Top 5 ACC batters who could make an impact in 2024 College World Series ft. Vance Honeycutt
The ACC did an amazing thing by putting four teams into the 2024 College World Series. As the league battles for superiority with the SEC, it will take big hits to make a difference.
Fortunately, the ACC entrants boast plenty of big-time bats. Here are five ACC sluggers who could be the difference in the Series.
Top five ACC batters who could make an impact in 2024 College World Series
#1 Vance Honeycutt, North Carolina
The prolific UNC outfielder is a boom-or-bust type of hitting sensation. On the season, Honeycutt is hitting .307 with 26 homers and 66 RBIs. The bad news is that he also has 83 strikeouts in 251 at-bats.
This postseason, Honeycutt is 8 for 32 with a pair of homers. He has also whiffed 10 times. If Honeycutt can make more contact, the ball jumps off his bat. He could end up being the difference between Carolina continuing to win or going home quickly.
#2 Henry Ford, Virginia
A phenomenal freshman, Ford could be an x-factor for the Cavaliers. On the season, he's hitting .337 with 17 homers and 69 RBIs. Ford has gone 8 for 27 in postseason play. He hasn't homered since May 18, so that could be the missing ingredient.
If Virginia can get Ford ripping bombs again, it could well be a shot in the arm for a Cavalier team that could use an offensive explosion. Virginia is playing for their NCAA lives on Monday, but Ford might keep them around for a long while.
#3 James Tibbs III, Florida State
The Florida State Seminoles have a game-changing hitter in Tibbs. The lefty slugger is hitting .369 with 28 home runs and a whopping 94 RBIs. Tibbs has also cut his strikeouts to just 35 in 241 at bats.
He showed his takeover skills in the super regional win over UConn. He had a 5 for 6 game with three home runs. Tibbs was 7 for 11 in that round, but was just 1 for 6 in FSU's CWS opener against Tennessee. If Tibbs can start lauching, Florida State could still surprise in Omaha.
#4 Alec Makarewicz, NC State
Wearing uniform number 99, the East Carolina transfer can hardly blend in. Makarewicz is hitting .380 with 23 homers and 82 RBIs. He opened the College World Series well, with a pair of hits and two RBIs against Kentucky.
Makarewicz is 14 for 34 in the NCAA Tournament, including four homers. It's difficult to imagine what more he can do for the Wolfpack, but if NC State wants to stick around Omaha, it would figure that Makarewicz would be in the middle of that plan.
#5 Parks Harber, North Carolina
Harber has been a brilliant ACC slugger with the Tar Heels. The Georgia transfer is hitting .342 with 20 homers and 63 RBIs on the season.
Indeed, it's not a stretch to think that with Harber protecting Charlie Condon, Georgia probably would have been in the College World Series. Of course, Carolina needed him to escape LSU in regional play.
Harber is 6 for 23 in NCAA Tournament play with three RBIs. He hasn't homered since May 23, and if the Heels can get Harber hitting bombs, their College World Series chances will improve substantially.
Which ACC sluggers are you excited to watch? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section below: