MLB Draft Recap: Who Went, And What It Means For 2025 Gamecocks
The dust has settled, and done so in a very favorable way for the Gamecocks.
After 615 picks across 20 rounds in the 2024 MLB Draft, South Carolina only had six players with ties to the program drafted. Only three of those played on last year’s roster, and just two even had remaining eligibility to return if they wanted to.
It was a successful one overall, both in terms of seeing players selected and retaining key pieces of the 2025 roster.
Sunday night started it with committed high school outfielder PJ Morlando going No. 16 overall to the Miami Marlins, even higher than he was expected to go. The outfielder from Summerville, S.C. was not expected to make it to campus anyway, and was selected in a spot with a projected slot value of $4.7 million.
Cole Messina did not have to wait long to hear his name selected on day two, going with the third pick of the day at No. 77 overall to the Colorado Rockies. The former catcher had a career season as a junior in Columbia, and earned a draft pick at a slot value of $1.01 million.
The one member of the five-man JUCO signing class who was not expected to make it to South Carolina was pitcher Brandon Clarke, and he was unsurprisingly drafted in the fifth round at No. 148 overall by the Boston Red Sox with his slot value at $457,900.
Eli Jones and Garrett Gainey were the next two off the board, going to the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays in the seventh and ninth rounds respectively. Jones still has another year of eligibility, but is widely expected to go with his slot value at $251,5000. Gainey no longer has any eligibility remaining, and his selection slot value was $190,400.
Finally Carson Messina — Cole’s younger brother — went in the 12th round to the Toronto Blue Jays. Although there is no slot value for picks outside the first two days, it is likely Messina and his camp cut a deal with Toronto prior to the draft and he will end up signing.
But outside of those six names, South Carolina made out in great shape. Pitchers Eli Jerzembeck, Roman Kimball, Matthew Becker and Dylan Eskew all received varying levels of draft buzz from scouts and experts, but none were selected. There is always the chance of one of them signing an undrafted deal, but with any signing bonus money over $125,000 counting against the overall bonus pool money teams get, those are usually few and far between among players with remaining eligibility.
In addition to the four pitchers, reliever Chris Veach and outfielder Kennedy Jones also earned draft buzz and did not get selected, opening the door for two major contributors off the 2024 roster to run it back next year.
Veach, Eskew and Jones are the most likely candidates to sign UDFA deals due to their age.
Even from the high school ranks, South Carolina landed its entire class outside Morlando and Messina. Beau Hollins, who was the high school signee considered the next most likely to earn a selection, confirmed Tuesday on his Instagram he will come to campus.
Players have until July 30th to officially sign with teams.
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