Cameron Cauley

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #8 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Cauley has baseball bloodlines thanks to a father who played in the minor leagues with the White Sox. He was the Rangers’ first prep choice in 2021, after the team had already drafted Jack Leiter (Vanderbilt) and Aaron Zavala (Oregon) with its first two picks. Cauley’s $1 million bonus was the second-highest the Rangers handed out that season. He has moved deliberately through the system, including significant time at Low-A in each of the past two seasons. He reached High-A in 2023, then closed with six weeks in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  Scouting Report: Cauley is one of the twitchier athletes in the system, but he also has plenty of refinement to go before he can make the most of those gifts. The biggest action item on Cauley’s list involves cutting down his swing-and-miss and making better swing decisions. He hits the ball plenty hard, with average and 90th percentile exit velocities of 89 and 102 mph--but his whiff rates were concerning. His in-zone miss rate of 25.8% was a particularly red flag. The Rangers hope adding strength will lead to a more consistent bat path, something outside scouts noticed was an issue as well. When Cauley does connect, there’s plenty of thump behind the ball. His 34 extra-base hits--including 12 home runs--exceeded his career total by 10. Cauley ranks as the system’s best infield defender. He’s a graceful shortstop with a strong arm that should get to plus once he gets stronger and can get the most on his throws without having to put everything he’s got behind them. He’s a blazing runner whose speed borders on double-plus.
  
  The Future: Cauley will make his upper-level debut in 2024, when his efforts to improve his bat-to-ball skills and swing decisions will meet their toughest test. If he passes, he can get to an everyday shortstop with bottom-of-the-order offensive skills.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 40 | Power: 45 | Run: 65 | Field: 60 | Arm: 60
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #15 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Very High
  
  Track Record: Cauley's father Chris played three seasons in the minor leagues with the White Sox and was a member of the staff at Cameron's high school in Texas. The younger Cauley was drafted in the third round in 2021, when he was the first prep player selected in the Rangers' class. He spent all of 2023 at Low-A Down East save for two weeks on the injured list.
  
  Scouting Report: Cauley is an extraordinary athlete with a swing that whips through the zone and lashes line drives. Despite that, he still is working to learn to pull the ball with authority. He covers the outer half of the plate well but gets tied up on pitches on the inner half. To help alleviate that, the Rangers worked with Cauley at instructional league to tone his lower half a little bit and increase the mobility in his hips. Cauley is a double-plus runner who has the potential to be a plus defender if he can make his actions more consistent. If not, his speed would allow him to slide into center field, where his plus arm strength would also be an asset.
  
  The Future: Cauley's numbers weren't pretty in 2022, but the Rangers believe with further refinement he has the upside of an everyday player. He'll work on turning his potential into reality when he moves to High-A Hickory.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 40. Speed: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #25 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Cauley is the son of former minor leaguer Chris Cauley, who also is an assistant on Cameron’s former team at Barbers Hill High. The Rangers drafted Cauley in the third round and signed him to a bonus of $1 million.
  
  Scouting Report: As would be expected from a high school wide receiver in Texas, Cauley has athleticism and plus speed. Those traits alone could help him at shortstop but could also facilitate a move to second base or center field if necessary. His average arm strength would also serve him better in the outfield or the right side of the infield. He’s a skinnier player whom scouts believe doesn’t have a ton of projection remaining, so his offensive profile will depend on his continued ability to make contact and cause havoc on the bases. Scouts saw a player who will have below-average power.
  
  The Future: Cauley’s defensive home will become clearer as he develops, but he has the upside of an everyday player at the top or bottom of a lineup.
  

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #84 prospect in 2021 draft
  Although he’s a high school shortstop, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Cauley play a little bit of everywhere either in pro ball or at Texas Tech. He’s athletic and his plus speed, feel for the game and solid hands could help him develop into an above-average defender at second base or even in center field. Cauley could end up as an average shortstop or third baseman as well, although his average arm is less than many teams want at those positions. More than anything, he’s a proactive baseball player. He makes the routine play and has a good internal clock. At the plate, Cauley’s skinny frame and lack of projection make it unlikely he’ll ever hit more than 10-15 home runs a year, but he has excellent bat-to-ball skills. He has above-average barrel control and a simple, repeatable swing that generates plenty of contact and gives him a path to being an above-average hitter. Before helping lead Barbers Hill to its first ever Texas state tournament appearance, Cauley was a productive wide receiver for the school’s football team. Cauley’s father, Chris, pitched three years in the White Sox farm system and is an assistant football and baseball coach at Barbers Hill.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Very High
  
  Track Record: Cauley's father Chris played three seasons in the minor leagues with the White Sox and was a member of the staff at Cameron's high school in Texas. The younger Cauley was drafted in the third round in 2021, when he was the first prep player selected in the Rangers' class. He spent all of 2023 at Low-A Down East save for two weeks on the injured list.
  
  Scouting Report: Cauley is an extraordinary athlete with a swing that whips through the zone and lashes line drives. Despite that, he still is working to learn to pull the ball with authority. He covers the outer half of the plate well but gets tied up on pitches on the inner half. To help alleviate that, the Rangers worked with Cauley at instructional league to tone his lower half a little bit and increase the mobility in his hips. Cauley is a double-plus runner who has the potential to be a plus defender if he can make his actions more consistent. If not, his speed would allow him to slide into center field, where his plus arm strength would also be an asset.
  
  The Future: Cauley's numbers weren't pretty in 2022, but the Rangers believe with further refinement he has the upside of an everyday player. He'll work on turning his potential into reality when he moves to High-A Hickory.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 40. Speed: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Very High
  
  Track Record: Cauley's father Chris played three seasons in the minor leagues with the White Sox and was a member of the staff at Cameron's high school in Texas. The younger Cauley was drafted in the third round in 2021, when he was the first prep player selected in the Rangers' class. He spent all of 2023 at Low-A Down East save for two weeks on the injured list.
  
  Scouting Report: Cauley is an extraordinary athlete with a swing that whips through the zone and lashes line drives. Despite that, he still is working to learn to pull the ball with authority. He covers the outer half of the plate well but gets tied up on pitches on the inner half. To help alleviate that, the Rangers worked with Cauley at instructional league to tone his lower half a little bit and increase the mobility in his hips. Cauley is a double-plus runner who has the potential to be a plus defender if he can make his actions more consistent. If not, his speed would allow him to slide into center field, where his plus arm strength would also be an asset.
  
  The Future: Cauley's numbers weren't pretty in 2022, but the Rangers believe with further refinement he has the upside of an everyday player. He'll work on turning his potential into reality when he moves to High-A Hickory.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 40. Speed: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Cauley is the son of former minor leaguer Chris Cauley, who also is an assistant on Cameron’s former team at Barbers Hill High. The Rangers drafted Cauley in the third round and signed him to a bonus of $1 million.
  
  Scouting Report: As would be expected from a high school wide receiver in Texas, Cauley has athleticism and plus speed. Those traits alone could help him at shortstop but could also facilitate a move to second base or center field if necessary. His average arm strength would also serve him better in the outfield or the right side of the infield. He’s a skinnier player whom scouts believe doesn’t have a ton of projection remaining, so his offensive profile will depend on his continued ability to make contact and cause havoc on the bases. Scouts saw a player who will have below-average power.
  
  The Future: Cauley’s defensive home will become clearer as he develops, but he has the upside of an everyday player at the top or bottom of a lineup.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Although he's a high school shortstop, it wouldn't be surprising to see Cauley play a little bit of everywhere either in pro ball or at Texas Tech. He's athletic and his plus speed, feel for the game and solid hands could help him develop into an above-average defender at second base or even in center field. Cauley could end up as an average shortstop or third baseman as well, although his average arm is less than many teams want at those positions. More than anything, he's a proactive baseball player. He makes the routine play and has a good internal clock. At the plate, Cauley's skinny frame and lack of projection make it unlikely he'll ever hit more than 10-15 home runs a year, but he has excellent bat-to-ball skills. He has above-average barrel control and a simple, repeatable swing that generates plenty of contact and gives him a path to being an above-average hitter. Before helping lead Barbers Hill to its first ever Texas state tournament appearance, Cauley was a productive wide receiver for the school's football team. Cauley's father, Chris, pitched three years in the White Sox farm system and is an assistant football and baseball coach at Barbers Hill.