Cole Foster Scouting Report, Draft Projection, MLB Draft preview

SS Cole Foster's MLB Draft Scouting Report and projections

Now that the college baseball season has ended, all eyes turn to the MLB Draft. MLB is unique in that both high schoolers and certain college players are eligible, so the draft impacts both recruiting and roster construction. College players who have completed three seasons of college ball OR are 21 on draft day are eligible and have until 5 PM EST on August 1st to reach agreements with their drafting teams or return to college for their senior seasons. More so than the other major sports, money is the ultimate deciding factor in the MLB Draft. Top 100 talents out of high school may fall too late rounds or go undrafted entirely based on expected bonus demands, and draft-eligible college seniors frequently receive smaller signing bonuses due to the lack of negotiating leverage they possess once exhausting their college eligibility. 

A fitting place to start these scouting reports on the Auburn baseball standouts from 2023 is with SS Cole Foster 

Cole Foster Season Recap

Eric Starling/Auburn Daily

Entering the 2023 season, Cole Foster was preparing to make his 2nd position change of his collegiate career. Similar to MLB draftees Brody Moore and Ryan Bliss before him, Foster moved from his prep position of shortstop to second base when he began his college career, and had to transition back to shortstop for his junior year. 

It's a position change that he handled with aplomb, putting up a .976 fielding percentage with only five errors in 212 defensive chances. 

At the plate, Foster's offense reached new levels, setting career highs in all the slash line categories (batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging) while playing in 55 of a possibly 58 games and finishing third on the team in homeruns. 

Only a junior, it is widely believed that he will be forgoing his remaining eligibility to enter the MLB Draft, although he does have the ability to return to Auburn should he not sign with a MLB team after being drafted.     

Cole Foster's career statlines

© Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

2023: 55G, .336/.429/.570 w/13 HRs, 26 XBH, 57 R, 49 RBI, 30BB/50Ks, 5 SBs
2022: 53G, .267/.395/.488 w/9 HRs, 20 XBH, 40R, 47 RBI, 29BB/46Ks, 2 SBs
2021: 15G, .292/.414/.417 w/0HRs, 3XBH, 5R, 1RBI, 3BB/9Ks, 0SBs

Cole Foster's MLB Scouting Report

Grayson Belanger/Auburn Athletics

"A switch hitter that shows a real feel for hitting from both sides of the plate - homered from both sides in the same game in the 2022 Regionals. Accesses power better from left hand side, despite better overall performance as a RHH. Upright stance and largely avoids excessive strikeouts while keeping the lineup moving, but tends to get too aggressive at times at the plate and has some swing-and-miss concerns. On defense, energetic player that moves well and has the versatility to handle either middle infield role, as well as centerfield. Good enough to stick at shortstop, with the limiting factor being the overall fringy-to-average arm strength, and could get pushed in to second base by a better defender. Quick hands and a good clock should allow him to be an asset on defense and take a utility role if needed. There's still some projection here, and an uptick in power (and keeping the strikeouts in check) would make him into a first division MLB regular."

Cole Foster's MLB Draft rankings and projection

Eric Starling/Auburn Daily

Most industry projections have Foster somewhere around the 90-130 range on draft boards, with a high of 79 (ESPN's Kiley McDaniel). 

It's important to remember that money is a significantly more influential factor in the MLB Draft than in other sports, and pre-draft rankings don't always correlate with draft position. In addition, there will always be more variance in MLB Draft boards versus other sports due to the unknowns about a player's money demands to sign. 

And remember, it only takes one team to fall in love with a player.   

Projection: Early on day two, with an overslot bonus

Other Auburn baseball scouting reports:

To be updated

For daily MLB Draft coverage and to follow former Auburn standouts, MLB Prospects, the MLB Draft, and more, subscribe to LockedOn MLB Prospects on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts, and follow the show on Twitter as well as Lindsay Crosby. 

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