Cole Mathis thrived as a two-way player during his first two years at the College of Charleston. However, after suffering a partially torn UCL before his junior season, he focused exclusively on hitting.
Overcoming an injury is never easy, but Mathis excelled as a hitter, solidifying his status as a legitimate prospect for the upcoming MLB draft. Scouts project him as a potential second-round pick in July, with all teams viewing him as a primary position player.
“It’s the goal of every baseball player to hopefully get a chance at the next level,” Mathis said. “My goal going into college was to develop into a professional player. It was the goal at the beginning, and now, seeing all the work I’ve put in, it’s a good feeling to know that I’ve put in enough to be recognized as a draft prospect.”
Mathis is a 6-foot-1, 210-pound right-handed hitting first baseman known for his ability to make solid contact and hit for power.
At the plate, Mathis uses a relaxed approach with a slight load and quick swing to consistently barrel up the baseball. He is a quality hitter with a strong understanding of the strike zone. He displays the ability to drive the baseball with ease to all fields.
In addition to his ability on the field, scouts rave about Mathis’ makeup and team-first mindset.
“My biggest strength is my contact ability and then my power,” Mathis said. “That has always been my main focus is my contact, and then I’ve let the power come along with it. Just knowing it’s more about hitting it on the barrel than swinging hard. I’ve always trusted that if I can consistently hit it on the barrel, my strength will get up as I develop.”
Defensively, Mathis has mostly played first base when he hasn’t pitched at Charleston. He has above-average arm strength and solid athleticism.
Some scouts have mentioned Mathis playing in the outfield, which he’s open to doing despite little experience playing off the dirt. He also has experience playing third base.
“My main focus of development is my fielding and defense,” Mathis said. “I’ll admit, it’s one of my weaknesses as an overall player. That is something I need to work on. As I get into a pro system, that is something I want to develop. I also want to play over the field and not one position.”
As a junior this spring, Mathis hit .335 with 17 doubles, 14 home runs, 57 RBIs and 14 stolen bases in 200 at-bats. He had 46 walks and 32 strikeouts.
During his three-year career, Mathis finished with a .327 batting average, 38 doubles, 24 home runs and 112 RBIs in 416 at-bats. He mostly pitched his freshman year, registering just 16 at-bats in 2022.
On the mound, Mathis had a 3.60 ERA with 91 strikeouts and 30 walks allowed in 100 innings in his first two years.
Mathis started his career as a pitcher-first player before receiving more reps as a hitter. Mathis enthusiastically credits his development at Charleston for positioning him as a strong pro prospect.
“After the summer, I knew I had solidified myself as one of those names that could be recognized across the country and as a draft prospect,” Mathis said.
Read more in-depth stories on top 2024 MLB draft prospects at Baseball Prospect Journal.
Dan Zielinski III has covered the MLB draft for nine years. He has interviewed 518 of the top draft prospects in that period, including four No. 1 overall picks. Multiple publications, including Baseball America, USA Today, MLB.com, The Arizona Republic and The Dallas Morning News, have quoted his work, while he has appeared on radio stations as a “MLB draft expert.” Follow him on Twitter @DanZielinski3.
