The Atlanta Braves have slowly begun signing some of their picks from the 2024 MLB Draft. It was another pitcher-heavy draft for Atlanta which isn't out of the ordinary. Pitching depth is vital to any professional baseball team's success.
First-round picks are one of the toughest decisions an MLB team makes during each season. This sets the tone for the future and a bad pick can leave a sour taste in the mouths of fans. However, the Braves have a pretty solid track record of making the right picks with Alex Anthopoulos and his talented front office at the helm.
Atlanta's first pick in 2024 was a bit of a surprise as he was projected to be selected within the top 10. However, 17-year-old pitcher Cam Caminiti fell to the Braves at 24th overall and he was a perfect choice for the team.
Atlanta Braves sign impressive first-round pick Cam Caminiti
On Friday, it was announced that the Braves signed Caminiti for $3,556,300 which is right at slot value for that spot in the draft. There was some expectation that Cam might sign slightly over slot value but somehow, Atlanta worked their magic and landed Cam for the exact value of his slot.
1st-rder Cam Caminiti signs w/@Braves for $3,556,300 (full slot 24 value). Arizona HS LHP, consensus best prep pitcher in @MLBDraft, 17-year-old with plus fastball & changeup, improving slider. @LSUbaseball commit. pic.twitter.com/byjnL8x3QH
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 19, 2024
The former LSU commit is highly regarded for his fastball velocity which sits between 97 and 99 mph currently and a nice changeup to compliment it. He also features a slider and curveball that need improvement but that's expected considering his age.
Caminiti quickly becomes one of Atlanta's top prospects and one that fans should keep an eye on. He hopes to be one of the best rotation arms for the Braves in a few years as he was ranked as MLB Pipeline's No. 15 Draft prospect. Caminiti is the cousin of three-time All-Star and 1996 National League MVP Ken Caminiti, who played for the Braves during his 15th and final season in 2001.
He was an impressive two-way player with his Arizona high school, leading them to the state title in 2024. Caminiti went 9-0 from the mound with a 0.93 ERA with 119 strikeouts in 52.2 innings. As for his stats at the plate, Cam slashed .493/.679/.826 with an impressive 1.505 OPS.
Atlanta has signed a few of their picks from this year's draft including second-round pick Carter Holton who signed under slot value ($1,385,000) at $1,350,000. The Braves have inked 10 of their 20 selections from the draft. Atlanta has around $1.2 million left to spend on their remaining picks.
You can keep up with our signing tracker to see the remaining signees. The Braves found a lot of great talent during the draft and it will be exciting to see their development over the years. Caminiti has a very bright future ahead of him.