The MLB Draft took place last week, and three current South Carolina baseball players and three Gamecock signees were selected during the three-day event.
The Colorado Rockies selected Gamecock All-American catcher Cole Messina in the third round (77th overall) as the first USC draft pick.
Messina had only been a member of the South Carolina baseball team for three years, so if he did not obtain the contract he desired after being drafted, he could return to school for his final season.
According to Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo, Gamecock fans may put their hopes for Messina’s unexpected homecoming to rest, as the exceptional backstop has signed his first contract with the Colorado Rockies. Messina’s signing bonus will be $1,011,900, which is exactly the slot value for where he was selected in the draft. Cole Messina will start his professional baseball career this summer.
Messina was one of the best catchers in the history of the South Carolina baseball team. As a two-year starter, the Summerville, South Carolina native recorded a phenomenal career slash line of.305/.436/.625/1.060 and blasted 38 home runs, 37 doubles, and 2 triples while scoring 128 runs, driving in 137 RBI, walking 94 times, and stealing 16 bases on 20 attempts.
Messina was also one of the best defensive catchers in collegiate baseball. He is a plus-athlete at the position, with defensive analytics ratings that were first or second in the country for nearly the entire 2024 season.
He has everything a team could want in a catcher prospect, and with the Rockies, Messina will rejoin with former teammates Jack Mahoney (who had his finest pitching numbers while Messina was their catcher) and Braylen Wimmer.
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