SALISBURY, N.C. — A Rowan County standout is one step closer to the major leagues after being chosen in the first round of the MLB Draft.
Vance Honeycutt was selected by the Baltimore Orioles with the 22nd pick in the MLB Draft's first round on Sunday. Honeycutt was drafted by the Orioles after spending three outstanding years with the University of North Carolina.
With the Tar Heels, Honeycutt slashed .293/.412/.638 in his three seasons. He won back-to-back Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year awards in his sophomore and junior seasons playing centerfield.
Honeycutt's junior season was by far his best. He hit .318, scored 70 RBI, and smashed 28 home runs.
Before playing with UNC, Honeycutt was a two-sport star at Salisbury High School. Honeycutt played quarterback on the Hornets' football team in addition to baseball. Honeycutt led Salisbury's football team to the 2021 2AA state championship.
Honeycutt's high school efforts led to the San Francisco Giants selecting him in the 20th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. However, he chose to enroll at UNC instead.
MLB's draft scouts say Honeycutt "creates well-above-average raw power with bat speed, strength, leverage, and loft." They noted that the Tar Heels "may never have had anyone as tooled up as Honeycutt."
Honeycutt was not the only player chosen in the first round with a Charlotte-area connection. Three Wake Forest players were chosen in the first round, one of whom played not too far from the Queen City.
The Washington Nationals drafted Seaver King with the 10th pick in Sunday's draft. King's lone season with Wake Forest came this year where he slashed .316/.387/.600 at third base. He played his freshman and sophomore years at Wingate in Division II. King excelled at Wingate before transferring to Wake Forest.
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Honeycutt, King, and the rest of the 2024 draft class will now face the gauntlet of MLB's farm system as they continue their journey to reach a major league roster.