UNC’s Luke Stevenson Selected by Seattle Mariners in 1st Round of MLB Draft

The Seattle Mariners selected UNC catcher Luke Stevenson with the No. 35 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft Sunday.

Stevenson, a draft-eligible sophomore, played key roles on Diamond Heels teams which reached the Men’s College World Series in 2024 and the NCAA Super Regionals in 2025, earning top-5 national seeds each time. He started 124 of a possible 125 games with Carolina during his two seasons in Chapel Hill, with 122 of those starts coming at catcher.

As a freshman, Stevenson posted a .284 batting average and hit 14 home runs, including a game-tying solo shot in the bottom of the ninth inning of UNC’s Super Regional Game 1 against West Virginia at Boshamer Stadium. He earned first team freshman All-America honors from both D1Baseball.com and Perfect Game, becoming the first UNC catcher to be named a freshman All-American since Tim Federowicz in 2006.

While Stevenson’s batting average dipped in 2025, he increased his power numbers by hitting a team-high 19 home runs alongside 10 doubles (up from eight in 2024), while also drawing an ACC-best 59 walks. He was named first team All-ACC, third team All-America and the MVP of the 2025 ACC Tournament, hitting two home runs in three games while leading UNC to the conference title.

Stevenson is just as renowned for his defense as his offense. While behind the plate, he committed just four errors across his two seasons with the Diamond Heels, finishing with a .996 fielding percentage. As a sophomore, Stevenson threw out 35 percent of attempted base stealers, allowing only one successful steal in UNC’s final 18 games of the 2025 season.

Stevenson’s selection marks the second consecutive year UNC has had a player selected in the first round of the MLB Draft, after the Baltimore Orioles selected outfielder Vance Honeycutt No. 22 overall in the 2024 draft. Stevenson is also the 26th all-time Diamond Heel to be picked in the first round and the 13th since 2006.

Carolina has had at least one player selected in each MLB Draft since 1978. The 2025 draft runs through Monday in Atlanta.

Featured image via Associated Press/Mike Buscher

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

‹

Tar Heels Clinch ACC Baseball Coastal Division Title Following Duke's Loss to Georgia Tech

All the UNC baseball team needed to clinch its second consecutive ACC Coastal Division title this weekend was win two out of its three games against Virginia Tech, and it wouldn’t matter what else happened. The Tar Heels took care of the first part of their business by defeating the Hokies 9-1 in Thursday’s series […]

ACC Baseball Revving Up: Carolina Selected Second in Coastal Division

The Tar Heel baseball team has been picked second in the ACC Coastal division by the league’s 14 head coaches.

2013 ACC Baseball Tournament Preview

Carolina begins play in the 2013 ACC baseball tournament Thursday at 3:00 p.m.

UNC Baseball Releases 2026 Regular Season Schedule

The Diamond Heels announced their 2026 regular season schedule Tuesday. Carolina is coming off a 2025 season which saw it win the ACC Tournament in Durham and reach the Super Regionals in the NCAA Tournament. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚜𝚔𝚎𝚍. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫! The 2026 Diamond Heels schedule is here and it is glorious 🔥 📰 | https://t.co/fvngu5xSrp […]

UNC Baseball to Play October Scrimmage vs. NC State at Durham Bulls Athletic Park

The Diamond Heels will play a fall scrimmage against rival NC State at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in October, the program announced Wednesday. The game is scheduled for Thursday, October 16 at 6 p.m. 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐁𝐀𝐏: 𝙵𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝙴𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 We're headed back to Durham for a fall faceoff against the Wolfpack! May be a […]

UNC's Home Run Remington Announces 'Retirement' from Baseball Games

After nine seasons of loyal service to the Diamond Heels, UNC’s Athletics Rehabilitative Facility Dog, better known as “Home Run Remington,” has announced his “retirement.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Home Run REMINGTON (@homerunremington) 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐢 🩵 Our favorite dawg is ready for the 𝙜𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 of retirement! Thank you […]

Chansky's Notebook: Draft Crush

UNC joins Michigan and Arizona as the three schools to have at least one athlete picked in the first round of the NFL, NBA and MLB drafts.

2025 MLB Draft Tracker: See Where the Diamond Heels are Headed in the Pros

The 2025 Major League Baseball Draft saw several Diamond Heels get selected. It continues a run of excellence for the UNC baseball program, which has had at least one player selected in every draft since 1978. The first Diamond Heel off the board was catcher Luke Stevenson, who went to the Seattle Mariners with the No. 35 […]

UNC Outfielder Kane Kepley Selected by Chicago Cubs in 2nd Round of MLB Draft

Kane Kepley is headed to the Show. The Chicago Cubs selected Kepley with in the second round with the No. 56 overall pick of the 2025 MLB Draft Sunday evening in Atlanta. About to be 𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐍 𝐊𝐀𝐍𝐄 in the Windy City! Kep is a Cub 🦁🐻#ProHeels pic.twitter.com/IsjxlBfnaa — Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) July 14, 2025 Kepley […]

UNC's Luke Stevenson Selected by Seattle Mariners in 1st Round of MLB Draft

The Seattle Mariners selected UNC catcher Luke Stevenson with the No. 35 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft Sunday. Call him 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 😤 Going to be rainin homers up there soon! #ProHeels | #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/YfpM9r2FjJ — Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) July 14, 2025 Stevenson, a draft-eligible sophomore, […]

›