Heading into the 2022 MLB Draft, it remained uncertain whether Michigan junior right-hander Cameron Weston would be drafted at all.
But on Monday, on the second day of the draft, Weston’s name was called. With the No. 227 pick in the eighth round of the MLB Draft, the Baltimore Orioles selected Weston.
Going into the 2022 season, Weston was named the No. 4 overall MLB Draft prospect in the Big Ten Conference by d1baseball.com. This high regard was based on an impressive sophomore season in 2021 in which Weston held a 7-3 record and a 2.81 ERA while limiting opposing teams to a .226 batting average. And he was able to produce at that high level for 83.1 innings — the most by any Wolverine pitcher that season.
Based on what he displayed in his sophomore season, Weston was the unanimous choice to be the Friday night starter in 2022. Although a slow start to the season pushed him to become a Saturday starter, the change paid off for Michigan as he found some rhythm towards the end of the season. Through the last month of the season, Weston allowed just five earned runs in his final eight starts, with four of them coming in the final game of the season in the loss to Louisville.
Where Weston left his mark on MLB scouts was this summer in the Cape League where he went 4-0 with two saves, and held a 0.84 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 21.1 innings pitched. This performance not only turned heads, but it earned him a contract.
For the Baltimore Orioles, Weston offers a mid-90’s fastball paired with a wicked slider with upside on velocity. He will need to work on his control and poise under pressure to move up the ranks in the minors, but he will join a farm system that ranks fourth in the MLB. Although the current pitching staff ranks in the bottom half of the league, the well-run farm system offers a promising future for the team and Weston.
Whether Weston decides to sign with the Orioles or return to Michigan remains undecided. He still has two years of college eligibility left and after finishing the season on a high note following a slow start, it’s unclear whether Weston will return to school or take his talents to the professional level.
For now, though, Weston will look to represent the orange and black from Camden Yards.