Cole Mathis Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Cole Mathis
Born 07/25/2003 in Cataula, GA
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Harris County
Drafted in the 2nd round (54th overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 2024 (signed for $1,681,200).

View Draft Report

School: College of Charleston
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21
BA Grade: 45/High
Tools: Hit: 50. Power: 55. Run: 40. Field: 45. Arm: 60.

Mathis is a 6-foot-1, 210-pound first baseman and righthanded pitcher who had a breakout season with College of Charleston in 2023, when he led the team in most offensive categories and also had a team-best 3.45 ERA and 1.28 WHIP on the mound. He then doubled down on his two-way profile by playing with Cotuit in the Cape Cod League, where he continued to hit at a high level and had a 23-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio, mostly out of the bullpen. Mathis didn’t pitch at all this spring and started off slowly as a hitter, but he finished the year on a hot streak and is a career .327/.451/.606 hitter with 24 home runs and more walks than strikeouts. He’s more of a pure hitter than a big slugger in the box, with strong bat-to-ball skills, zone contact rates and a keen eye that keeps him inside the strike zone on his swings. Most of his power in college has gone to his pull side, though his quality exit velocity data and the fact that he homered 11 times in 38 games in the Cape Cod League should provide some reassurance that he can hit for enough impact at first base. When on the mound, Mathis has displayed a fastball up to 96 mph, a mid-70s curveball with depth, a harder slider and a mid-80s changeup.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High.

Track Record: Mathis broke out with College of Charleston in 2023, when he led the team in most offensive categories and also had a team-best 3.45 ERA and 1.28 WHIP on the mound. He then carried it over to the Cape Cod League that summer. Mathis didn’t pitch at all in 2024 and started slow at the plate, but ended the year on a hot streak. The Cubs selected Mathis in the second round and signed him for just under $1.7 million. He announced on Instagram in August that he had Tommy John surgery and would miss the remainder of 2024.

Scouting Report: Mathis stands 6-foot-1 with a muscular and athletic frame that allows him to hit for power while showing good velocity from the mound. Mathis is done pitching, but could blossom into a power-hitting third baseman with more work on the defensive side of the ball. At the plate, he shows above-average bat-to-ball skills with hyper-aggressive plate approach akin to Reds infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Mathis’ above-average game power drives his profile. He shows the ability to consistently hit the ball in the air hard to all parts of the park, but optimizes for pullside launch. He’s a below-average straight-line runner and has been a fringe-average defender at third base. His plus arm might give him some leeway to stick at third and improve his footwork.

The Future: Mathis should debut some time in the first half of 2025 and look to prove himself as a position-only player.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Field: 45 | Arm: 60.

Draft Prospects

School: College of Charleston Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21
BA Grade: 45/High
Tools: Hit: 50. Power: 55. Run: 40. Field: 45. Arm: 60.

Mathis is a 6-foot-1, 210-pound first baseman and righthanded pitcher who had a breakout season with College of Charleston in 2023, when he led the team in most offensive categories and also had a team-best 3.45 ERA and 1.28 WHIP on the mound. He then doubled down on his two-way profile by playing with Cotuit in the Cape Cod League, where he continued to hit at a high level and had a 23-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio, mostly out of the bullpen. Mathis didn’t pitch at all this spring and started off slowly as a hitter, but he finished the year on a hot streak and is a career .327/.451/.606 hitter with 24 home runs and more walks than strikeouts. He’s more of a pure hitter than a big slugger in the box, with strong bat-to-ball skills, zone contact rates and a keen eye that keeps him inside the strike zone on his swings. Most of his power in college has gone to his pull side, though his quality exit velocity data and the fact that he homered 11 times in 38 games in the Cape Cod League should provide some reassurance that he can hit for enough impact at first base. When on the mound, Mathis has displayed a fastball up to 96 mph, a mid-70s curveball with depth, a harder slider and a mid-80s changeup.