Two dozen players from NC schools selected in MLB Draft. Who made the cut
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- Twenty-four local North Carolina players were selected in the 2026 MLB Draft.
- UNC and N.C. State each supplied six draft picks, totaling half of the selections.
- No high school players from North Carolina were drafted this season.
Two dozen local North Carolina baseball players were selected in the 2026 MLB Draft.
N.C. State, North Carolina, Duke, East Carolina, High Point and Campbell were represented in this season’s draft, including six players in the top 100 players and a pair in the top 50. Half of the draft picks came from UNC and N.C. State, each with six selections.
The success comes at a positive time. State lawmakers and supporters are making a push for MLB leadership to award Raleigh an expansion team, hoping they can draw on attention from the Carolina Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup victory.
There were a few surprises in the draft. A handful of players jumping at least 40 spots from their projected rankings, while Wake Forest’s Dalton Wentz was a surprising drop. He was expected to go in the first six rounds but fell to the 16th. Meanwhile, North Carolina second baseman Gavin Gallaher went undrafted, despite being among the top 200 prospects, according to MLB.com. Gallaher exploded during the postseason and was one of Carolina’s top producers in the men’s College World Series. The recently-married infielder has two seasons of eligibility remaining and can return to the Tar Heels, if he chooses.
No high school players from North Carolina were drafted this season.
Here are the local draft picks, listed in order of selection.
North Carolina MLB Draft picks
Jake Schaffner / Shortstop / North Carolina / Boston Red Sox / Rd. 1, No. 20
Schaffner, originally ranked the 75th-best prospect, surprised people when he was selected with the 20th pick in the first round. Schaffner is the highest-drafted Tar Heel since J.B. Bukauskas was selected No. 15 in 2017. He is UNC’s 27th first-round pick, and 14th in the last 20 years. A UNC player has been selected in the first round in three straight seasons.
Ty Head / Outfielder / N.C. State / Baltimore Orioles / Rd. 2, No. 46
Head jumped up the draft boards after being ranked No. 60. While he doesn’t have the biggest bat, Head is an elite defender and earned the Rawlings Gold Glove at his position.
Owen Hull / Outfielder / North Carolina / Boston Red Sox / CB-B, No. 67
Hull was selected in one of the competitive balance rounds, aimed at promoting equity within the league. He was taken after one season at Carolina and two at George Mason. Hull was one of the team’s best power hitters, recording 39 extra base hits with a team-high .393 batting average and .615 slugging percentage.
Jason DeCaro / Pitcher / North Carolina / Pittsburgh Pirates / Rd. 3, No. 80
DeCaro, like Schaffner, rose more than 50 spots in the draft boards after being ranked No. 133. He was the first pitcher from the state selected in the draft. DeCaro spent three years at Carolina, earning national honors — including All-America — for his contributions.
Jacob Dudan / Pitcher / N.C. State / The Athletics / Rd. 3, No. 83
Dudan was drafted on Day 1, despite an injury in April that sidelined him for the rest of the season. He is not expected to return until 2027. Dudan recorded at least 10 strikeouts in four of his eight appearances.
Ryan Lynch / Pitcher / North Carolina / San Diego Padres / Rd. 3, No. 97
Lynch came out of the bullpen as a freshman, but he worked his way into a starting role this season. He is expected to return to a reliever role in the pros, which is where he has historically been most successful. DeCaro and Lynch served as UNC’s normal Friday and Saturday starters.
Ethan Norby / Pitcher / East Carolina / Cincinnati Reds / Rd. 4, No. 122
Norby jumped 45 spots on the draft board to become a fourth-round pick. He is listed at 5-foot-10, undersized for a pitcher, but uses that to create spin and a low release. He was an All-American Conference first team selection. His brother, Connor Norby, was an early second-round draft pick in 2021 and now plays for the Miami Marlins.
Kade Lewis / Third baseman / Wake Forest / Cleveland Guardians / Rd. 4, No. 123
Lewis was a Golden Spikes semifinalist in 2025 and a two-time All-ACC second team selection. He was also a third team All-American a year ago. Lewis started his career at Butler, where he was a freshman All-American and led the conference in batting (.377). This year, Lewis went .354 to lead the team. However, he is a “feast or famine” defender and could play more outfield in the pros.
Ryan Marohn / Pitcher / N.C. State / Pittsburgh Pirates / Rd. 5, No. 140
Originally from Chantilly, Virginia, Marohn was drafted by the Cleveland Guardians in the 20th round of the 2023 MLB Draft, before attending N.C. State. Marohn, like Dudan, dealt with an injury this season and missed nearly two months of action. In eight starts for the Pack, he struck out at least six batters, including a career-high 10 strikeouts against Florida State.
Luke Nixon / Second baseman / N.C. State / San Francisco Giants / Rd. 5, No. 150
Nixon is expected to be a utility player with his ability to hit, base run and defend. He was an ABCA/Rawlings Atlantic All-Region second team selection and All-ACC second teamer this year. He finished the season with a career-high .367 batting average and 15-game hit streak. His father, Trot Nixon, played 12 seasons in the majors.
Duncan Marsten / Pitcher / Wake Forest / Cincinnati Reds / Rd. 6, No.183
Previously underwent Tommy John surgery as a high school sophomore. He went undrafted in 2024 due to his commitment to Wake Forest. He has success against right-handed batters but has struggled against lefties. Scouts are split on whether he should sign or return to school.
Macon Winslow / Catcher / North Carolina / Philadelphia Phillies / Rd. 6, No. 190
Winslow spent two seasons at Duke before transferring to Carolina. He suffered a hand injury earlier this season, impacting Winslow’s availability. He moved to the designated hitter spot toward the end of the season. With Winslow behind the dish, the Tar Heels only allowed 10 stolen bases.
David Rossow / Pitcher / Campbell / The Athletics / Rd. 7, No. 201
Rossow was unranked entering the draft but led the Camels with 81.2 innings pitched. He recorded a 2.53 ERA, throwing one complete game and recording 104 strikeouts this season. Rossow earned Coastal Athletic Association Pitcher of the Year honors and was a third-team All-American.
Sherman Johnson / Third baseman / N.C. State / Cincinnati Reds / Rd. 7, No. 212
Johnson spent two seasons at Dallas Baptist and McLennan Community College before joining the Wolfpack. Johnson was an All-ACC third team selection and finished with 18 extra base hits, including nine home runs.
Aidan Weaver / Pitcher / Duke / The Athletics / Rd. 8, No. 231
Weaver ended his Duke career after four years. He finished 2026 with a 6.37 ERA and started in 14 games this season. Weaver led the Blue Devils pitching staff with 65 innings pitched. Duke’s 4-0 win over Miami was Weaver’s lone outing without a run allowed.
Cooper Consiglio / Pitcher / N.C. State/ Philadelphia Phillies / Rd. 9, No. 279
Consiglio made 16 appearances for the Wolfpack this season and recorded a 6.90 ERA. The left-handed junior spent three years at N.C. State and split time as a starter and reliever.
Javar Williams / Outfielder / Wake Forest / The Athletics / Rd. 11, No. 321
Williams played three seasons at Wake Forest, steadily increasing his production year-over-year. As a junior, Williams appeared in all 60 games, hitting a career-best .343. He led the team with 80 hits and 66 runs scored. The Massachusetts native earned All-ACC third team honors.
Chris McHugh / First baseman / N.C. State / San Diego Padres / Rd. 11, No. 335
McHugh played every game in 2026, leading the team with 50 RBIs. He added 16 doubles, one triple and nine home runs. McHugh, who started his career at Virginia Commonwealth, had 23 multihit games. He was an All-ACC second team selection in 2025.
Matthew Dallas / Pitcher / Wake Forest / Washington Nationals / Rd. 12, No. 346
Dallas started his career at Tennessee before transferring to Wake Forest, where he played one full season. Dallas missed half of the 2026 season due to elbow surgery. He holds a 4.66 ERA, but in two starts, he had a 2.45 ERA in 7.1 innings and struck out 14. He gave up two runs.
Gavin Van Kempen / Pitcher / East Carolina / Los Angeles Dodgers / Rd. 12, No. 373
Van Kampen spent one season with East Carolina after spending time at West Virginia. He recorded a 1.84 ERA in six starts and 45 strikeouts. However, his time was limited due to a season-ending injury.
Ty Brachbill / Pitcher / High Point / San Diego Padres / Rd. 14, No. 425
Brachbill started his career at Northern Illinois before transferring to High Point. During his year with the Panthers, Brachbill had a 3.59 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 90.1 innings pitched. He was named Big South Pitcher of the Year and was the pitcher of record in five wins.
Dalton Wentz / Third baseman / Wake Forest / San Francisco Giants / Rd. 16, No. 478
Wentz, a sophomore, holds a .599 slugging percentage in his two years as a Demon Deacon. He has hit 33 doubles, one triple and 33 home runs, and drove in 102 batters. This year, he led the team with 18 home runs and 19 doubles. Wentz was a first team freshman All-American last season and a third team All-ACC pick this spring. He was originally ranked at No. 165 but fell to the bottom of the draft.
Mathew Matthijs / Pitcher / North Carolina / Seattle Mariners / Rd. 17, No. 520
Mattijs was one of the final picks in the draft this season after struggling in 2026 and missing the last month of the 2025 season with an arm injury. He underwent Tommy John surgery last spring. The senior holds a 4.48 career ERA and looked like a promising arm the first two years. After his surgery, he didn’t have the same execution. Mattijs was a captain this season and entered several games, including the national championship series, to collect a few crucial outs.
Camden Wimbish / Pitcher / Campbell / Los Angeles Dodgers / Rd. 17, No. 523
Wimbish played two seasons at N.C. State before transferring to Campbell. This season, he held a 5.61 ERA with 59 strikeouts.
This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 8:09 PM.
