Stevenson has a plus arm and is a great athlete, but is still not quite there as a receiver. He should play as an average catcher moving forward. The impact with the bat is very encouraging, posting a 112.2 Max EV , 106.4 90th percentile EV to match a .350 xwWOBAcon. There’s an obvious feel to loft the baseball and he will get to his power. I’m a big fan of his swing decisions as well, his chase rate is 20.5%, swings at pitches in the zone 63% of the time and overall very selective with his swings. He’s had problems handling spin, an issue that I anticipate will be a trend throughout his career.

Gavin Gallaher, a 6'1" 191-pound third baseman from the University of North Carolina, has built a reputation as one of college baseball's most clutch performers after earning back-to-back NCAA Regional MVP honors and slashing .325/.409/.603 with 17 home runs in 2025. The right-handed hitter shows no glaring weaknesses at the plate with solid plate discipline (21.9% chase rate, 11.7% walk rate) and the ability to produce hard fly-ball contact gap to gap, supported by his 104.4 mph 90th percentile exit velocity and impressive 30.7% barrel rate. However, scouts remain skeptical about his pro projection due to significant concerns about his power translating with wood bats. He's slugged just .316 with two homers in 52 Cape Cod League games over two summers, which is particularly problematic for a player whose defensive versatility is limited. A below-average runner with average arm strength, Gallaher proved too slow defensively at third base and lacks the actions and quickness to handle second base in professional baseball despite North Carolina's 2026 plan to move him there. He projects as a left fielder where his offensive profile would need to play up significantly. Gallaher's college production and clutch performances are undeniable, but the combination of questionable power projection with wood bats and a likely defensive home in left field creates uncertainty about whether his game will translate to professional success.

Kepley has a sublime feel to hit, posting a <10% whiff rate in 2024 with the Liberty Flames. The chase rate is plus at 14.8%, but I’d be fine with it coming up. He’s overly passive in his approach, which may get taken advantage of in the ACC. Kepley has not done much damage, and is a line-drive hitter with minimal power (106 max EV). Added strength and selling out for pull-side fly balls to manufacture damage will likely be the path forward here.

Ryan Lynch, a 6'3" 235-pound right-hander from the University of North Carolina, burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2025 by dominating out of the bullpen before posting a 2.25 ERA across three postseason starts, including seven strong innings against Arizona in the NCAA super regional finals. The power arm operates as a primary east-west pitcher, featuring a plus 92-96 mph sinker that generates exceptional ground contact, paired with a sharp 83-85 mph slider that shows both depth and sweep, though it sometimes breaks so much that controlling it becomes difficult. Lynch's relies heavily on strike-throwing and command, making the development of additional pitches like a cutter and/or curveball crucial for his projection as a starter. While he maintained his velocity through three late-season starts, he'll need to prove durability over a full season, develop his offspeed stuff, and further refine his control (3.67 BB/9) to maximize his starter ceiling. His strong, durable frame and low release height create natural deception, and if he can add weapons beyond his fastball-slider combination, he could creep into first-round consideration.

Jason DeCaro, a 6'5" 230-pound right-hander from the University of North Carolina, has established himself as one of college baseball's most polished arms despite questions about the upside of his stuff. In his college career thus far, he has relied on advanced pitchability and sequencing along with above average stuff. DeCaro operates with an 91-94 mph fastball that hs topped out at 97 early in 2026. The run-ride fastball shape is complemented by a low-80s changeup with fade that remains his go-to secondary offering for inducing swings and misses. His low-80s slider and mid-70s curveball are solid-average pitches that he sequences intelligently, though his 20.5% chase rate and 27.4% in-zone whiff rate reflect his limitations in missing bats. Despite an inability to get whiff at times, his excellent control (2.77 BB/9) keeps hitters off-balance. The intrigue with DeCaro lies in his youth. He will be just 20 years and three months old on draft day, making him one of the youngest college juniors eligible. Decaro projects as high-floor back-end starter whose advanced feel and command could allow him to outpitch his modest stuff rather than an arm with dominant swing-and-miss capabilities and no control.

Matthias flashed some of the better stuff in the country out of the pen for UNC last year. His four-seamer 22.5” of carry at 91-94, touching 95 mph. He throws 4 secondaries: cutter, slider, curveball, and change-up. He has great velocity and solid-average or better movement profiles on all 4, but has struggled to miss bats and draw chase. I feel good about the stuff, and think there’s enough in terms of command that he could end up a starter, and if not possibly a premium long-reliever.