3. Cam Caminiti LHP (MLBP 1) BA Grades FB: 70 | Cu: 40 | Sl: 50 | Ch: 55 | Control: 55
Cam Caminiti is an arm to dream on. In case you’re wondering, Caminiti is former Atlanta Brave and 1996 NL MVP Ken Caminiti’s cousin. The Braves made him their first selection in this year’s draft at 17 years old. He signed in time to make one start before the season ended, striking out four of the 12 batters he faced.
In high school, he featured a consistently mid-90s fastball that touched 98 mph and showed great late life, a curve, a slider, and a change. BA says the Braves are working to improve the shape of his heater and figure out which one of his breaking pitching to focus on (probably the slider). He’s not arriving any time soon, but if you want an arm to dream on, Caminiti is that guy.
2. AJ Smith-Shawver RHP (MLBP 2) BA Grades Fb: 60 | Cu: 45 | Sl: 55 | Ch: 50 | Control: 45
Braves fans saw a little of AJSS in Atlanta in 2023 and 2024. He throws easy gas – a fastball that rests comfortably at 95 and sneaks up to 100 without visible additional effort. In 2023, his heater showed good late life, but it wasn’t as good in 2024, perhaps because he was making adjustments to improve his control. Lack of movement made it easier to hit, something he addressed by leaning on his slider and split change more often.
BA’s projection points to command being a big problem for Smith-Shawver. They say, “He’s too often effectively wild overall, not precise with his fastball location and not economical enough to pitch deep into games.” He turned 22 a month ago, so he has time to improve his command and become the two or three starter that his stuff suggests. Alternatively, he could become a late-inning reliever like Joe Jimenez.
1. Drake Baldwin C (MLBP 5) BA Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 30 | Fielding: 50 | Arm: 50
Baldwin fell to the Braves in the third round of the 2022 draft. The 24 games he appeared in after signing were enough to start him at High-A Rome in 2023. He decided he didn’t like the food at the lower levels and sped through the system to end the season with 12 games in AAA.
Baldwin started 2024 with 52 games in Mississippi, then returned to Gwinnett and batted .298/.407/.484/.891, hit 12 homers, and walked 54 times while striking out 52 in 334 PA. That performance made the decision to let Travis d’Arnaud walk away after this season easier. Baldwin is a LHH, making him the perfect catching tandem partner for Sean Murphy.
Honorable Mentions
MLB Pipeline ranked Jose Perdomo eighth in their top-10 list. That ranking shows a lot of confidence as the young (18) shortstop hasn’t played a game anywhere but the Dominican Summer League and only eight games there.
Pipeline inserted Cade Kuehler as their tenth-ranked prospect (MLBP Grades FB: 60 | Cu: 55 | Sl: 60 | Ch: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45. BA had him as number 11 on their September list so he may move up in their next list. BA likes his stuff but says, in short, that Kuehler has “a below-average delivery with moving parts and a short, compact arm action.” Pipeline likes his stuff better but agrees that “he hasn’t always been able to repeat his delivery to throw strikes.”
Kuehler is working as a starter, but BA says, “There’s significant reliever risk with Kuehler based on his delivery,” but thinks maybe the Braves can ‘develop’ him in the same way they did with Strider.
That’s a Wrap
The Braves have always believed in drafting pitching, and trading for everything else. That’s a sound strategy if your crop of pitchers is deep enough and strong enough to buy the everyday player you need.
Recently, the system hasn’t had enough highly-ranked arms to trade, and when they did, they held them too long. The Braves have needs beyond pitching, so I wouldn’t be shocked to see one or more leave in a trade in the next two months. All that’s to say, don’t fall in love with any of them; they may be on the Red Sox tomorrow.