Carter Trice – Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Two years ago, if you would’ve told me that the Cubs would’ve grabbed Carter Trice in the 12th round of the MLB draft, I would’ve laughed at you. He was coming off an outstanding freshman campaign at Old Dominion. As one of the top players in the nation that year, he even got an invite to play USA Baseball as part of the national team that summer.

But Trice’s sophomore and junior seasons cannot compare to that freshman one and his stock fell even after changing schools from Old Dominion to North Carolina State. Still, the Cubs see something there that they can build on and help Carter get his freshman mojo back.

Basic Info

Age – 20
Height – 6-foot
Weight – 190
Bats – Right
Throws – Right
Drafted in the 12th round out of NC State

Look at this list of accolades that tries had after his freshman year

  • Named a Second-Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball
  • Tabbed a First-Team Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Game
  • Named a Second-Team NCBWA Freshman All-American
  • Named to the Second Team ABCA/Rawlings All-Region Team
  • Tabbed the Conference USA Freshman of the Year and named First-Team All-Conference USA and to the C-USA All-Freshman Team
  • Named to USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team
  • Placed in the top-20 amongst freshmen in eight separate categories, including a fourth-place finish in total bases with 148, a sixth-place mark in hits with 83 and a seventh-place result in runs scored at 57

He also hit .355. He hit 14 home runs with 54 RBI playing mostly second base. He did end up going to the Cape Cod League where he sort of had a let down as he only hit .213 in just 13 games.

Once Trice returned for his sophomore season, he began playing around the diamond more, very Bryce Windham-like. In 2022, he hit 17 home runs and drove in 49, but he only hit .289. He returned to the Cape again and played in 36 games and only faired a little better hitting .236 with five home runs in 15 RBI in 36 games.

For Trice, maybe he thought he wanted to play against better competition to improve his draft stock but he transferred to North Carolina State for his junior season. He hit six home runs and drove in 17 but only hit .248. He played mostly outfield this season. Trice did not sit in lick his wounds, he got up on the horse and went back to the Cape to play for Chatham.

The Cubs drafted a few players, who had success this summer on the Cape and for Trice there’s no exception. He hit .300 with a .426 OBP. He had one home run and drove in three in seven games. Yes, it is a small sample size, but it showed that he had worked on some things from the spring and he did it against elite competition, and that was enough for the Cubs to take him.

The Cubs are not getting a lottery ticket here, but they’re also betting on Trice that he can come in, work hard, take their instruction ,and apply it to turn himself into a quality baseball player. 

Here is what Baseball America said about Trice and his talents:

Trice is an explosive athlete with a 6-foot, 200-pound frame, and he hits the ball hard with a 90 mph average exit velocity and peak EVs around the 112 mark this spring. However, that power comes with significant contact questions that have been amplified given his performance in the ACC. He made contact at just a 71% clip this spring and has always struck out at a rate north of 23% in college and he struggled significantly against 92-plus mph velocity in a 72-pitch sample this spring. Trice played left field this spring and will need to hit for more average and power in pro ball to profile in an outfield corner, though he is a solid runner and has been an efficient base stealer throughout his career.

As for his pro career, Trice has only played in the Arizona Complex League. In 24 ABs, he has 1 HR with 6 RBIs while hitting .292. His OBP is looking good at .414 and that stats helps propel his OPS at .956.

So far, so good.

2023
RDPickPosPlayerSchoolBonus
113SSMatt ShawMaryland
268SPJaxon WigginsArkansas
381SS Josh RiveraFlorida
4113SPWill SandersSouth Carolina
5149CMichael CaricoDavidson
6176OFAlfonsin RosarioP27
7206SSYahil MelendezB You Academy (PR)
8236OFBrett BatemanMinnesota
92661BJonathon LongLong Beach State
10296SPLuis Martinez-GomezTemple College
11326OFZyhir HopeColonial Forge HS
123562B/OFCarter TriceNC State
13386SPSam ArmstrongOld Dominion
14416RPGrayson MooreVanderbilt
15446SPTy JohnsonBall State
16476RPDaniel BrownCampbell
17506SPEthan FlanaganUCLA
185363BBrian KalmerGonzaga
19566SPNick DeanMaryland
205963BDrew BowserStanford