UNC pitchers DeCaro, Lynch picked in MLB Draft, third and fourth Tar Heels taken
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- Jason DeCaro was selected No. 80th overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2026.
- Ryan Lynch was selected No. 97 by the San Diego Padres.
- They were the third and fourth Tar Heels from this season’s team drafted in 2026.
Two of North Carolina’s star pitchers will join their former teammates in the professional ranks.
Jason DeCaro and Ryan Lynch were the third and fourth Tar Heels from this season’s team selected in the 2026 MLB Draft. They served as the team’s typical Friday and Saturday starters, respectively.
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected DeCaro as the No. 80th overall pick, with his selection slot valued at a $1.04 million signing bonus. DeCaro was selected far higher than originally projected. He was listed at No. 133 in the MLB top prospect list.
Lynch was selected shortly after as the No. 97 pick by the San Diego Padres. He was selected one spot ahead of the MLB draft projections. MLB set his selection slot signing bonus value at $808,100.
DeCaro spent three years at Carolina after reclassifying and skipping his senior year of high school.
The junior was the most effective full-time starter. He finished with a career-best 2.87 ERA in 97.1 innings pitched. His resume includes two shutouts and two complete games. He and teammate Ryan Lynch are the only two pitchers from this season’s team to go the distance.
DeCaro, from North Port, New York, went 26-7 in three seasons with the Tar Heels. He gave up 37 runs this season, while striking out 99. His strikeout-to-walk ratio sits at 2.35, and he walked 42 batters this season, the second-most on the team.
Arguably one of his best performances came against Southern Cal in the Super Regional. DeCaro threw a complete game, giving up two hits one walk. He struck out eight in the must-win game, picking up his second career shutout.
Though DeCaro was expected to have a high ceiling when he reclassified, MLB scouts feel like he could be a starter but is less likely to play in a consistent rotation. DeCaro’s consistency on his secondary pitches leave plenty to be desired, and unlike Lynch’s fastball that averages 94 to 96 mph, his sits at 91 to 94 mph.
DeCaro earned a spot on the USA Baseball collegiate national team after his freshman and sophomore seasons. He earned All-ACC recognition all three years, including a first-team selection in 2026 and back-to-back second team honors.
Lynch spent two seasons at North Carolina, where he started as a reliever his freshman season. He made 27 appearances and started three games. This season, he appeared in 19 games and started in all but one.
The sophomore had a 4.21 ERA this season, an increase from 2.93 a year ago. Lynch, however, faced nearly 200 more batters this season than he did as a rookie. He gave up 50 runs, 46 of which were earned, allowed 102 hits and struck out 89 batters. Lynch went 10-5 with two saves in his two-year career.
The right-hander from Mooresetown, New Jersey, struggled at times with his pitch control, throwing nine wild pitches and hitting 18 batters in 2026. Despite the miscues, Lynch is still known for relative consistency and a solid ability to induce contact. He is expected to be a rotational reliever, where he’s found the most success.
Lynch left the second game of the Men’s College World Series national championship series with an oblique injury. It was his last appearance for the Tar Heels. UNC won 6-2 to force a winner-take-all Game 3.
“I was thankful that he told me it wasn’t his arm, because that’s what you dread as a coach,” UNC head coach Scott Forbes said on June 21. “I got a kid out there pitching that’s going to make his career in the major leagues, not making his career here. ... I just wanted to protect him.”
D1Baseball and Baseball America named Lynch a freshman second team All-American last year. He also joined DeCaro on the Team USA collegiate national team. Lynch was a third team All-ACC selection in 2026.
This story was originally published July 11, 2026 at 6:35 PM with the headline "UNC pitchers DeCaro, Lynch picked in MLB Draft, third and fourth Tar Heels taken."
