2025 Baseball Roster
Knapp, Jake
Jersey Number 42
Jake Knapp
- Position:
- RHP
- B/T:
- R/R
- Height:
- 6-5
- Weight:
- 270
- Class:
- Graduate Student
- Major:
- Exercise and Sport Science
- Hometown:
- Greensboro, N.C.
- High School:
- Page
Bio
Eighth round pick (No. 241 overall) by the Chicago Cubs in the 2025 MLB Draft.
AS A GRADUATE STUDENT (2025)
• Chosen as the National Pitcher of the Year by the College Baseball Foundation, the first Tar Heel to receive the honor since its introduction in 2009 and the first to be recognized as the sport’s top arm since Andrew Miller in 2006.
• Consensus and unanimous All-American, named first team by the NCBWA, ABCA, CBF, and D1Baseball while earning second team from Perfect Game and third team from Baseball America.
• Named the ACC Pitcher of the Year, the fifth Carolina player to claim the honor.
• Earned the distinction of NCBWA District 4 Player of the Year.
• ABCA First-Team All-Atlantic honoree.
• Selected for the All-ACC First Team.
• Returned from a season-ending elbow injury sustained in the 2024 preseason. 623 days since his last appearance, the second-year captain retook the mound on opening day.
• Made 15 starts in 16 appearances, leading Carolina to victory on every single occasion.
• Racked up an unprecedented 14-0 record, the best of any pitcher in the nation. It is the most wins in a single-season without defeat and tied for the most victories overall in program history.
• Wrapped up his prolific season with a 2.02 ERA, fourth best in the country and tops among the power four, in 102.1 innings pitched.
• Racked up 88 strikeouts on just 16 walks. His 0.86 WHIP was the third best in the nation and just .03 away from breaking the program record.
• Wrapped a dominant stretch of conference play with a 10-0 record, logging a 2.00 ERA and a .173 batting average.
• Went over a month in the middle of the season without allowing a walk, going 27 straight IP across four games. He didn’t allow a free pass in six appearances, including four of the last five.
• Recorded the first two complete games of his career in wins over Stanford (3/08) and No. 2 Florida State (5/15).
• Eclipsed 100 pitches 11 different times, having only done so once before.
• Retired 18 straight batters in a win over NC State (5/08).
• Went 8.1 IP in the regional opening victory against Holy Cross (5/30), it was the longest outing by a Tar Heel in the postseason since 2013.
• Logged a career-high 10 strikeouts in a win over Miami (3/28).
• Named to the All-ACC Academic Team.
AS A SENIOR (2024)
• Did not play due to injury.
As A JUNIOR (2023)
• Compiled a 5-4 record with a 5.04 ERA.
• Averaged over one strikeout per inning (1.1).
• Had more strikeouts than innings pitched in five games.
• Tied for the ACC lead in starts with 16.
• Ranked fourth in the conference in batters struck out looking (29) and 15th in fewest hits allowed (67/12th).
• Was the starting pitcher for two combined shutouts.
• Made his UNC debut against Longwood, pitching 5.2 scoreless innings and yielded only two hits with four strikeouts to record his first win.
• Earned his first ACC win by pitching 6.0 innings and striking out five against the Blue Devils.
• Won each of his first three decisions.
• Struck out a season-high six batters twice (VCU, Miami).
• Threw a career-high 105 pitches in the ACC Baseball Championship against Virginia and allowed two runs with five strikeouts in 5.2 innings.
AT WALTERS STATE (2021-2022)
• Earned third-team NJCAA All-America honors.
• Finished the season tied for first nationally with 14 victories, tying the school record.
• Made 18 appearances, including 17 starts, with a 2.12 ERA and a 14-1 overall record.
• Tallied 111 strikeouts in 80.2 innings pitched with just 22 walks issued and five home runs allowed.
• Averaged 12.38 strikeouts per nine innings.
• Tossed three complete games.
• Ranked among the top 20 nationally in strikeouts (12th), ERA (15th) and innings pitched (18th).
• Record 10 or more strikeouts in a game four times with a season-high of 11.
• Appeared in 15 games and made 12 starts as a freshman, compiling a 7-3 record with a 6.11 ERA.
• Tossed 56.0 innings with 65 strikeouts versus 31 walks in 2021.
• Averaged 10.45 strikeouts per nine innings.
• Struck out a career-high 14 on April 3 against Motlow State Community College.
AT UNCW (2020)
• Did not appear in any games.
HIGH SCHOOL
• Attended Page High School.
• Played three seasons on the varsity for coach William Hardin.
• Named Metro Conference Pitcher of the Year his senior season after going 5-0 with a 1.31 ERA while striking out 87 over 48 innings pitched.
• Finished career with an 11-3 record and 176 strikeouts in 104 innings pitched.
• Earned all-state honors as a junior.
• All-Metro Conference selection his junior and senior seasons.
• Member of the student government.
PERSONAL
• Full name is Jacob Michael Knapp.
• Born Aug. 30, 2000 in Greensboro, N.C.
• Son of Jennifer and Michael Knapp.
AS A GRADUATE STUDENT (2025)
• Chosen as the National Pitcher of the Year by the College Baseball Foundation, the first Tar Heel to receive the honor since its introduction in 2009 and the first to be recognized as the sport’s top arm since Andrew Miller in 2006.
• Consensus and unanimous All-American, named first team by the NCBWA, ABCA, CBF, and D1Baseball while earning second team from Perfect Game and third team from Baseball America.
• Named the ACC Pitcher of the Year, the fifth Carolina player to claim the honor.
• Earned the distinction of NCBWA District 4 Player of the Year.
• ABCA First-Team All-Atlantic honoree.
• Selected for the All-ACC First Team.
• Returned from a season-ending elbow injury sustained in the 2024 preseason. 623 days since his last appearance, the second-year captain retook the mound on opening day.
• Made 15 starts in 16 appearances, leading Carolina to victory on every single occasion.
• Racked up an unprecedented 14-0 record, the best of any pitcher in the nation. It is the most wins in a single-season without defeat and tied for the most victories overall in program history.
• Wrapped up his prolific season with a 2.02 ERA, fourth best in the country and tops among the power four, in 102.1 innings pitched.
• Racked up 88 strikeouts on just 16 walks. His 0.86 WHIP was the third best in the nation and just .03 away from breaking the program record.
• Wrapped a dominant stretch of conference play with a 10-0 record, logging a 2.00 ERA and a .173 batting average.
• Went over a month in the middle of the season without allowing a walk, going 27 straight IP across four games. He didn’t allow a free pass in six appearances, including four of the last five.
• Recorded the first two complete games of his career in wins over Stanford (3/08) and No. 2 Florida State (5/15).
• Eclipsed 100 pitches 11 different times, having only done so once before.
• Retired 18 straight batters in a win over NC State (5/08).
• Went 8.1 IP in the regional opening victory against Holy Cross (5/30), it was the longest outing by a Tar Heel in the postseason since 2013.
• Logged a career-high 10 strikeouts in a win over Miami (3/28).
• Named to the All-ACC Academic Team.
AS A SENIOR (2024)
• Did not play due to injury.
As A JUNIOR (2023)
• Compiled a 5-4 record with a 5.04 ERA.
• Averaged over one strikeout per inning (1.1).
• Had more strikeouts than innings pitched in five games.
• Tied for the ACC lead in starts with 16.
• Ranked fourth in the conference in batters struck out looking (29) and 15th in fewest hits allowed (67/12th).
• Was the starting pitcher for two combined shutouts.
• Made his UNC debut against Longwood, pitching 5.2 scoreless innings and yielded only two hits with four strikeouts to record his first win.
• Earned his first ACC win by pitching 6.0 innings and striking out five against the Blue Devils.
• Won each of his first three decisions.
• Struck out a season-high six batters twice (VCU, Miami).
• Threw a career-high 105 pitches in the ACC Baseball Championship against Virginia and allowed two runs with five strikeouts in 5.2 innings.
AT WALTERS STATE (2021-2022)
• Earned third-team NJCAA All-America honors.
• Finished the season tied for first nationally with 14 victories, tying the school record.
• Made 18 appearances, including 17 starts, with a 2.12 ERA and a 14-1 overall record.
• Tallied 111 strikeouts in 80.2 innings pitched with just 22 walks issued and five home runs allowed.
• Averaged 12.38 strikeouts per nine innings.
• Tossed three complete games.
• Ranked among the top 20 nationally in strikeouts (12th), ERA (15th) and innings pitched (18th).
• Record 10 or more strikeouts in a game four times with a season-high of 11.
• Appeared in 15 games and made 12 starts as a freshman, compiling a 7-3 record with a 6.11 ERA.
• Tossed 56.0 innings with 65 strikeouts versus 31 walks in 2021.
• Averaged 10.45 strikeouts per nine innings.
• Struck out a career-high 14 on April 3 against Motlow State Community College.
AT UNCW (2020)
• Did not appear in any games.
HIGH SCHOOL
• Attended Page High School.
• Played three seasons on the varsity for coach William Hardin.
• Named Metro Conference Pitcher of the Year his senior season after going 5-0 with a 1.31 ERA while striking out 87 over 48 innings pitched.
• Finished career with an 11-3 record and 176 strikeouts in 104 innings pitched.
• Earned all-state honors as a junior.
• All-Metro Conference selection his junior and senior seasons.
• Member of the student government.
PERSONAL
• Full name is Jacob Michael Knapp.
• Born Aug. 30, 2000 in Greensboro, N.C.
• Son of Jennifer and Michael Knapp.
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