Jake Knapp named the 2025 College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Year

When you refer to Jake Knapp, make sure you refer to him properly:

Jake Knapp: the 2025 National Pitcher of the Year!

Knapp becomes the first UNC baseball pitcher to earn the College Baseball Foundation’s National Pitcher of the Year, an award that has been presented since 2009. He becomes the first Tar Heel since Andrew Miller (2006) to earn the top pitcher in the country award, and joins the likes of Paul Skenes, Stephen Strasburg and Aaron Nola as players who have been awarded this honor.

Fans of the UNC baseball program got to witness Knapp’s dominance on the mound up close, being there every step of the way. His story is even more remarkable, given he spent the entire 2024 season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.

No one expected Knapp to return and be as dominant as he was. The right-hander proved everyone wrong.

National Pitcher of the Year Committee Chair Chris Snead had some high praise for what Knapp accomplished in what will be his final season with the UNC baseball program:

“Jake represents everything that is good about college baseball. Here is a young man that battled through one of the worst injuries a pitcher can suffer to return to the field. In the process, he inspired his teammates and became the unquestioned leader of his team. Fourteen consecutive wins is significant and impressive. He was a complete pitcher and more importantly, he was a great person and teammate.”

What an honor for Jake Knapp, who put together a season for the record books. While some media outlets (cough, Perfect Game), didn’t feel the need to award Knapp with first-team All-American honors, the National Pitcher of the Year Committee realized just how remarkable his season was.

The main thing that will be remembered from Knapp’s incredible season is this fact: when he took the mound, the UNC baseball program simply didn’t lose.

No one else in the country can hold that claim.