Top 3 college baseball underdogs in SEC who could go big in 2024 MLB Draft
The Southeastern Conference, or the SEC, has been a home of talented baseball players that MLB teams keep a close watch on every college baseball season.
Last year's draft saw three SEC-affiliated players being picked inside the top 4. They were LSU's Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews, who went No. 1 and No. 2 overall and Florida's Wyatt Langford, who became the fourth pick last year.
However, some SEC players made a name for themselves despite being picked low in the draft. Among them is former Arkansas catcher James McCann, who was picked 76th overall by the Detroit Tigers in 2011. McCann made his MLB debut in 2014 for the Tigers, kickstarting a 10-year career in the major leagues.
The 34-year-old also played for the Chicago White Sox (2019-2020), where he was an All-Star selection in 2019, and the New York Mets (2021-2022). McCann now plays for the Baltimore Orioles and has a career batting average of .241, with 86 home runs and 352 RBIs.
The most notable underdog player from the SEC is Florida infielder Pete Alonso. The Tampa native was picked No. 64 overall by the New York Mets in the 2016 Draft. From there, he kickstarted his power-batting spree that netted him the National League Rookie of the Year, All-MLB First Team and MLB home run titles in 2019. Alonso was also a four-time All-Star (2019, 2022, 2023, 2024).
This year, the SEC had no shortage of talent with the likes of Jac Caglianone, Charlie Condon and Christian Moore hogging the spotlight. They are expected to go high in this year's draft.
However, some SEC players have been under the radar in most mock drafts, but are capable of becoming big-time players in the future.
Here are three draft-eligible SEC baseball players who could potentially become successful in the MLB in the future.
Top 3 college baseball underdogs in SEC who could go big in 2024 MLB Draft
#3 Cole Messina, C, South Carolina
Cole Messina had a banner season for the Gamecocks this year as he had a career-high batting average of .326 with 21 home runs and 71 RBIs. Messina scored 64 runs and registered an on-base percentage of .465 and a slugging rate of .701 this past season.
Messina was this year's Johnny Bench Award winner, All-SEC second team, SEC All-Tournament Team and a second team All-American member by most award-giving bodies, including Perfect Game, NCBWA and ABCA.
He is at the 100th spot in the MLB prospect list. The six-foot infielder could be a steal between the third and fourth rounds for teams that are looking for a power-hitting and efficient catcher.
#2 Carter Holton, LHP, Vanderbilt
Carter Holton's 2024 numbers may be staggeringly high for a starting pitcher but don't let those stats fool you. He played in the toughest conference in the NCAA. This past season, the southpaw hurler went 6-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 69.1 innings.
Holton had career-high figures in strikeouts at 98 and allowed a batting average of.205 when he's pitching on the mound. Over the past three seasons, the 5-foot-11 pitcher played 41 games and had a record of 18-10 with a 4.09 ERA.
Holton's fastball can top 98 miles per hour and has a nasty slider with a speed ranging in the low 80 mph range. He was previously selected in the 19th round of the 2021 draft but decided to go to college and played for Vanderbilt.
#1 Gage Miller, Alabama, SS
Gage Miller has provided one of the best performances by a freshman in Alabama baseball history. Miller hit .381 with 19 home runs and 58 RBIs in 56 games this past season.
The six-foot shortstop spent his two seasons with the Amsterdam Mohawks in the Perfect Game Collegiate League before transferring to the Crimson Tide. He had a .709 slugging percentage and .473 on-base percentage and drew 27 walks in the 2024 NCAA baseball season.
Miller is a smart hitter who controls the strike zone and understands how the pitchers will try to play with him in every at-bat. MLB experts see the Alabama star as a potential 20-home run-hitting guy in the future.