5 starting pitchers the Cardinals should target in the 2024 MLB Draft

LHP/OF Cam Caminiti, Saguaro HS (Scottsdale, Arizona)

The first prep school arm on this list, there is a ton of risk in drafting any pitcher due to arm injuries and the erratic nature of pitching development, but this is especially true with high school arms. But rarely do you find a left-handed high school senior like Cam Caminiti.

It's still too early to tell whether or not Caminiti will commit to pitching or the outfield moving forward. Some few him as having a real future as a two-way player, but unless he ends up being incredible at both, a team like the Cardinals will likely force him to choose a path, with his potential as a starter appearing to win out at the moment.

He will be just shy of his 18th birthday when the 2024 MLB Draft comes around, as he reclassified from the 2025 class in June 2023. At 16 years old, Caminiti had already hit 96 MPH on the radar gun, which is rare for anyone his age. He already had good feel for his slider and curveball as well, which he uses the former as a weapon against lefties and the latter against righties.

His control is something he'll need to work on over the next year, but his pitch mix, frame, and delievery already point to him being a top prosepct. He'll likely be a bit further away in his deveopment, much like Tink Hence, than guys drafted out of high school, but the extra wait could be worth it with his potential ceiling. And who knows? Maybe he can be the next two-way star as well.