D1Baseball ranks UNC star Vance Honeycutt among its top outfielders
If there’s ever a story about UNC baseball, there’s a good chance it mentions star outfielder Vance Honeycutt.
Guess what? So will this story.
Honeycutt, a junior in-state centerfielder from Salisbury, NC, is the reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Not only is Honeycutt smooth with his glove, but he’s also lightning-fast and has quite the pop in his bat.
So far in 2024, Honeycutt is hitting .288 with eight home runs and 29 RBIs. His strikeout numbers are a bit concerning, leading North Carolina with 38, but that’s bound to come with being a power hitter. Honeycutt will most likely run when he’s on base, as he tops the Diamond Heels with 16 successful swipes.
Throughout his UNC career, Honeycutt is a career .278 hitter. He’s mashed 45 home runs, driven in 129 and stoles 64 bases.
With how much he dominates the collegiate circuit, which has him projected as an early first-round pick in this year’s MLB Draft, Honeycutt was named D1Baseball’s fourth-ranked outfielder.
It’s rare to find a solid combination of speed, power and defense in today’s game. You’ll encounter several professionals who have mainly power (Pete Alonso), or speed and defense (Kevin Kiermaier), but rarely all three.
Honeycutt isn’t the only star in North Carolina’s lineup, which includes .400 hitter Gavin Gallagher and 40-RBI masher Casey Cook, as part of an offense that ranks 25th nationally in batting average (.315).
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