By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
St. Joseph native. Royals fan. All-American pitcher at Central Arkansas.
By the end of his freshmen season in college, pitcher Noah Cameron had put himself on the professional baseball radar.
Little did he know that he'd only start 18 total games at the college level.
After his sophomore season was cut short in 2020 due to COVID, and after Tommy John surgery that same year, Cameron had to wait and see what his future held.
But on July 12, 2021, a phone call came from the front office of the team he’s loved his whole life. Cameron was drafted in the seventh round, 199th overall, by the Kansas City Royals.
"It's been a blessing for sure," Cameron said in an interview with KFEQ Radio. "Just being close to home. Obviously, we know not everyone is blessed in that way. Yeah, we're just lucky to be from St. Joseph and have all of the (Royals minor league) affiliates pretty close by."
After sitting out the 2021 season and rehabbing in Arizona, Cameron was assigned to the low-A Columbia Fireflies in South Carolina last April before going to the High-A Quad Cities River Bandits in May.
He posted a 3.56 ERA in 65.2 innings with three teams across three levels in 2022 with 99 strikeouts and just 16 walks. A minor shoulder injury set him back last year, but so far, Cameron says he’s feeling strong this year.
"I'm feeling good, feeling healthy," he said. "I'm just excited for the rest of the season and how it plays out. Just continuing to pitch well and hopefully get some more wins for the team."
In four starts with Quad Cities this season, Cameron is 1-1 with a 2.71 ERA in 19.2 innings, striking out 31 while walking only five.
His 31 strikeouts tie for fourth most amongst all minor league pitchers right now, and his 14.19 strikeouts-per-nine innings ranks 11th. His strikeout-to-walk percentage, 34.2%, ranks fifth.
Cameron is a lefty. At 6-3 and 220 pounds, the 23-year-old St. Joseph Central alum can touch the mid-90s on a fastball. His curveball is coming along too, but Cameron has always had a signature.
"Definitely the change-up is my go-to pitch," he said. "Has been for as long as I can remember. The curve has been getting a lot better. So, just being able to throw that and throwing it a little more to make my changeup a little better."
Noah Cameron is the No. 22 prospect for the Royals right now. Only time, and front office executives will tell ,when Cameron is ready to move up.
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals in Double-A would be next, but in the minors, there’s no real timeline or way to know when that time comes.
For now, Cameron is enjoying the moment with the dream of playing in Kaufmann Stadium very much alive in his mind.
"I'm getting paid to play baseball, which it's just crazy to even say that all of the time," he said. "I mean, yeah. I'm just playing a game, you know? So, I'm just thankful to be playing and be healthy and I'm going to keep pitching in Quad Cities as long as I have to."
"I'd have been super happy with any team, but the fact it's the Royals makes it a lot more special."
Full interview
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