one in the first inning that Alex Stone crushed for a two-run homer.
Despite one stellar performance against East Carolina last month, Carlson’s subpar command and control have led to a very rough start to the season. He would be in danger of losing his role as Carolina’s No. 1 starter if someone else were to step up.
SS Alex Mooney, Duke
Mooney went hitless in Thursday’s series opener against North Carolina– just the fourth time he’s done so in 25 games this season. He drew two walks and avoided striking out, but couldn’t get the ball to land in the outfield.
He has a medium frame with an athletic build and some projection remaining. At the plate, he stands with a wide base, keeping his hands tight and his toe on the ground throughout his compact right-handed swing.
Mooney doesn’t currently have the strength to hit a lot of home runs, but there is a bit of loft in his swing, so average power could be attainable with some added strength. As of now, though, he combines patience, a gap-to-gap approach and plus speed to reach base at a high clip and frequently take extra bases.
Despite dropping the toss on a potential inning-ending double play – which led to Carolina’s first three runs scoring – there are no doubts about Mooney’s defensive abilities. On the dirt, he has smooth actions with an incredibly quick transfer and above-average arm strength.
Teams not sold on his ability to develop in-game power could still be enticed by his on-base skills and defensive prowess. Mooney should fit in somewhere in the top three rounds, with the chance to sneak into the first round.
2B Jay Beshears, Duke
Beshears found himself on base following each of his first three plate appearances on Thursday, including a rocket line drive off the glove of left fielder Casey Cook that was ruled a double.
Beshears has a large frame with a strong build and decent athleticism. He keeps his hands high and employs a medium leg kick, and while his swing is fluid, there is some length to it. He possesses plus raw power and makes very loud contact – mostly to the pull side – but comes with plenty of swing-and-miss.
The Northwestern transfer has played mostly second base in his collegiate career, but his defensive actions are nowhere near smooth enough for him to handle the position going forward. Given his size and lack of lateral agility, he is likely to end up in the outfield long-term.
With continued success against ACC pitching, Beshears should be able to cement himself as a Day 2 pick with upside.
RHP Adam Boucher, Duke
The crowd in Chapel Hill took notice when Boucher came into the game in the second inning, as his first warm-up pitch popped at 96– neither team’s starter had flashed higher than 91.
The junior right-hander has an extra large frame with a power profile, as the ball explodes out of his hand during his repeatable, three-quarters delivery.
Along with his mid-90s fastball – with which he pounds the top of the zone – Boucher mixes in a high-spin, mid-80s slider, which flashes plus and darts away from right-handed hitters. He has the body type that many teams covet and an arm you can dream on, but finding the strike zone has been a struggle. Still, he rarely misses over the plate and doesn’t yield much hard contact.
Presently, Boucher looks like a Day 2 multi-inning reliever, with more appeal if he proves himself capable of starting.
