After getting eliminated in the Lubbock Regional in the 2021 NCAA tournament, many players from the North Carolina baseball team looked to work on their game in summer leagues to prepare for their upcoming spring season.
With Austin Love, Justice Thompson, and Caleb Roberts all headed to the pros, second-year head coach Scott Forbes will be looking for some much-needed talent to replace his star players.
Whether it's incoming first-years or players who have been in the system for a year or two, some Tar Heels will have a great opportunity to fill the shoes of the team's recently departed stars.
Position Players
One of the standout performers from summer league was sophomore infielder Mac Horvath. Playing 35 games for the Rochester Honkers in the Northwoods League, Horvath hit .287 with 35 hits, 25 RBIs and four home runs — with his best performance being a two-homer game on July 3.
Horvath's solid play earned him an appearance in the Northwoods League All-Star Game, home run derby and the Major League Dreams Showcase, with major league scouts in attendance.
Having started 35 games for the Tar Heels last season, Horvath will look to continue his strong play and provide some consistent hitting in the lineup.
Another big performer was sophomore third baseman Patrick Alvarez, who played for the Asheboro Copperheads in the Coastal Plain League.
Alvarez’s hitting stats show consistency. In 128 at-bats, he had 40 hits, leading to an impressive .313 batting average. In addition, he tallied 21 RBIs and three home runs.
