The Atlanta Braves have long been renowned for their ability to identify and nurture baseball talent, with recent success stories including Michael Harris II and Spencer Strider. These players have followed in the footsteps of Braves’ system graduates like Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies, and Austin Riley, showcasing the organization’s prowess in talent development.
The upcoming season might witness the emergence of a new wave of talent from the Braves’ farm system, featuring prospects A.J. Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep. Following the MLB draft lottery last week, mock drafts have begun circulating, with Jim Callis of MLB.com projecting the Braves to select a promising two-way prep star with family ties to Major League Baseball.
At the 24th pick, Callis anticipates the Braves to choose Cam Caminiti, a left-handed pitcher from Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Arizona. Caminiti, having reclassified from the 2025 class to the 2024 draft, stands out as one of the youngest prospects eligible. Notably, he is the cousin of the late Ken Caminiti, a former MLB player who achieved distinction with 239 home runs and an NL MVP award in 1996.
Caminiti, a southpaw pitcher and outfielder, is a highly regarded prospect known for his athleticism and a diverse pitching repertoire. Despite being only 17 years old on draft day, he has already garnered attention as one of the most promising left-handed pitchers in his class. His four-pitch mix includes a fastball that consistently reaches the mid-90s, coupled with three promising secondary pitches. Additionally, Caminiti has committed to playing college baseball at LSU, having signed a national letter of intent.
The Braves, traditionally favoring college pitchers in recent drafts, have focused on reinforcing the upper levels of their minor league system. However, with the lower levels in need of talent infusion, the potential selection of a prospect like Caminiti aligns with the organization’s strategy to maintain a balance in talent development across all levels. As the Braves continue their legacy of scouting and developing exceptional players, the anticipation builds for the impact that prospects like Caminiti could bring to the organization in the near future.
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