North Carolina
Is 2024 The Greatest Year Ever For North Carolina MLB Draft Talent? — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects – Baseball America
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The state of North Carolina isn’t quite in the elite hotbed producing tier of the big three states—California, Florida and Texas—it is solidly in a second tier that also includes Georgia, Illinois and New York.
While the Tar Heel state has produced prominent high school players like Josh Hamilton, Cameron Maybin, Madison Bumgarner, Corey Seager and more recently MacKenzie Gore and Walker Jenkins, its draft strength relies mostly on the quality and quantity of its college baseball programs.
As MLB teams have increasingly shown a taste for college players compared to the early draft days when preps were all the rage, the state of North Carolina has only become a bigger player at the top of the draft.
In the first 35 years of the draft, from 1965 to 1999 the state produced 19 first-round picks. Of those, 10 were high schoolers and nine came from the college demographic—a slight majority edge (52.6%) toward high-risk, high-reward preps.
Since the turn of the century and in the last 24 years, from 2000-2023, North Carolina has produced 46 first-round picks: one from junior college, 12 from high school and 33 from the college demographic—an extremely strong swing toward four-year players (71.7%).
That trend should continue in the 2024 class, which as a whole is built around the strength of college hitters, and is particularly flush with talent from North Carolina colleges. Several scouts this spring have already mentioned how this could be an all-time year for the state in terms of top-of-the-draft talent.
Six teams on our current college top 25 are North Carolina programs and 11 players on our current draft rankings are North Carolina college products inside the top 100. Perhaps more impressively, seven of those players currently rank inside the top 30 and are prime candidates to be selected in the first round this July.
If that happens, the 2024 class would shatter North Carolina’s first-round record of five players, which was set in 2019 when Will Wilson, George Kirby, Greg Jones, Blake Walston and Michael Busch were all taken in the first round.
Below we’ll examine each of the 11 players currently ranked inside the top 100 from North Carolina. Full scouting reports for each player are also available on our draft rankings, linked above. Players are listed with their current draft rankings.
2. Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
Kurtz has yet to fully turn things on offensively this spring but entered the year regarded as one of the best all-around hitters in the class. Through 11 games he is hitting just .237/.453/.421 with a pair of home runs and a double. Kurtz is showing his usual excellent eye at the plate with twice as many walks (14) as strikeouts (7). His combination of batting eye, contact ability and power give him a chance to be the first player off the board even with a first base defensive role, though he’ll need to heat up and produce like his first two seasons to make that happen. There’s no reason to think he won’t do that.
6. Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina
Honeycutt is perhaps the toolsiest hitter in the college draft class and is off to a strong start to open the 2024 season. His .304/.467/.696 line would represent career bests in each triple slash category. He has already homered six times in just 12 games and his eight stolen bases put him on a solid pace to replicate the 25-homer, 29-steal season he managed as a freshman in 2022. Currently, Honeycutt seems to be splitting the difference between his 2022 approach (lots of strikeouts, lots of power) and his 2023 approach (fewer strikeouts, fewer homers) which is perhaps a best-case scenario for him.
7. Seaver King, OF, Wake Forest
King was one of the most impactful transfers in college baseball this offseason and Wake Forest has plugged him into the cleanup spot and center field this spring. He’s currently riding a 10-game on-base streak and is hitting .283/.346/.565 with four home runs and a pair of stolen bases. It’s unclear where most MLB scouts like him best at the next level, though he should have the athleticism to add value as a defender at an up-the-middle position in some capacity.
14. Josh Hartle, LHP, Wake Forest
Wake’s Friday night starter, Hartle might have less impressive pure stuff than every pitcher on this list, but his advanced command and starter traits made him the top pitcher in the class to enter the season. He has not looked his best in his first three starts but has still pitched well, posting a 2.04 ERA in 17.2 innings with a 23.6% strikeout rate and 4.2% walk rate. His matchup against Duke and fellow 2024 lefthander Jonathan Santucci will be one of the better pitching matchups of the season and a significant test in front of a large scouting crowd.
15. Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest
In addition to King, Burns was another high-profile incoming Wake transfer over the offseason and entered the 2024 campaign looking to establish himself as a starter with some of the best pure stuff in the country. The first three weeks have been solid for Burns as he has pitched to a 2.60 ERA in 17.1 innings with a 43.3% strikeout rate and 11.9% walk rate. Showing improved command and an ability to tap into a deeper pitch mix as Wake begins ACC play this weekend will be key for him, though he’s already a top-10 pick for some scouts.
22. Jacob Cozart, C, NC State
Cozart is in the mix to be the first catcher selected—along with a solid trio of backstops including Stanford’s Malcolm Moore, California’s Caleb Lomavita and Texas prepster Cade Arrambide—and has shown an impressive power/patience combo early this spring. He’s currently hitting .371/.540/.829 with five home runs and more walks (13) than strikeouts (10) though the pitching competition will ramp up significantly from here.
28. Jonathan Santucci, LHP, Duke
Santucci has been one of the most impressive arms in the country through the first three weeks and his plus slider has befuddled each team he’s faced. He has yet to allow a run in his first 17 innings of work and has posted a 46.3% strikeout rate and 10.4% walk rate. There’s room to improve his fastball command moving forward. He has a huge opportunity this weekend. Wake features far and away the best offense he has faced so far. His matchup with Josh Hartle could allow him to continue pushing up the draft board.
34. Michael Massey, RHP, Wake Forest
Massey is still stretching out after transitioning from a bullpen to starting role this spring. He was on a 75-pitch limit that he barely exceeded in his most recent start and has yet to throw six complete innings, but he has been dominant against an early-season slate featuring Akron, Dayton and Elon. In 12.2 innings he has posted a 0.71 ERA and 22:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Many MLB teams will target his fastball considering it has elite cut-ride shape. If Massey continues to perform well as a starter, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him move into the first round with conviction instead of sitting in his current position on the fringe.
48. Trey Yesavage, RHP, ECU
Yesavage is one of 11 D-I pitchers who has already eclipsed the 30-strikeout threshold this spring and has been dominant in his first three starts, including a tough week two test against North Carolina that he aced with 11 strikeouts in six innings. Yesavage has been dominant and pitched deep into games early this season. He has a 1.00 ERA in 18 innings as well as a 44.1% strikeout rate and 7.4% walk rate with a legitimate four-pitch mix.
62. Fran Oschell III, RHP, Duke
Oschell III has been the most disappointing player on this list in the early parts of the 2024 season. He has continued to pitch out of the bullpen for Duke and has struggled with his command in his brief three outings out of the bullpen. He currently owns a 5.40 ERA in just 1.2 innings of work and in his most recent outing he faced just two batters before being pulled after hitting the first and walking the second.
90. Jacob Jenkins-Cowart, OF, ECU
Jenkins-Cowart has been a tremendous offensive force in ECU’s cleanup spot this season. After the first weekend of the year, he earned AAC player of the week, and he recorded multi-hit games in all three matchups against North Carolina in week two. He’s hitting .444/.500/.844 with four home runs and six doubles in his first 11 games and looks the part of a solid power-hitting right fielder. He’s got an up arrow early this spring.
North Carolina
North Carolina (NCHSAA) High School Softball 2026 State Playoff Brackets, Matchups, Schedule – May 11
The 2026 North Carolina high school softball state playoff brackets are out, and High School On SI has all eight brackets with matchups and schedules for every team.
The first round begins on May 5, and the playoffs will culminate with the NCHSAA state championships being played May 27-30 at Duke University in Durham.
2026 North Carolina High School Baseball State Tournament Schedule
May 5: First Round
May 8: Second Round
May 12: Third Round
May 15: Fourth Round
May 19-23: Regionals
May 27-30: State Championships
North Carolina (NCHSAA) High School Softball 2026 State Playoff Brackets, Matchups, Schedule – May 11
CLASS 1A BRACKET (select to view full bracket details)
Third Round – May 12
No. 1 Bear Grass Charter vs. No. 5 Vance Charter
No. 3 East Columbus vs. No. 2 Northside – Pinetown
No. 1 Robbinsville vs. No. 5 Falls Lake Academy
No. 6 Bethany Community vs. No. 2 Oxford Preperatory
Third Round – May 12
No. 1 North Duplin vs. No. 8 Camden County
No. 5 Rosewood vs. No. 4 East Carteret
No. 3 Perquimans vs. No. 11 Pamlico County
No. 10 Franklin Academy vs. No. 2 Manteo
No. 1 South Stanly vs. No. 9 East Wilkes
No. 5 South Stokes vs. No. 4 Starmount
No. 3 Swain County vs. No. 6 Murphy
No. 7 Highland Tech vs. No. 2 Roxboro Community
Third Round – May 12
No. 1 Midway vs. No. 9 Providence
No. 12 Wallace-Rose Hill vs. No. 4 Heide Trask
No. 3 Farmville Central vs. No. 11 Ayden – Grifton
No. 10 Northwood vs. No. 2 McMichael
No. 1 West Lincoln vs. No. 8 Union Academy
No. 5 Draughn vs No. 4 Pine Lake Preperatory
No. 3 West Davidson vs. No. 11 East Surry
No. 7 Walkertown vs. No. 2 West Wilkes
Third Round – May 12
No. 1 Randleman vs. No. 9 Nash Central
No. 5 Bunn vs. No. 4 East Duplin
No. 3 Southwest Onslow vs. No. 6 Roanoke Rapids
No. 7 Ledford Senior vs. No. 2 Central Davidson
No. 1 West Stokes vs. No. 8 Forbush
No. 5 Pisgah vs. No. 4 West Stanly
No. 19 North Surry vs. No. 11 Foard
No. 10 Mount Pleasant vs. No, 2 Bunker Hill
Third Round – May 12
No. 1 Southeast Alamance vs. No. 8 C.B. Aycock
No. 5 Seaforth vs. No. 4 Rockingham County
No. 3 Eastern Alamance vs. No. 6 West Carteret
No. 7 South Brunswick vs. No. 2 Southern Nash
No. 1 Enka vs. No. 9 Oak Grove
No. 5 Crest vs. No. 13 West Rowan
No. 3 North Davidson vs. No. 6 Franklin
No. 10 East Rowan vs. No. 2 North Lincoln
Third Round – May 12
No. 1 Union Pines vs. No. 9 South Johnston
No. 5 South View vs. No. 4 Gray’s Creek
No. 3 J.H. Rose vs. No. 6 Harnett Central
No. 7 Triton vs. No. 2 West Brunswick
No. 1 Kings Mountain vs. No. 8 Charlotte Catholic
No. 5 Alexander vs. No. 13 T.C. Roberson
No. 3 Piedmont vs. No. 6 Central Cabarrus
No. 10 A.C. Reynolds vs. No. 2 South Caldwell
Third Round – May 12
No. 1 D.H. Conley vs. No. 8 Wake Forest
No. 5 Purnell Sweet vs. No. 4 Cleveland
No. 3 Heritage vs. No. 6 Topsail
No. 7 South Central vs. No. 2 New Bern
No. 1 Weddington vs. No. 8 Mooresville
No. 5 A.L. Brown vs. No. 4 Hickory Ridge
No. 3 East Forsyth vs. No. 11 Porter Ridge
No. 7 Ronald Reagan vs. No. 2 South Iredell
Third Round – May 12
No. 1 Willow Spring vs. No. 4 Hoggard
No. 3 E.A. Laney vs. No. 2 Cornith Holders
No. 1 Providence vs. No. 4 Hough
No. 3 West Forsyth vs. No. 2 Apex Friendship
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North Carolina
Perspective | What North Carolina gets right about workforce: Progress beyond politics
Across the country, workforce development is often framed as a policy challenge. In North Carolina, we’ve come to understand it as something more fundamental: a shared responsibility between educators and employers that works best when it rises above politics. It is a nonpartisan priority with bipartisan support — and a clear focus on outcomes.
North Carolina’s approach to workforce and talent development offers a different model — one grounded in collaboration, consistency, data, and a relentless focus on student and employer needs.
Over the past several years, our state has aligned around an ambitious goal: ensuring that 2 million North Carolinians ages 25-44 hold a high-quality credential or postsecondary degree by 2030. myFutureNC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, led by a bipartisan Board of Directors, that was created to champion this work.
This goal is not owned by a single administration or political party. It is the state’s attainment goal — codified in law with bipartisan support and signed by the governor — to ensure North Carolina remains economically competitive now and into the future. The work is guided by leaders across business, education, policymakers, and philanthropy.
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This kind of alignment doesn’t happen by accident. It requires trust, discipline, and a willingness to prioritize long-term impact over short-term wins — placing the needs of students and employers above the silos that often define education and workforce systems.
North Carolina’s leaders don’t agree on everything, and unanimity is not what makes this work. There is broad agreement on a set of essential truths: Talent is the top driver of economic development. Education fuels economic prosperity, public safety, and healthier communities. Having a robust educational system and an educated population is one of our state’s greatest assets. Economic mobility matters. And preparing people for meaningful work benefits everyone.
This alignment is delivering results. North Carolina has been named the No. 1 state for business three out of the past four years and ranks No. 1 for workforce — reinforcing what’s possible when leaders stay focused on shared priorities.
This strong foundation has enabled progress in areas that often stall in partisan debate. Through strategic policy and philanthropic investments, the state has expanded pathways into high-demand careers, strengthened connections between education and industry, and increased access to work-based learning opportunities, including apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships.
That same foundation is shaping how policy is developed in real time. The proposed Workforce Act of 2026 reflects North Carolina’s cross-sector approach — bringing together business and education leaders, policymakers, and philanthropists to strengthen pathways into high-demand careers and expand access to work-based learning. Rather than introducing a new direction, this Act builds on what is already working, demonstrating how alignment can translate into coordinated action.
The bipartisan-led Governor’s Council on Workforce and Apprenticeships puts this approach into practice. Building on the state’s existing foundation, the council brings together leaders from industry, education, and government to strengthen coordination across the workforce system. Its value lies not in setting a new direction, but in reinforcing and accelerating a shared one.
This is what it looks like to build systems designed to last. Workforce development is not a one-year initiative or a single funding cycle — it is a long-term investment in people, communities, employers, and the educational infrastructure that supports them. North Carolina’s progress is rooted in structures that bring partners together consistently, align efforts across sectors, and create continuity beyond political cycles.
By embedding collaboration into how the work gets done — not just what gets prioritized — the state has created a model that can evolve over time while staying focused on its goals.
Work remains to be done. Gaps in attainment persist, and ensuring opportunity reaches every corner of the state will require continued focus and innovation. But North Carolina’s significant progress and continued success being No. 1 nationally in many related categories demonstrates what is possible when leaders choose partnership over partisanship.
At a time when it’s easy to focus on what divides us, North Carolina offers a reminder: Some of the most important work we do — preparing people for the future of work and ensuring employers have access to skilled talent — is our north star and unifying force.
And in our shared goal of 2 million by 2030, we are not just building a stronger workforce. We are building a stronger state — for today and for generations to come.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — (AP/WNCN) — The remains of a U.S. Army soldier with ties to North Carolina who went missing during military exercises in Morocco a week ago have been recovered in the Atlantic Ocean, the U.S. military said Sunday. Military teams are still searching for a second missing soldier.
The remains found are those of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 14A Air Defense Artillery officer, who was one of two U.S. soldiers who fell off a cliff during a recreational hike in Morocco while off duty.
Key, 27, from Richmond, Virginia, was a graduate of Methodist University in Fayetteville.
The two were reported missing on May 2 after participating in African Lion, annual multinational military exercises held in Morocco.
Key earned a Bachelor of Science in marketing from Methodist University in Fayetteville, with minors in international business, entrepreneurship, and business administration.
“A Moroccan military search team found the Soldier in the water along the shoreline at approximately 8:55 a.m. local time May 9, within roughly one mile of where both Soldiers reportedly entered the ocean,” U.S Army Europe and Africa said in a statement.
The two went missing around 9 p.m. near the Cap Draa Training Area outside Tan-Tan, a terrain characterized by mountains, desert and semidesert plains, according to the Moroccan military.
Their disappearance triggered a search-and-rescue operation involving more than 600 personnel from the United States, Morocco and other military partners. The operation deployed frigates, vessels, helicopters and drones.
Search efforts will continue for the missing second soldier, a U.S. defense official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as they were not allowed to speak publicly on the issue.
The official said a U.S. contingent remained in Morocco after the multinational war games ended Friday to provide command and control and to continue search and rescue operations.
Key was assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, U.S Army Europe and Africa said.
He entered military service in 2023 as an officer candidate and earned his commission through Officer Candidate School in 2024 as an Air Defense Artillery officer. He later completed the Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, according to the statement.
Key is survived by his father, Kendrick Key Sr.; his mother, Jihan Key; his sister, Dakota Debose-Hill; and his brother-in-law, U.S. Army Spc. James Brown.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY NEWS
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The search-and-rescue operation, now in its ninth day, has covered more than 12,000 square kilometers of sea and littoral zone, currently adding around 3,000 square kilometers per day.
The soldiers had been taking part in African Lion 26, a U.S.-led exercise launched in April across four countries – Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal – with more than 7,000 personnel from over 30 nations. Since 2004, it has been the largest U.S. joint military exercise in Africa.
In 2012, two U.S. Marines were killed and two others injured during a helicopter crash in Morocco’s southern city of Agadir while taking part in the exercises.
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