North Carolina’s two-year captain Jake Knapp has been a tremendous story on and off the field. The big righty has dominated all opposition this season as the only power conference pitcher to hold a 10-0 record or better, leading the Tar Heels to victory in all 13 of his appearances.
He’s brought his best stuff when it mattered the most, leading the ACC in conference games in ERA (2.00), opposing batting average (.173), innings pitched (72.0) and wins (10) while ranking fourth in strikeouts (64).
Overall, his 2.14 ERA is seventh in the nation and first among power conference starters while his 0.84 WHIP sits at third. This year, he has recorded 74 strikeouts and a .187 BAA on just 15 walks and 19 earned runs across 80 innings.
Knapp has done all this while battling back from losing his entire 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery. He was scheduled to be the Heels’ Friday starter before picking up the injury last preseason. “Coach Knapp,” as head coach Scott Forbes affectionately calls him, stayed locked in with the team despite his situation, attending every practice, game and meeting. The coaching staff credits his leadership as a key factor in their run to Omaha in 2024. Knapp re-took the mound on Opening Day 2025, 623 days since his last appearance. In his fourth game back from surgery, he threw his first career complete game in a win over Stanford.