Cole Messina is first current Gamecock selected in 2024 MLB Draft

South Carolina catcher Cole Messina didn’t have to wait long to go on the second day of the Major League Baseball Draft.

The Colorado Rockies drafted Messina on Monday with the 78th overall pick, the fourth selection in the third round, on the second day of the MLB Draft. Slot value for the pick is $1,011,900. He’s likely played his last game as a Gamecock despite having one year of eligibility left.

Messina talked about that possibility last month on the “Inside The Gamecocks Show.”

“If I don’t come back next year, I am appreciative and glad I can call this place home. Little upset we couldn’t make it to Omaha but nothing we could do about it now,” Messina said on the show. “There is a lot to happen but at the end of day I am a Gamecock no matter what.”

There have been five Gamecocks taken in the draft so far. USC signee PJ Morlando went in the first round Sunday, 16th overall, to the Miami Marlins. Gamecock junior college signee Brandon Clarke went in the fifth round to the Boston Red Sox and pitcher Eli Jones went in the seventh round to Minnesota. Pitcher Garrett Gainey went in the ninth round to Tampa.

MLB Pipeline ranked Messina as the 100th-best prospect in this year’s draft and ESPN projected him as a second-round pick. But he wasn’t selected on the draft’s opening day Sunday that held the first two rounds.

“He’s equipped to contribute on both sides of the ball and impressed scouts with a strong performance at the Southeastern Conference tournament in May,” MLB.com wrote of Messina.

Messina set the SEC Tournament record with 16 RBIs in the five games played and had two home runs, including the game-winner over Arkansas on May 22.

“He’s an offensive-minded catcher but can stick back behind the plate,” MLB.com’s Jim Callis said after Messina was picked. “He did a better job of adjusting his stroke and showed the ability to adapt to different types of pitching this year.”

The former Summerville High standout played sparingly as a freshman before a pair of productive seasons for USC. He led the Gamecocks this season with a .326 batting average and had 21 home runs and 71 RBIs.

Messina won the Johnny Bench Award for the top male NCAA Division I catcher this season and earned All-American honors by four different publications.

Day two of the draft will be rounds three through 10. Day 3 (rounds 11-20) will begin at 2 p.m. on Tuesday and be carried on www.mlb.com

DRAFT TRACKER: PROSPECTS WITH TIES TO STATE OF SC

First Round

16. PJ Morlando, OF, Miami Marlins (Summerville HS and USC signee)

Second Round

54. Cole Mathis, 3B, Chicago Cubs (College of Charleston)

60. Billy Amick, 3B, Minnesota Twins (WW King HS and P27 Academy)

Third round

77. Cole Messina, C, Colorado Rockies (South Carolina and Summerville HS)

98. Chase Harlan, 3B, Los Angeles Dodgers (Clemson signee)

102. Daniel Eagen, P, Arizona Diamondbacks (Presbyterian College)

Fourth round

106. Blake Wright, 3B, Colorado Rockies (Clemson)

110. Austin Gordon, P, Los Angeles Angels (Clemson/Myrtle Beach HS)

Fifth round

140. Sam Antonacci, INF, Chicago White Sox (Coastal Carolina)

145. Will Taylor, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates (Clemson/Dutch Fork HS)

148. Brandon Clarke, P, Boston Red Sox (South Carolina signee)

150. Tristan Smith, P, Cincinnati Reds (Clemson/Boiling Springs HS)

Sixth round

188. Derek Bender, C, Minnesota Twins (Coastal Carolina/St. James HS)

Seventh round

218. Eli Jones, P, Minnesota Twins (South Carolina)

222. Joel Dragoo, OF, Philadelphia Phillies (Presbyterian College)

Eighth round

253. Dylan Howard, P, Houston Astros (JL Mann/P27 Academy)

Ninth round

276. Garrett Gainey, P, Tampa Bay Rays (South Carolina/Hartsville HS)

10th round

306. Trey Pooser, P, Tampa Bay Rays (Hanahan HS)