In case your offseason of binge drinking and crack smoking (in case Andy Dick is a reader), a quick reminder the Royals develop pitching well. That bumps up against being a cheap-ass organization and Noah Cameron looks like he’s been ready since 2024. Alas, he’s here now and last year he went 138 1/3 IP of 2.99 ERA pitching. I’d buy that for a dollar, he says while smoking a cigar of rolled-up dollar bills. [realizing he could use one of those rolled-up dollar bills to buy stuff, he stomps out the dollar-bill cigar, takes the burnt money and asks the store clerk, “Can I buy a Zippo lighter with this burnt money? No? O. Henry!”] Cameron’s 7.4 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 are less drool-inducing, but you can’t let the surface-level stuff get you down. Rise up, prematurely balding man, rise up! Not literally, I mean emotionally, you can sit down again. Besides, you shouldn’t stand up while you’re sitting on the toilet doing a number two. See, I know where our readers are! These new analytics are amazing! Also, three of you are named Kenneth. I’d go by Ken, if I were you three. No pressure though. Just saying that Kenneth sounds like a serial killer. I am merely stating opinions! Noah doesn’t sound like a killer though. Unless you’re talking about his slider! Bam! Hashtag still got it! So, what can we expect from Noah Cameron for 2026 fantasy baseball and what makes him a sleeper?
Member three sentences and two half-ass goofs ago when I said his K/9 was a bit yawny? Well, he had a much better strikeout rate in the minors (2024, 128 2/3 IP, 10.4 K/9). By the way, “Three sentences and two half-ass goofs ago,” is the beginning of the Gettysburg Address if I wrote it. Call it the Greysburg Address. Okay, so where’d those Ks come from? Thanks, Expositional Question! His slider is devastating (.205 BAA). Maybe he throws that more (14% of the time in 2025) this year. Then again, he has two better pitches, per his BAA. His curve was thrown 19.3% of the time and it had a .153 BAA. Here’s more:
That’s as a rookie. He’s up there with some of the best curves by starters and relievers. Lowest xOBA by an individual pitch? He was 6th. The top six is ridink. You don’t believe me? Here:
That seems pretty effin’ good. He couldn’t possibly have a third great pitch could he? Ah, geez, here we go again. The changeup: .204 BAA, threw it 18.5% of the time and had a 41.1 Whiff%.
Talking in more general terms? Lowest Barrel%: he was 9th best, right in front of Chris Sale. Highest Whiff%: He was 28th best, right above Framber Valdez. Pitches in a great stadium; has a 41.4 ground ball rate; 30th best BB% at 7.7, a notch better than Hunter Brown; top 40 K-BB%; guys and five girl readers, this guy rocks.
I understand why he’s a sleeper too. Currently, he’s being drafted around 260 overall. That’ll do it! He has a fairly whatever 92 MPH fastball. It sets up his other pitches. Who cares? Don’t get so wrapped up in velocity. He was a rookie last year — have I mentioned he was a rookie? He was a rookie. This is merely the beginning! — and still had a 2.99 ERA. He had exceptional strikeout and walk rates in the minors and could just repeat next year or be even better. There’s a ton to like here. Honestly, he was one of those where I was like, “He had a 2.99 ERA last year as a rookie, so he’s going to be drafted around 120 overall, right?” And was floored it was 140 picks after that. Ks may not be there, but stop chasing Ks. 160-ish innings of great ratios and supplement his Ks with a solid reliever. For 2026, I’ll give Noah Cameron projections of 9-11/3.32/1.12/143 in 157 IP with a chance for more.
