Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Arm: 60 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45

Mathis broke out as one of college baseball's best two-way players as a sophomore in 2023, when he led the College of Charleston in OPS (1.014) and ERA (3.45) before finishing second in the Cape Cod League with 11 homers in 38 games. He concentrated on hitting last spring while dealing with an elbow injury, bouncing back from a slow start to slash .335/.472/.650 en route to becoming the highest pick in Cougars history. After signing for $1,681,200 as a second-rounder, he had Tommy John surgery in August.

Mathis employs an effortless, if not picturesque, right-handed stroke and a very patient approach to produce hard contact to all fields. He rarely strayed from the zone or swung and missed in college, though he may need to turn his bat loose more often in pro ball because he takes a lot of strikes. He has enough pull power to get to 20 homers per season, drives the ball the other way for doubles and draws a healthy amount of walks.

The Cubs announced Mathis as a third baseman when they selected him, but he played just one game at the hot corner at the College of Charleston and his fringy quickness and athleticism seem like a stretch for the hot corner. Most clubs thought he was strictly a first baseman despite his strong arm. As a pitcher, he featured a low-90s fastball with armside run and got outs with a mid-70s downer curveball that he located well.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 45 | Arm: 60 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45 

Mathis got just 16 at-bats while spending most of his freshman year at College of Charleston as a reliever, then became one of college baseball's top two-way players while leading the Cougars in both OPS (1.014) and ERA (3.45) in 2023. He finished second in the Cape Cod League with 11 homers that summer before focusing on hitting this spring while dealing with an elbow injury that led to Tommy John surgery in August. He recovered from a slow start to slash .335/.472/.650 with 14 long balls and become the highest pick in school history, signing for $1,681,200 as a second-rounder.

While Mathis may not have the prettiest right-handed swing, it's an effortless stroke that produces consistent hard contact to all fields. He has solid power, driving most of his home runs to left-center, and he might do more damage if he launched balls in the air more frequently. He controls the strike zone well and draws plenty of walks.

Mathis has fringy speed and decent athleticism, prompting Chicago to announce him as a third baseman even though he barely played the hot corner in college. Most amateur scouts believed he was limited to first base despite his plus arm strength. As a pitcher, his best offering was a mid-70s downer curveball that he commanded well, and he also worked with a low-90s fastball with running action and a fringy cutter and changeup that both parked in the mid-80s. 

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 45 | Arm: 60 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45 

Mathis got only a handful of at-bats while spending most of his 2022 freshman year at College of Charleston as a reliever. He became one of college baseball's top two-way players last spring, leading the Cougars in both OPS (1.014) and ERA (3.45) before finishing second in the Cape Cod League with 11 homers. The program's best position prospect since 2005 third-rounder Brett Gardner, he recovered from a slow start to slash .335/.472/.650 with 14 longballs this spring.

While Mathis may not have the prettiest right-handed swing, it's an effortless stroke that produces consistent contact to all fields. He has solid power, driving most of his home runs to left-center, and might do more damage if he launched balls in the air more frequently. He controls the strike zone well and draws plenty of walks.

Mathis has fringy speed and decent athleticism but is limited to first base despite his plus arm strength. Though some clubs viewed him as a potential back-of-the-rotation starter, he has focused on hitting this year while dealing with an elbow injury. His best offering is a mid-70s downer curveball that he commands well, and he also works with a low-90s fastball with running action and a fringy cutter and changeup that both park in the mid-80s. 

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	09/10/2025	3B Cole Mathis assigned to Mesa Solar Sox.
	09/06/2025	Myrtle Beach Pelicans activated 3B Cole Mathis from the 7-day injured list.
	05/15/2025	Myrtle Beach Pelicans placed 3B Cole Mathis on the 7-day injured list.
	04/03/2025	3B Cole Mathis assigned to Myrtle Beach Pelicans from ACL Cubs.
	03/06/2025	activated 3B Cole Mathis.
	08/05/2024	3B Cole Mathis assigned to ACL Cubs.
	07/20/2024	Chicago Cubs signed 3B Cole Mathis.
	06/16/2024	College Workout activated 1B Cole Mathis.
	06/09/2023	RHP Cole Mathis assigned to College Workout.
	06/09/2023	Cotuit Kettleers activated 1B Cole Mathis.
	06/15/2020	RHP Cole Mathis assigned to PG National 2 - Cardinal.
	06/15/2020	RHP Cole Mathis assigned to PG National 2 - Cardinal.