After losing both Andrew Costello and Matt Conte to the transfer portal, the Demon Deacons needed to do some work to fill the backstop room for 2027. They took a big step on Sunday afternoon with the commitment of former NC State catcher Vincent DeCarlo.
DeCarlo hails from Tampa, Florida and went to the same high school as former Demon Deacon closer and current Los Angeles Angels prospect Cam Minacci. He was one of the better defensive catchers in the 2025 class and was ranked No. 2 in Florida at his position by Perfect Game. His freshman year at NC State saw some limited opportunities behind starting catcher Drew Lanphere, with just 35 at-bats in 21 games and six starts. He hit .257 with a .737 OPS, slugging his first collegiate home run in the Wolfpack’s final game at the Auburn Regional. He didn’t make an error in his limited time behind the plate and showed off some impressive throw-and-catch skills.
DeCarlo also brought in what ended up being the winning run in the series finale against Wake Forest in Winston-Salem in April. He came on as a pinch hitter in the 10th inning and grounded out to bring home Mikey Ryan, and NC State would avoid a sweep with a 6-5 victory…