North Carolina baseball ended the ACC Tournament with a conference title and a No. 1-overall ranking.

Even though the Tar Heels came up short of the ultimate goal, head coach Scott Forbes is continuously proving his ability to turn over a roster after a year of success. UNC went to Omaha in 2024, but arguably had a better season last year after losing Vance Honeycutt, Casey Cook and many others to the MLB Draft and graduation.

This offseason followed suit for the Diamond Heels, as Stokely, Madera, Van De Brake, Kepley and Stevenson — all everyday starters in 2025 — are on their way out. Last week’s MLB Draft saw four players get selected. Pitchers Aidan Haugh and Jake Knapp joined Stevenson and Kepley on their way to professional baseball. The full roundup can be found here.

But following the draft and the transfer portal closing, we now know the rough outline of the roster for 2026. Let’s take a look at who may be taking the field next season.

Position Players:

Gavin Gallaher and Carter French are the only two returners who started consistently for the Tar Heels. Gallaher, who will be a junior, will in all likelihood control the third base position again, with an opportunity for an All-American-type season. French should have no issues finding himself in the outfield , but he was not an everyday guy for Forbes until later in the season, so it is safe to say he may not have as much security.

Other returners to keep an eye on are Perry Hargett, Sawyer Black, Lee Sowers and Rom Kellis. All rising sophomores, besides Kellis, these players saw time in 2025 but never consistently found the field. When in the lineup, Hargett played outfield, while the other three were mostly in the designated hitter role.

Notable newcomers in the portal are Macon Winslow (C, Duke), Michael Maginnis (OF, Georgia State), Erik Paulsen (IF, Stony Brook), Owen Hull (OF, George Mason) and Jake Schaffner (IF, North Dakota State). Schaffner and Paulsen both won Defensive Player of the Year in their respective conferences, while Hull and Winslow were two of the best available players at their positions in the portal.

Pitchers:

Knapp and Haugh are gone, but DeCaro, Lynch and McDuffie are back for North Carolina. It feels imminent that DeCaro and Lynch will be the Friday and Saturday starters, but that third spot—and just about every role in the bullpen—is up for grabs.

Guys like Olin Johnson, Cam Seagraves and Folger Boaz are also notable returners, who contributed at times out of the bullpen last season. Where they will slot in is the million-dollar question though, because the Tar Heels have not landed a single commit from a pitcher out of the transfer portal. Right-hander Trace Baker, who was at UNCW last season, committed to UNC, but was drafted by the Blue Jays and is expected to sign. Could a few freshman pitchers, like last season, make a huge mark?

Lineup Prediction:

Macon Winslow, C

Erik Paulsen, 1B

Perry Hargett, 2B

Jake Schaffner, SS

Gavin Gallaher, 3B

Carter French, LF

Owen Hull, CF

Sawyer Black, OF

Rom Kellis, DH

Jason DeCaro, SP

Ryan Lynch, SP

Folger Boaz, SP

Walker McDuffie, RP

Olin Johnson, RP

Cam Seagraves, RP

*Jackson Rose, RP

*Caden Glauber, RP

* Indicates freshman