It might surprise some people that North Carolina baseball coach Mike Fox calls sophomore shortstop Ike Freeman the team’s MVP this season.
Freeman doesn’t lead the Tar Heels in batting average, homers or runs batted in, but is the leader in one major category: biggest void filled.
The Tar Heels needed someone this season to replace All-American Logan Warmoth at shortstop. Freeman seemed an unlikely choice after hitting .174 as a freshman but won the fight to be the starter and hasn’t given it up.
“To me he’s been our most valuable player, from start to finish, because of the position he’s playing and how well he’s done,” Fox said Saturday after the Tar Heels finished the regular season 22-8 in the ACC, earning the No.