SE Atlanta News

The Atlanta Braves concluded their 2024 Draft with a clear focus on building their pitching pipeline. The team dedicated nine of their first ten picks to pitchers, including both Day 1 selections: Cam Caminiti and Vanderbilt southpaw Carter Holton.

Shah noted that this pattern "just how it unfolded," but it mirrors the team's strategy from the 2023 Draft, where eight pitchers were selected in the first ten rounds. For the fifth consecutive year, the Braves used their top pick on a pitcher: Caminiti in 2024, Hurston Waldrep in 2023, Owen Murphy in 2022, Ryan Cusick in 2021, and Jared Shuster in 2020.

Caminiti, a high school left-hander ranked MLB Pipeline's No. 15 Draft prospect, is notably the cousin of late three-time All-Star Ken Caminiti. "He was a great big league baseball player," said Cam about his cousin. "He’s done a lot of incredible things for my family and Major League Baseball."

In addition to Caminiti and Holton (MLB Pipeline's No. 69 Draft prospect), other notable pitching prospects drafted include Luke Sinnard from Indiana University and Ethan Bagwell from Missouri. Shah highlighted Sinnard's unique release point and praised Bagwell as a "big, massive horse." Nebraska right-hander Brett Sears and UNC Wilmington right-hander Jacob Shafer also joined the roster.

The Braves balanced their draft by selecting position players later on. They picked eight outfielders and two infielders on Day 3. Among these was Patrick Clohisy from St. Louis University, described by Shah as an "absolute burner." Other significant selections included Mason Guerra from Oregon State, Owen Carey from New Hampshire, Jake Steels from Cal Poly (whose father played three years in the Majors), and Canadian outfielder Eric Hartman.

Shah commented on Guerra's power hitting abilities and Steels' fundamentally sound gameplay attributed to his baseball lineage. Hartman was noted for his exposure through U.S.-based tournaments despite being an international pick.