​Right-hander Ryan Lynch is bound for the San Diego Padres after being selected with the 97th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft on Saturday. The draft-eligible sophomore becomes the second North Carolina pitcher taken in the third round, joining Jason DeCaro, who the Pittsburgh Pirates selected at No. 80. Lynch led the Tar Heels with 98.1 innings pitched in 2026, finishing with a 5-4 record, a 4.21 ERA, and 89 strikeouts over 18 starts to earn third-team All-ACC honors.
In four NCAA Tournament appearances, the Moorestown, New Jersey native logged 21⅓ innings, fanning 19 hitters while surrendering eight runs on 16 hits. He opened the Chapel Hill Regional by delivering seven scoreless innings against VCU, allowing just two hits and striking out five. Lynch’s final outing as a Diamond Heel came in Game 2 of the College World Series finals, when an oblique injury sidelined him after 58 pitches across four innings.
As a freshman in 2025, Lynch posted a 2.93 ERA with 73 strikeouts over 61⅓ innings, earning second-team Freshman All-America honors from Baseball America and D1Baseball. After spending his first 23 appearances out of the bullpen, three of his final four outings came as postseason starts before he transitioned to a full-time rotation role as a sophomore.
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