The Oakland Athletics have selected Texas A&M shortstop Ali Camarillo with the No. 346 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. Camarillo spent this past season with the Aggies after spending his first two collegiate seasons at CSUN.
In the 2024 season, Camarillo made 68 appearances, recording a .288 batting average, seven home runs and 36 RBIs. He finished the year with a .384 on-base percentage. In the field, Camarillo notched 80 putouts while boasting a .961 fielding percentage.
In two seasons at CSUN, Camarillo amassed 77 appearances, including 74 starts. He collected eight home runs and 58 RBIs while posting a .332 batting average. Camarillo also tallied 112 putouts with CSUN and a .950 fielding percentage.
For his efforts in the 2023 season, Camarillo was named an All-Big West First-Team selection. Camarillo played high school baseball at Otay Ranch High School, where he was the No. 267 overall prospect and No. 57 shortstop in the 2021 recruiting cycle, according to Perfect Game.
In his senior season at Otay Ranch, Camarillo batted .530 with 49 hits, 25 stolen bases, 18 RBI and four home runs. He earned All-CIF Second Team and all-league first team honors for his outstanding campaign.
Ahead of the MLB Draft, experts provided an in-depth analysis of Ali Camarillo’s game and made predictions for his future at the next level.
“His glovework was a big reason why the Aggies ranked fourth in NCAA Division I in ERA (3.86) en route to a runner-up finish at the College World Series,” MLB.com wrote.
“Camarillo has smooth actions at shortstop and there’s no question that he can remain at the position as a pro. He covers plenty of ground to both sides and has reliable hands. He gets the most out of his solid arm strength thanks to his accuracy and finely tuned internal clock, and he’s capable of making throws from any angle.
“While Camarillo’s defense is beyond reproach, there are concerns that he may not provide enough offense to profile as a regular. He doesn’t hit the ball hard from the right side of the plate and strikes out too much for a player with only minimal pull power. He has average speed and the instincts to steal an occasional base.”
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