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PHOENIX -- Cam Caminiti never had the chance to interact with his cousin and three-time All-Star Ken Caminiti, who passed away two years before he was born. However, stories about the 1996 National League MVP have given him insight into his cousin's impact on their family.

"I hear stories from my grandparents and parents that he was such a great guy," Cam said at the 2024 Draft Combine. "He was always super kind and a great teammate. I think that that's one of the most important things in baseball."

There is also no shortage of film for the Braves' 2024 first-round pick (No. 24 overall) to see what his cousin was like as a player. "He was hard-nosed and just played as hard as he could," Caminiti said. "I've seen some clips where he was just throwing guys out from his butt on third base."

Cam takes pride in carrying the Caminiti name but acknowledges that he is a different player than Ken. Considered one of the prized high school prospects in this year’s Draft, Caminiti led Saguaro (Scottsdale, Ariz.) to a state title last year both as a left-handed pitcher and hitter.

The 17-year-old went 9-0 with a 0.93 ERA this season, striking out 119 batters in 52 2/3 innings. At the plate, he slashed .493/.679/.826 with a 1.505 OPS.

His most impressive prep outing included striking out 16 consecutive batters in front of scouts. "I didn't realize I struck out 16 guys in a row," Caminiti said. "The only part I noticed was I threw an immaculate inning, and I was super hyped about that, but I just kept the momentum going."

Before the season started, his talent placed him on the Golden Spikes Award watch list, making him one of two high school players -- joining No. 9 overall pick Konnor Griffin -- to be selected. His season ended with him winning the Arizona baseball Gatorade High School Player of the Year award.

Caminiti’s dominance encouraged him to reclassify from 2025 to '24 to accelerate his path to professional baseball, which required extra academic work while maintaining athletic intensity.

"I kind of fit in with the older guys," Caminiti said. "I didn't really know that I was going to class up until June of last year. And then when I did, I was OK with the kids that I've been playing with my whole life."

Regardless of what level comes next, Caminiti is determined to be a two-way player. His fastball clocks in at 93-95 mph, reaching as high as 98 mph, complemented by curveball and slider offerings with plenty of spin and an incorporated changeup this season.

Having proven consistent production at the plate, his left arm also allows him versatility in playing positions like outfield or first base but projects more strongly on the mound.

He models his game after Phillies lefty Ranger Suárez due to Suárez's calm demeanor on the mound but has aspirations beyond emulation: becoming an All-Star and making significant impacts on big games while honoring Ken's legacy.

"It would be super cool to play for one of the teams that he played for," Caminiti said. "Just following in his footsteps is great, and I've talked to some scouts that have scouted him and they're super close to my family and still talk about him every single time."