Noah Cameron had been waiting for this moment for most of his life.
The Kansas City Royals called up the 25-year-old left-handed pitcher from St. Joseph, Missouri, to make a spot start against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, and a no-hitter watch ensued.
Cameron took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before finally allowing a base hit. Although he didn’t get the no-hitter in his big league debut, he pitched 6.1 scoreless innings, allowed just one hit, and struck out three batters as he picked up the win. The Royals beat the Rays 3-0.
Cameron exited the game after allowing his first hit; he had thrown 79 pitches.
As he exited the game, the rookie got a standing ovation from the road crowd at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida.
“You can’t put it into words,” Cameron told MLB.com. “It’s something I’ve always dreamed about, especially with this team. And it’s just crazy. Not what you’d expect, but I’m glad to get out of there with what happened. You just can’t make it up.”
Reliever John Schreiber entered the game and retired the next two batters, preventing any runs from being charged to Cameron.
“[Schreiber] came in and gave me a big hug, and I’m like, ‘Dude, I want to give you a big hug,’” Cameron said.
Only one MLB pitcher has thrown a no-hitter in their big league debut: Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bumpus Jones in 1892. However, Cameron was eight outs away from being the second one.
“I thought he was going to do it,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “The pitch count was really manageable. … We know he throws strikes, and he was challenging guys. He had a good mix. Just really impressive.”
It wasn’t Cameron’s first time flirting with a no-hitter in professional baseball. He tossed five hitless innings for the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers on August 17, 2024, before allowing a hit in the sixth.
Cameron started on Wednesday as Royals pitcher Cole Ragans deals with left groin tightness. Ragans may avoid time on the Injured List and could make a start against the Baltimore Orioles this upcoming weekend, MLB Trade Rumors reports.
Cameron, the Royals’ fifth-ranked prospect, according to MLB.com, grew up an hour north of Kansas City in St. Joseph, Missouri, a city of roughly 72,000 people.
The 2018 Central High School graduate was a three-time Greater Kansas City Suburban Conference first-team all-conference selection on the mound and at first base.
The Royals picked Cameron in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB Draft after he spent three years at the University of Central Arkansas, an NCAA Division 1 school in Little Rock.
As the Royals’ top-ranked pitching prospect with MLB experience, Cameron will likely contribute more to the team this season as injuries arise.
