After playing sparingly in his first two seasons at Ball State and batting just .255 six weeks into his third, Cole's prospects for the 2022 Draft seemed dubious. Then he went on a .402/.500/.841 tear the rest of the way, led NCAA Division I with nine triples and landed a below-slot $97,500 bonus from the Astros in the 10th round. One of the more dynamic athletes in the system, he slashed .258/.380/.489 with 19 homers and 37 steals between two Class A levels in his first full pro season.
Cole looks to launch balls in the air to his pull side, and his combination of bat speed and strength generate high exit velocities when he connects. His left-handed swing can get long and uphill at times and too passive at others, taking crushable pitches for strikes. He still has to prove he can make enough contact after striking out at a 32 percent clip in 2023, and that he's more than a platoon player after posting a .579 OPS with a 42 percent whiff rate against southpaws.
Cole's physical tools are beyond reproach. He makes good use of his plus speed on the bases and in center field, where he has been a quality defender after playing mostly left at Ball State. He also features plus-plus arm strength and is an asset at all three outfield positions.
Cole barely played in his first two seasons at Ball State and was hitting just .255 six weeks into his third in 2022, then went on a .402/500/.841 tear in the next two months and wound up leading NCAA Division I with nine triples. The Astros loved his combination of physicality and athleticism and drafted him in the 10th round, signing him for a below-slot $97,500. He has some of the best all-around tools in the system and has performed well at the Single-A and High-A levels during his first full pro season.
Cole features plus raw power and speed and has double-plus arm strength. He has an affinity for launching balls in the air and while his pop mostly plays to his pull side, he can drive balls out to left-center field. He uses his quickness to steal bases and cover plenty of ground in center, where he has been a quality defender in pro ball after spending most of his college career in left field.
The questions with Cole are whether he'll make enough contact against more advanced pitching and if he can solve southpaws to be more than a platoon player. His left-handed swing can get long and uphill at times and his approach borders on overly passive. He draws walks and doesn't chase pitches out of the zone excessively yet takes a lot of called strikes and carries a 30 percent strikeout rate in his first full pro season.
