Hunter Carns is the Seminoles' rock behind the plate, a top prospect leading with his bat and exceptional play.
For two seasons now, behind the plate has been a place of steady performance for Florida State, manned by a talented masked man who leads by example and has the respect of his teammates and coaches. That man, suited up in garnet and gold, is catcher Hunter Carns.
A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Carns arrived on campus last season as a heralded prep star. In the 2024 recruiting cycle, Carns was the highest-ranked of all catchers (No. 12) in his class, according to Perfect Game.
As a senior at First Coast High School, Carns batted .384 with seven home runs and 16 RBI, and was drafted in the 20th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Luckily for the Seminoles, Carns wanted to experience baseball at the collegiate level first, before plying his trade in the minor leagues.
Last season, his first at Florida State, Carns earned some preseason recognition as ACC Freshman of the Year from both D1 Baseball and the Perfect Game, and was named an Impact Freshman by The Athletic. Carns batted .286 with six home runs and 15 RBI, leading the Seminoles to an NCAA Super Regional.
On the 2025 summer baseball circuit, Carns took his talents to the Cape Cod League, where he hit .325 with three home runs, 11 RBI and 17 walks for the Wareham Gatemen.
This past preseason, Carns was ranked in top 30 at his position by D1 Baseball. He has become a leader, not only from behind the plate but in the dugout as well, and leads by example. Carns leads Florida State with a .348 batting average and has so far collected seven home runs and 16 RBI.
Against Stetson on Tuesday night, Carns led the Seminoles to a 9-2 victory with a five RBI performance, via a double and a home run, to snap Florida State’s four-game skid.
Coach Link Jarrett, during his postgame press conference, called Carns' at-bats "phenomenal."
From behind the plate, newly turned 21, Carns commands the troops on the field and manages his battery of hurlers like a pro and boasts a .988 fielding percentage.
To get to the NCAA regionals, Carns and the Seminoles will have to play winning baseball, focusing on the fundamentals of hitting, pitching and defense. Basically, a repeat performance of the Stetson game.
With five ACC series left to play, the margin for error is razor-thin. On Friday, Florida State (25-11, 9-6 ACC) will host the opener of a three-game series with Notre Dame (17-15, 7-11).
The Seminoles staff will not have trouble finding a scouting report on the Fighting Irish, as Jarrett coached Notre Dame to the College World Series in 2022.
Arguably, Carns occupies the most important position on the baseball diamond, and his talent and passion for the game are contagious. He will do his part to have himself and his teammates ready to play. That is what great leaders, and great catchers, do.
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