From staff reports
Myrtle Beach ended the season in the first round of the Carolina League playoffs.
A second-round Chicago Cubs draft pick in 2025, Kane Kepley (South Rowan, Liberty, UNC) batted .299 in 28 games for the Pelicans. He posted an unreal on-base percentage of .481.
Keoley had 29 hits and 25 walks, while striking out 15 times, and scored 28 runs. He was 19-for-23 on steals. He had six extra-base hits, including two homers, and had 15 RBIs.
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Cobb Hightower (East Rowan) finished the season strong and made a defensive play that made ESPN’s top 10.
Hightower played for two teams this year as San Diego traded him to Baltimore in the middle of the season.
His 13 extra-base hits included a homer for each of his teams.
A third-round draft pick in 2024, Hightower batted .243 with a solid on-base percentage of .354. In 64 games, he had 59 hits and 38 walks. He scored 39 runs and had 28 RBIs. He displayed good speed with 14 steals in 16 attempts.
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Springfield is in Missouri, but plays in the Double-A Texas League and made the playoffs.
That means Austin Love (West Rowan, UNC) will still pitch in another game or two this season.
A third-round pick by St. Louis in 2021, Love is still a Cardinal. He made a fine comeback from Tommy John surgery this season and is 6-1 with a 2.48 ERA and two saves as a short reliever.
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Vance Honeycutt (Salisbury, UNC) hit his fifth homer on Sept. 5 in the final stages of the Aberdeen Ironbirds’ season.
Honeycutt played in 101 games for the Ironbirds. He had 12 doubles and six triples and stole 32 bases in 39 attempts. He walked 56 times and scored 48 runs.
The tough numbers for him were a .171 batting average and 178 strikeouts in 436 plate appearances.
The Orioles will look to get him retooled and off to a great start next season. A first-round pick in 2024, Honeycutt is only 22 and has the talent to turn things around.
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It was a tough season also for Owen White (Carson), a second-round pick who signed out of high school in 2018.
White has pitched in the major leagues, which is no small achievement, but not much went his way in 2025. He pitched in three games for the Chicago White Sox and was 0-8 for the Triple-A Charlotte Knights.
White has been on the IL with a hip injury for several weeks.
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Pitcher Jake Hunter (East Rowan, ECU) signed with the Minnesota Twins organization as a free agent, while pitcher CJ Gray (A.L. Brown) was drafted and signed by the Angels, and infielder Coy James (Davie) was drafted and signed by the Nationals. Those three probably will make their official pro debuts in 2026.
