2024 MLB Draft Profile: Cole Messina
Draft Profile: Cole Messina (South Carolina)
Height: 6'0
Weight: 220
Bats/Throws: Right/Right
Cole Messina, one of the centerpieces of an explosive South Carolina offense last year, is a player to watch this upcoming college baseball season in preparation for the MLB Draft.
Messina’s profile is bat first. He does possess above-average raw power.
Fastballs in particular for Messina are not a challenge, with an in-zone contact rate of around 90 percent, a .640 slugging percentage, and an xwOBA over .450 with a hard-hit rate of over 37 percent. He also has chase and whiff rates below 20 percent versus both LHP and RHP. He performs well against both sides, but LHP in particular he really crushed velocity.
It is incredibly difficult to expand the zone on him with fastballs, as his contact ability is impressive on fastballs.
Relative to arm-side movement, Messina posted impressive quality of contact against changeups, especially from LHP. He did whiff on them far more often, at nearly a 40 percent clip from either side, but his quality of contact metrics were quite good.
Messina also handled upper-echelon velocity very well, batting over .350 on fastballs ≥ 95 MPH.
Breaking pitches for Messina are an interesting evaluation.
He only had a whiff around 10 percent around curveballs with limited data and did hit around .300 against them.
Sliders were more of a mixed bag, but it was the pitch that RHP seemed to use often to put him away with a sub-.290 xwOBA and sub-.220 average.
Messina’s a good athlete behind the plate. He can move with fluidity and his arm is on his side.
Messina’s bigger issue has more to do with fundamental aspects of playing the position. I think there is enough here to move him to first base if need be, but having his bat behind the plate is a massive boost if he continues to make strides defensively and in calling games.
Conclusion
Messina’s profile is carried by his bat. His ability to handle fastballs is impressive, and I think plus power is in the cards for him, a notable difference-maker at his position. He whiffs more at everything else, but not at an alarming rate, keeping it at respectable levels on breaking pitches.
He walks at a decent rate, but I think this will be a display of continued progress this year at South Carolina. He is more disciplined than people give him credit for, and has demonstrated the ability to make contact.
Defensively, he will be South Carolina’s catcher this year, but I wonder about his long-term projections. I do think he can make a move to first base, but it would do wonders for his long-term value if he can improve behind the plate.
His offensive production and contact skills make him a player that I am a fan of, especially at the position he plays. Even at first, his bat makes him intriguing. He should have even higher draft stock when that time of year comes around.
