​Ryan Lynch’s impressive two-year run at North Carolina officially concluded Saturday (pending his signature) when the San Diego Padres selected the draft-eligible sophomore with the 97th overall pick in the third round of the 2026 MLB Draft. Lynch became the second Tar Heel pitcher taken in the third round on Day 1, joining ace Jason DeCaro, and capped a landmark drafting moment for Carolina baseball. With Jake Schaffner, Owen Hull, Jason DeCaro, and Lynch all chosen within the first 97 selections, North Carolina reached a milestone never before achieved in the program’s history. Pat James noted on Twitter that this marks the first time four Diamond Heels have been selected within the first three rounds of a single MLB Draft.
Lynch’s sophomore numbers may not have matched the dazzling debut that put him on the national radar, but professional scouts clearly believed in his talent. After posting a 2.93 ERA and holding opponents to a .193 batting average as a freshman, Lynch shouldered more responsibility in 2026, emerging as the unquestioned workhorse of Carolina’s pitching staff. He led the Tar Heels with 98 1/3 innings pitched, consistently taking the ball every weekend and delivering exactly what coaches crave: reliability. His ERA rose to 4.21, and opponents hit .270 against him, yet those metrics only tell part of the story. Lynch continued to display the power repertoire and swing-and-miss stuff that earned him recognition as one of the ACC’s most respected starters, earning Third Team All-ACC honors in the process.
His finest moments came when the stakes were highest. Lynch set the tone for North Carolina’s NCAA Tournament run by dominating VCU in the Chapel Hill Regional, scattering just two hits over seven scoreless innings to help propel the Tar Heels into another postseason run that ultimately reached the College World Series Finals. His final appearance in a Tar Heel uniform was cut short, though, when an injury forced him from the mound after four innings in Game 2 of the National Championship Series against Oklahoma—an abrupt end to what had been an outstanding collegiate career.
Even with that disappointing ending, Lynch leaves Chapel Hill having established himself as one of the premier pitchers in college baseball and as another success story in North Carolina’s pitching pipeline. Replacing Lynch, as well as DeCaro, Hull, and Schaffner, will be no small task for Forbes and his coaching staff. Collectively, they formed the backbone of a team that reached the College World Series Finals while elevating the program’s national profile.
This draft also serves as a powerful recruiting message for the future of North Carolina baseball. Under Forbes, the blueprint has become increasingly clear: come to Chapel Hill, embrace the opportunity, and contribute to a culture of sustained excellence. The recent draft success demonstrates that North Carolina can attract top-tier talent and develop it into impact players at a national level. As the program looks ahead, the challenge will be to maintain momentum, replenish the pitching staff with a new generation of arms, and continue writing the next chapter in a storied baseball tradition.