Messina Selected by Colorado in Third Round of the MLB Draft
ARLINGTON – Junior catcher Cole Messina of the University of South Carolina baseball team was picked in the third round by the Colorado Rockies on the second day of the 2024 MLB First-Year Player Draft on Monday afternoon (July 15).
Messina, a junior catcher from Summerville, S.C., was a consensus All-American and earned the Johnny Bench Award for the top catcher in Division I in 2024. Messina played and started all 59 games for the Gamecocks as a junior and led the team with a .326 batting average to go along with 19 doubles, 21 home runs and 71 RBI. He was tied for fifth in the SEC in doubles and was eighth in RBI. Messina set an SEC Tournament record with 16 RBI in five contests. Messina was an All-SEC Second Team selection and was named to the All-Raleigh Regional team.
On Sunday, Carolina signee PJ Morlando was selected by the Miami Marlins with the 16th pick of the MLB Draft.
The draft continues this afternoon with rounds 3-10, broadcasted on MLB.com.
South Carolina Selections in the 2024 MLB Draft
Rd. (Pick) Name Team
1 (16) PJ Morlando* Miami Marlins
3 (77) Cole Messina Colorado Rockies
*Signee
