Scottsdale native eliminated in first round by Atlanta Braves

Spring 2024 was a big time for Scottsdale native Cam Caminiti.

While leading Saguaro High School to its fourth state baseball title, he was also selected 24th overall in the 2024 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft on Sunday, July 14.

Caminiti said winning the 4A state championship was a short-term goal and getting drafted was a long-term goal. At 17, the Atlanta Braves selected the youngest player in the first round.

“There was a lot of emotion,” Caminiti said. “I remember as soon as I heard my name, I immediately started crying, I hugged my family and when I came out, I didn’t think there would be so many people cheering for me. It was so cool to come out, shake the commissioner’s hand, and then it was pretty quick after I was chosen, a lot of media stuff, interviews and then I signed autographs.”

Caminiti spent the next two days in Texas meeting with other first-round draftees and watching the MLB All-Star Game and home run contest. He also met his new Braves teammates, Max Fried and Marcell Ozuna.

Joe Muecke, Caminiti’s high school coach, said the Braves got a great player and a bargain at the No. 24 position. Muecke said Caminiti had all the intangibles and always showed a great understanding of how to respond to failure. Even when things were going well, Caminiti trained just as hard to replicate his success.

“He pitched a couple innings for us in our first freshman practice game,” Muecke said. “In two innings, he had five strikeouts, and that was against guys three and four years older than him… We knew something was pretty special. It’s not very often that a freshman comes in and makes it look as easy as he did.”

Caminiti finished his 2024 campaign with 114 strikeouts in 52.2 innings and a 0.93 ERA. He allowed two hits and threw 11 strikeouts in the 2-1 championship win over Canyon del Oro, and it was also his third complete game of the season.

Muecke said as Caminiti has matured, he’s learned to attack the zone to get a higher strikeout percentage. Caminiti had never pitched a complete game for Saguaro before last season.

“I think my mentality has improved a lot on the mound,” Caminiti said. “I don’t worry about the past or the future, I control the things I control, I talk to myself positively, and then I just think about the next pitch, the next pitch, I execute every pitch. My mentality and my control has definitely improved.”

Caminiti took seven classes a day and participated in summer school to transition from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2024. He said it was tough during the offseason without baseball, but during the season, baseball allowed him to get through long days.

Caminiti had 34 hits, 28 RBIs and three home runs in his final season. He wants to try to hit and pitch professionally and said he will work as hard as he can to help the Braves.

“I want to win baseball games,” Caminiti said. “I want to win a World Series for the Braves. They’re going to have someone who’s going to come out there, compete, try to win and give it their all every day. I’m looking forward to that opportunity.”