5 biggest snubs from 2024 All-ACC First Team ft. Cam Smith

The ACC regular season came to an end over the weekend as the North Carolina Tar Heels finished atop the conference standings. With the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament set to begin tomorrow, the league announced their award winners, including the members of the All-ACC teams, which were voted on by the 14 coaches, on Monday.

Here's a look at the five biggest snubs from the 2024 All-ACC First Team.

5 biggest snubs from 2024 All-ACC First Team

#1. Cam Smith

Cam Smith was arguably the biggest snub from the 2024 All-ACC First Team. The Florida State Seminoles third baseman outplayed Ben Miller, who received the nod, by nearly every metric. He finished second in the ACC with a .400 batting average, while adding 13 home runs, 48 RBIs, 88 hits, 70 runs scored and a 1.153 OPS.

#2. Jacob Ference

Jacob Ference is yet another curious exclusion from the 2024 All-ACC First Team. The Virginia Cavaliers catcher also outplayed his contemporary, Jacob Cozart, by nearly every metric. He hit .367 with 17 home runs, 40 RBIs, 62 hits, 50 runs scored and a 1.245 OPS that ranked fourth in the conference. Each of the three players with a higher OPS made the First Team roster.

#3. Ben Watson

While the ACC was stacked with outfield talent this season, it is hard to explain Ben Watson's exclusion from the First Team roster. The Virginia Tech Hokies outfielder led the conference with a .418 batting average and added four home runs, 44 RBIs, 89 hits, 51 runs scored and a 1.060 OPS. While he did not hit many home runs, he led the league in hits and finished third in doubles and sixth in triples.

#4. Alec Makarewicz

If Cam Smith did not deserve 2024 All-ACC First Team honors at third base, then Alec Makarewicz likely should been the choice. While his batting average was slightly lower than Ben Miller – who had a great season of his own – he outperformed him elsewhere. The NC State Wolfpack third baseman hit .362 with 19 home runs, 67 RBIs, 77 hits, 52 runs scored and 1.141 OPS.

#5. Parks Harber

North Carolina Tar Heels first baseman Parks Harber had an elite season, finishing with a .358 batting average, 19 home runs, 57 RBIs, 68 hits, 49 runs scored and a 1.135 OPS. While Nick Kurtz also had a great season, it appears the voters valued his walks more than Harber's hits as their stats were similar elsewhere.