Daz Cameron

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #8 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 40. Power: 45. Running: 55. Fielding: 55. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The son of former all-star center fielder Mike Cameron, Daz was one of three prospects the Tigers acquired from the Astros in the Justin Verlander trade. Cameron has struggled to hit aside from a brief stint at Double-A Erie in 2018, but he still spent all of 2019 at Triple-A and made his major league debut in 2020, where he hit .193 in 17 games.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: It’s easy to catch a glimpse of Cameron’s defensive bloodlines watching him play the outfield. His pure speed and arm strength are average, but he has an advanced feel for the game that helps everything play up. He’s a capable defender in center field and can play both corners without issue. Cameron is not a natural hitter and struggles to make consistent contact. He knows the strike zone, but he swings through hittable pitches in the zone and struggles with pitch recognition at times. Cameron’s offensive value is dependent on him tapping into his natural power and making impact on contact, because he doesn’t make contact very often.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cameron’s defensive ability will keep him on the major league roster while he tries to figure out his offensive game. His father was a late bloomer offensively, so the hope is Daz will be, too.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #7 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: The son of former all-star outfielder Mike Cameron was flipped at the 2017 deadline as part of the package sent to Houston to acquire ace Justin Verlander for their postseason run. Cameron hit a career-high 14 home runs in 2017 but saw his power nearly cut in half the following season when he hit eight homers between three levels. While his power returned in 2019 with 13 home runs, the outfielder posted a sub-.200 average in the months of April, July and August.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Cameron receives high praise from Tigers' personnel for the way he handles himself both on and off the field. He is athletic and has bat speed, but his hit tool projects as future average at best. Cameron doesn't make consistent contact, but his raw power is average and should translate into fringe-average in-game power if he is able to make some adjustments. His feel for the game is plus, and helps his average defensive tools play up. His average arm is suitable for center field or a corner. Cameron isn't a burner on the bases but runs well underway in the outfield.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cameron's contact woes are alarming and didn't get any better at Triple-A this season. His maturity and near-average tools across the board have the future of a second-division regular if his bat comes around at all.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #5 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The son of former all-star outfielder Mike Cameron, Daz was originally drafted by the Astros before being flipped to the Tigers with righthander Franklin Perez and catcher Jake Rogers as part of the package used to acquire Justin Verlander for Houston’s run to the World Series. Cameron hit a career-high 14 home runs in 2017, then built on that year by zooming from high Class A Lakeland to Triple-A Toledo in 2018. Cameron is a well-rounded player with no overwhelming tool, but no below-average one either. He unlocked his offensive game with a tweak in his approach. By being more aggressive early in the count he found more pitches on which to do damage. He’s an average hitter with average power. Defensively, he’s an above-average defender in center field with an above-average arm. He’s a plus runner who needs to sharpen his baserunning instincts to become a more efficient basestealer. Cameron could make an appearance in the big leagues at some point in 2019. His ability to play a solid center gives him a path to a future everyday job, while his arm gives him a fallback as a fourth outfielder.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #6 prospect in 2018
  The son of longtime big league center fielder Mike Cameron, Daz slid in the 2015 draft because of his asking price. He landed a $4 million bonus that matched that of Astros first-round pick Kyle Tucker. Cameron wasn't ready for the Midwest League in 2016, and a finger injury ended his season early. He was much better in his second try at full-season ball, impressing the Tigers enough to make sure he was included in the Justin Verlander trade. Cameron has a good understanding of the strike zone and recognizes pitches to hit, but early in his pro career he would fail to consistently square up hittable pitches, often fouling them off instead. His swing path proved to be too steep. Cameron has worked to keep the bat through the zone longer and it has paid off in better contact. Optimistic projections see Cameron as an average hitter, but that should be enough to be a regular as he has the strength and bat speed to hit 15-20 home runs in his prime. Cameron is an above-average defender in center field with an average arm and above-average speed. Cameron lacks a truly exceptional tool, but he's a hard worker and he has a well-rounded skill set. He's ready for high Class A Lakeland.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #14 prospect in 2017
  Though he fell to 37th overall in the 2015 draft, the son of former All-Star Mike Cameron landed a $4 million bonus that tied with fellow Astros pick Kyle Tucker for fifth-highest in his class. While Tucker sped to the high Class A California League, Cameron hit just .143 during his full-season debut at low Class A Quad Cities in 2016. The Astros demoted him to short-season Tri-City, where his struggles continued initially. Just when Cameron appeared to turn a corner, he broke his left index finger and missed the final two months. He has well-rounded, but not plus, tools. Cameron is a solid-average defender in center field with above-average speed that plays better underway, but none of that will matter if he doesn't hit, and so far he looks like a below-average hitter. Cameron's worked on retooling his swing in extended spring training to improve his bat path and use his lower half better. Still, he struck out 33 percent of the time in 2016 and has just average power. Cameron will get a second chance at low A in 2017.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #5 prospect in 2016
  Cameron was born into a big league lifestyle. The year he was born his father Mike became a big league regular for the first time. For the next 15 years the elder Cameron stood out as an exceptional defensive center fielder with plenty of power (278 career home runs). Just as Mike's career ended, Daz stepped on to the scene, impressing scouts with his performance at the 2012 World Wood Bat Championship. Cameron fell in the draft because of his asking price. The Astros signed Cameron for the same $4 million they gave to Kyle Tucker, the No. 5 pick. Daz isn't the top-of-the-scale defender his father was in center, but he's a plus defender with good routes, anticipation and above-average speed once underway. He has plus bat speed and solid bat-to-ball skills, but he doesn't have as much explosiveness in his bat or athletically as scouts once hoped. He projects more as a fringe-average hitter with average power. His speed plays better underway than out of the box but he has demonstrated solid basestealing ability. Cameron's feel for the game and his excellent body control is more notable than any one loud tool. Cameron has a slightly lower ceiling than Kyle Tucker because of his lesser power potential but he has a higher floor because of his ability to roam center field. He'll join Tucker in low Class A Quad Cities in a loaded lineup.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #5 prospect in 2015 draft
  Cameron, the son of former All-Star Mike Cameron, has been one of the most well-known players in the draft class for several years and became just the fifth underclassman to play in the Under Armour All-American Game when he appeared in the event in 2013. Longtime area scouts believe there are a lot of similarities between father and son, giving Daz the advantage in polish and Mike the edge in athleticism. Despite Daz's pedigree and long track record, however, the Florida State commit has been one of the most divisive players this spring. Cameron's feel for the game has long impressed scouts. Nearly every other part of his game has drawn scrutiny. He hasn't always performed well against premium pitching, raising questions about his approach at the plate. But his exceptional hand-eye coordination and incredibly fast hands give him a chance to make the necessary adjustments as he gets more experience. He is content to drive the gaps now, but he produces elite bat speed and has the potential for above-average power. Cameron is a smooth defender in center field, thanks to his advanced outfield actions and instincts. Some scouts think his defense is big-league ready and that he may one day rival his father defensively. Others believe he's not a true plus runner and as a result will eventually move to an outfield corner. Teams that believe in Cameron's defense and his ability to make adjustments at the plate see him as a future five-tool player and top 10 pick.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Florida State League #16 prospect in 2018
  After hinting at his potential for two seasons, Cameron tapped into his full set of skills this season while he climbed from high Class A to the cusp of the majors. Cameron, along with righty Franklin Perez and catcher Jake Rogers, was part of the package that brought ace Justin Verlander to Houston. In his first full season with his new organization, Cameron made an adjustment to his approach at the plate. He was more aggressive on early-count fastballs, and the results were evident. He made louder contact this year, especially when he got to Double-A Erie later in the season. That offense was accompanied by above-average defense in center field and above-average speed as well. There's still some development to go, but the potential is there for Cameron to be a 20-20 player in the big leagues.
• 
  Ranked Eastern League #7 prospect in 2018
  Cameron was originally drafted by the Astros in 2015 but was shipped to Detroit in 2017 as part of the deal that sent Justin Verlander to Houston. He was always loaded with tools but didn’t really start turning those tools into production until last year, when he had an offensive breakthrough at low Class A with 14 home runs and 32 stolen bases. Cameron continued building on that outburst this year with a stellar 2018 that started at high Class A Lakeland and finished in Triple-A Toledo. During his stopover in the EL, Cameron began to get to his power more frequently as he adjusted his approach to become more aggressive on early-count fastballs. That led to a career-best .470 slugging percentage and a few future 20-20 projections from managers and scouts. Defensively, Cameron glides to balls in center field and has an average arm. Cameron’s burgeoning power and above-average speed are enticing, and he’s on the right track with his continued improvements.
• 
  Ranked Midwest League #20 prospect in 2017
  Cameron was nearing the end of a breakout season when he was traded to the Tigers as part of the package for Justin Verlander on Aug. 31. Cameron was off to another poor start when the Astros retooled his swing, helping produce a .332/.406/.552 second-half slash line. Scouts say Cameron moved away from his pull-heavy approach and adopted a two-strike swing, learning to use the whole field. Swing and miss is still a part of his game, but Cameron dramatically cut down on his whiffs to a manageable 21.1 percent before the trade. He projects as an average hitter with average power. He's an above-average runner with usable speed on the bases. Cameron is not the Gold Glove-caliber defender that his father was but possesses the tools to be an above-average defender in center field.
• 
  Ranked New York-Penn League #19 prospect in 2016
  The son of Mike Cameron--a Gold Glove-winning center fielder who hit 278 home runs in 17 big league seasons--Daz signed for $4 million as a supplemental pick in 2015. And fairly or not, he faces constant comparisons to his father. He isn't quite the defender his father was, nor does he hit for the same kind of power, but he has the body control and speed to play at least an above-average center field and projects to hit for average power. The problem has been making contact. Cameron had a disappointing 2016 season. He opened with a .143/.221/.221 showing with 33 strikeouts in 77 at-bats at low Class A Quad Cities. After the Astros sent him back to extended spring training, he joined Tri-City in June and had better results, going 16-for-39 in his last 10 games. Unfortunately for him, he broke his left pointer finger on a hit-by-pitch that ended his season prematurely. The Astros remain bullish on the 19-year-old's tools, but like his father--who once led the American League with 176 strikeouts in a season--he has a tendency to swing and miss, striking out 28 percent of time in his pro career.
• 
  Ranked American League #5 prospect in 2015
  Cameron's individual pieces are not extraordinary, but as one scout put it: "The sum of his parts is impressive." The son of long-time major leaguer Mike Cameron, Daz lacks his father's explosive athleticism but has impressive game ability and baseball skills. Cameron loads his swing with a back elbow raise, making it difficult for him to control his barrel at times. He has loose wrists and shows the ability to extend his arms through the point of contact. Cameron gives off many of the signals of a major league average bat, with gap power, thanks largely to his bat speed. In center field, Cameron is ready to play, with outstanding reactions and the ability to use his plus speed, which plays well on the bases and on defense. Based on his instincts, he has a strong chance to stay in center, making him a potential dynamic all-around talent.
• 
  Ranked Florida Complex League #4 prospect in 2015
  Cameron was a high-profile player for years before the 2015 draft as the son of Mike Cameron, one of the premier center fielders in baseball over his 17-year major league career. With the second and fifth picks in the draft, the Astros leveraged their extra bonus-pool space to secure Alex Bregman at No. 2, Kyle Tucker at No. 5 and also work out a $4 million deal for Cameron with the No. 37 overall pick. Cameron's skill set leads to divisive projections among scouts. While he doesn't have one elite tool, he could have five average to plus tools that play up because of his advanced feel for the game. He has quick hands, excellent bat speed and stays inside the ball with a short stroke. He doesn't have natural rhythm and timing with his hitting actions, but he has a sense for working the count and using the opposite field, projecting as a solid-average hitter. His power now is mostly to the gaps. Cameron's swing and approach are geared more for line drives, though with his bat speed he could grow into average or better power once he learns to pull the ball. Cameron has a lean, athletic frame with plus speed and was a prolific basestealing threat in his pro debut. He's a smooth, polished defender in center field who gets good jumps off the bat. He could develop into a player along the lines of Austin Jackson.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #74 prospect in 2016

• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 40. Power: 45. Running: 55. Fielding: 55. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The son of former all-star center fielder Mike Cameron, Daz was one of three prospects the Tigers acquired from the Astros in the Justin Verlander trade. Cameron has struggled to hit aside from a brief stint at Double-A Erie in 2018, but he still spent all of 2019 at Triple-A and made his major league debut in 2020, where he hit .193 in 17 games.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: It's easy to catch a glimpse of Cameron's defensive bloodlines watching him play the outfield. His pure speed and arm strength are average, but he has an advanced feel for the game that helps everything play up. He's a capable defender in center field and can play both corners without issue. Cameron is not a natural hitter and struggles to make consistent contact. He knows the strike zone, but he swings through hittable pitches in the zone and struggles with pitch recognition at times. Cameron's offensive value is dependent on him tapping into his natural power and making impact on contact, because he doesn't make contact very often.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cameron's defensive ability will keep him on the major league roster while he tries to figure out his offensive game. His father was a late bloomer offensively, so the hope is Daz will be, too.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 40. Power: 45. Running: 55. Fielding: 55. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The son of former all-star center fielder Mike Cameron, Daz was one of three prospects the Tigers acquired from the Astros in the Justin Verlander trade. Cameron has struggled to hit aside from a brief stint at Double-A Erie in 2018, but he still spent all of 2019 at Triple-A and made his major league debut in 2020, where he hit .193 in 17 games.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: It’s easy to catch a glimpse of Cameron’s defensive bloodlines watching him play the outfield. His pure speed and arm strength are average, but he has an advanced feel for the game that helps everything play up. He’s a capable defender in center field and can play both corners without issue. Cameron is not a natural hitter and struggles to make consistent contact. He knows the strike zone, but he swings through hittable pitches in the zone and struggles with pitch recognition at times. Cameron’s offensive value is dependent on him tapping into his natural power and making impact on contact, because he doesn’t make contact very often.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cameron’s defensive ability will keep him on the major league roster while he tries to figure out his offensive game. His father was a late bloomer offensively, so the hope is Daz will be, too.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 40. Power: 45. Running: 55. Fielding: 55. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The son of former all-star center fielder Mike Cameron, Daz was one of three prospects the Tigers acquired from the Astros in the Justin Verlander trade. Cameron has struggled to hit aside from a brief stint at Double-A Erie in 2018, but he still spent all of 2019 at Triple-A and made his major league debut in 2020, where he hit .193 in 17 games.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: It’s easy to catch a glimpse of Cameron’s defensive bloodlines watching him play the outfield. His pure speed and arm strength are average, but he has an advanced feel for the game that helps everything play up. He’s a capable defender in center field and can play both corners without issue. Cameron is not a natural hitter and struggles to make consistent contact. He knows the strike zone, but he swings through hittable pitches in the zone and struggles with pitch recognition at times. Cameron’s offensive value is dependent on him tapping into his natural power and making impact on contact, because he doesn’t make contact very often.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cameron’s defensive ability will keep him on the major league roster while he tries to figure out his offensive game. His father was a late bloomer offensively, so the hope is Daz will be, too.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The son of former all-star outfielder Mike Cameron was flipped at the 2017 deadline as part of the package sent to Houston to acquire ace Justin Verlander for their postseason run. Cameron hit a career-high 14 home runs in 2017 but saw his power nearly cut in half the following season when he hit eight homers between three levels. While his power returned in 2019 with 13 home runs, the outfielder posted a sub-.200 average in the months of April, July and August.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Cameron receives high praise from Tigers’ personnel for the way he handles himself both on and off the field. He is athletic and has bat speed, but his hit tool projects as future average at best. Cameron doesn’t make consistent contact, but his raw power is average and should translate into fringe-average in-game power if he is able to make some adjustments. His feel for the game is plus, and helps his average defensive tools play up. His average arm is suitable for center field or a corner. Cameron isn’t a burner on the bases but runs well underway in the outfield.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cameron’s contact woes are alarming and didn’t get any better at Triple-A this season. His maturity and near-average tools across the board have the future of a second-division regular if his bat comes around at all.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The son of former all-star outfielder Mike Cameron was flipped at the 2017 deadline as part of the package sent to Houston to acquire ace Justin Verlander for their postseason run. Cameron hit a career-high 14 home runs in 2017 but saw his power nearly cut in half the following season when he hit eight homers between three levels. While his power returned in 2019 with 13 home runs, the outfielder posted a sub-.200 average in the months of April, July and August.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Cameron receives high praise from Tigers' personnel for the way he handles himself both on and off the field. He is athletic and has bat speed, but his hit tool projects as future average at best. Cameron doesn't make consistent contact, but his raw power is average and should translate into fringe-average in-game power if he is able to make some adjustments. His feel for the game is plus, and helps his average defensive tools play up. His average arm is suitable for center field or a corner. Cameron isn't a burner on the bases but runs well underway in the outfield.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cameron's contact woes are alarming and didn't get any better at Triple-A this season. His maturity and near-average tools across the board have the future of a second-division regular if his bat comes around at all.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Until this year, Cameron had been on a slow path. He needed two seasons to master low Class A. After a solid but unspectacular first half with high Class A Lakeland, he’s blossomed in his first month at Double-A Erie, hitting with more power than he’s shown in the past. That power boost may be a short-term blip, but Cameron has a well-rounded tool-set. As an athletic center fielder with a lot of average to above-average tools, he’s got a solid chance of becoming a useful regular in center field.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The son of long-time big league center fielder Mike Cameron, Daz slid in the 2015 draft because of his asking price. He landed a $4 million bonus from the Astros, matching that of Houston first-round pick Kyle Tucker. He wasn't ready for the low Class A Midwest League in 2016, and a finger injury ended his season early. He was much better in 2017, impressing the Tigers enough to make sure he was included in the Justin Verlander trade with Houston. Scouting Report: Cameron has a good understanding of his strike zone and recognizes pitches to hit, but early in his career he would fail to consistently square hittable pitches. His swing path proved to be too steep. Cameron has worked to keep his bat through the zone longer and it has paid off with better contact. Optimistic projections see Cameron as an average hitter, but that should be enough to be a regular because he has the strength and bat speed to hit 15-20 home runs in his prime. Cameron is an above-average defender in center field with an average arm and above-average speed. The Future: Cameron lacks a truly exceptional tool, but he's a hard worker and has a well-rounded skill set. He's ready for high Class A Lakeland.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Though he fell to 37th overall in the 2015 draft, the son of former All-Star Mike Cameron landed a $4 million bonus that tied with fellow Astros pick Kyle Tucker for fifth-highest in his class. While Tucker sped to the high Class A California League, Cameron hit just .143 during his full-season debut at low Class A Quad Cities in 2016. The Astros demoted him to short-season Tri-City, where his struggles continued initially. Just when Cameron appeared to turn a corner, he broke his left index finger and missed the final two months. He has well-rounded, but not plus, tools. Cameron is a solid-average defender in center field with above-average speed that plays better underway, but none of that will matter if he doesn't hit, and so far he looks like a below-average hitter. Cameron's worked on retooling his swing in extended spring training to improve his bat path and use his lower half better. Still, he struck out 33 percent of the time in 2016 and has just average power. Cameron will get a second chance at low A in 2017.