Cole Messina Stats & Scouting Report

AB	10
AVG	.200
OBP	.200
SLG	.200
HR	0

Full name Michael Cole Messina
Born 05/14/2003 in Mount Pleasant, SC
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 230 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School South Carolina
Drafted in the 3rd round (77th overall) by the Colorado Rockies in 2024 (signed for $1,011,900).

View Draft Report

School: South Carolina
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.2
BA Grade: 45/High
Tools: Hit: 40. Power: 50. Run: 30. Field: 55. Arm: 55.

Messina is a big and burly 6-foot, 215-pound catcher who became South Carolina’s everyday backstop in 2023 and has been a source of power and sharp defense since. In three seasons with the Gamecocks, he hit .305/.436/.625 and had a career year in 2024 when he homered 21 times. Messina has flashed bat-to-ball skills and raw power, but not both at the same time for a consistent period. Ultimately, he looks like a power-over-hit righthanded hitter who can drive the ball with authority up the middle and to his pull side. Messina’s setup starts with his hands above his head and his bat head pointed directly to the ground behind him, but he gets to a consistent launch position in his load stage with a leg kick before firing a slightly uphill swing with plenty of strength. Messina is a well below-average runner but a shockingly good athlete with standout athletic testing scores and a chance for above-average defense behind the plate. He sets up in a one-knee stance, receives the ball well with strong hands and pairs above-average arm strength with a quick exchange. He’ll need to stay on top of his size to stick comfortably but has all the defensive tools needed for the position. Cole’s younger brother Carson is a talented high school pitcher also in the 2024 class.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High.

Track Record: Messina spent three seasons at South Carolina and starred for his home state’s school, starting a majority of the games behind the plate over his sophomore and junior campaigns. In 2024 Messina hit .326/.465/.701 with 21 home runs and won the Johnny Bench Award as well as second-team All-American honors. The Rockies selected Messina in the third round and he signed for a bonus just north of $1 million. Messina debuted out of the draft in High-A, playing in 17 games for Spokane and hitting .140 with one home run.

Scouting Report: Messina is a physically strong catcher with plus athleticism despite his burly build. He was a standout in the force plate and athletic testing that teams now incorporate into the draft evaluation process. Messina shows fringe plate skills with fringe-average contact and an aggressive approach, though it’s not wildly aggressive. Messina excels at hunting barrels. He has the ability to consistently hit the ball hard and in the air. This gives Messina some hints of plus power projection, though he’s more likely to settle in at above-average home run totals. Messina is an average runner who will give you the surprisingly plus run time every so often, though he’s not much of a basestealing threat. Behind the plate Messina moves well and has a chance to be an above-average defender with good framing and blocking and an above-average arm.

The Future: Messina has a chance to develop into an everyday catcher if he proves he can hit. Overall, he has a wide range of potential outcomes.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Field: 55 | Arm: 55.

Draft Prospects

School: South Carolina Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.2
BA Grade: 45/High
Tools: Hit: 40. Power: 50. Run: 30. Field: 55. Arm: 55.

Messina is a big and burly 6-foot, 215-pound catcher who became South Carolina’s everyday backstop in 2023 and has been a source of power and sharp defense since. In three seasons with the Gamecocks, he hit .305/.436/.625 and had a career year in 2024 when he homered 21 times. Messina has flashed bat-to-ball skills and raw power, but not both at the same time for a consistent period. Ultimately, he looks like a power-over-hit righthanded hitter who can drive the ball with authority up the middle and to his pull side. Messina’s setup starts with his hands above his head and his bat head pointed directly to the ground behind him, but he gets to a consistent launch position in his load stage with a leg kick before firing a slightly uphill swing with plenty of strength. Messina is a well below-average runner but a shockingly good athlete with standout athletic testing scores and a chance for above-average defense behind the plate. He sets up in a one-knee stance, receives the ball well with strong hands and pairs above-average arm strength with a quick exchange. He’ll need to stay on top of his size to stick comfortably but has all the defensive tools needed for the position. Cole’s younger brother Carson is a talented high school pitcher also in the 2024 class.