Junior Caminero

Junior Caminero
Caminero with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2026
Tampa Bay Rays – No. 13
Third baseman
Born: (2003-07-05) July 5, 2003
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 23, 2023, for the Tampa Bay Rays
MLB statistics
(through August 29, 2026)
Batting average.268
Home runs88
Runs batted in221
Stats at Baseball Reference 
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  Dominican Republic
World Baseball Classic
Bronze medal – third place2026 MiamiTeam

Junior Alberto Caminero Sánchez (born July 5, 2003) is a Dominican professional baseball third baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023. Caminero was named to consecutive MLB All-Star games in 2025 and 2026. He earned a bronze medal with the Dominican Republic at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Early life

Caminero grew up in Santo Domingo. His father, Juan,[1] was a truck driver. His mother, Yeudy,[2] was a physical therapist. He played baseball from age five, also playing basketball until age sixteen. As a pre-teen in 2014, he participated in an international baseball tournament that was held in the United States.[3]

Career

Cleveland Indians

Caminero signed with the Cleveland Indians as an international free agent on July 2, 2019.[4] He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[5] Caminero made his professional debut in 2021 with the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League Indians and batted .295 with nine home runs and 33 runs batted in (RBIs).[6]

Tampa Bay Rays

2022

Cleveland traded Caminero to the Tampa Bay Rays for pitcher Tobias Myers on November 19, 2021.[7] He began the 2022 season with the Florida Complex League Rays.[8] Caminero was later promoted to the Charleston RiverDogs of the Single-A Carolina League and batted .314 with 11 home runs and 51 RBIs in 62 games between the two teams.[9] After the season, he played for the Perth Heat of the Australian Baseball League. In 39 games Junior had an avg of .303 with 14 HRs and was an instant fan favourite.[10]

2023: MLB debut

Caminero was assigned to the High-A Bowling Green Hot Rods at the start of the 2023 season.[11] He was promoted to the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits after slashing .356/.409/.685 with 11 home runs, 32 RBI, and 30 runs scored in 36 games played with the Hot Rods.[12] Caminero was selected to play in the 2023 All-Star Futures Game.[13] In 81 games for Montgomery, he hit .309/.373/.548 with 20 home runs and 62 RBI. On September 22, 2023, Caminero was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[14] He made his MLB debut on September 23.[15] Caminero won the 2023 Southern League Most Valuable Player Award and Top MLB Prospect Award for his performance with Montgomery.[16]

2024

Caminero was optioned to the Triple–A Durham Bulls to begin the 2024 season.[17] He suffered a quad injury three games into Durham's season and spent the next two weeks on the injured list.[18] He suffered a more serious quad injury on May 28, 2024.[19] In 43 games for the Rays, he hit .248/.299/.424 with six home runs and 18 RBI.

Following the season, Caminero played winter league baseball for the Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Professional Baseball League. In Game 7 of the championship series, Caminero hit a go-ahead home run off Jairo Asencio, the closer of the Tigres del Licey in the top of the ninth inning leading to a championship for Leones.[20]

2025: First full MLB season, All-Star selection

Junior Caminero, 2026 MLB All-Star Game Banner (July 2026)

On May 31, 2025, Caminero recorded two doubles, two home runs, and five RBIs against the Houston Astros in a 16–3 blowout win. He became the first player in Tampa Bay Rays history to record two doubles and two home runs in a single game.[21] On June 2, Caminero was named the American League Player of the Week, co-winning with Cal Raleigh for May 26 – June 1, a span in which he batted .379 (11–29) with 8 runs, 4 home runs, 13 RBIs, 8 extra base hits, and an OPS of 1.331. It was his first career Player of the Week Award.[22] Caminero was selected to the All-Star Game as an injury replacement.[23] He was also a contestant in the Home Run Derby, getting to the final round, where he was defeated by Cal Raleigh.[24]

Caminero ended his 2025 breakout season batting .264/.311/.535 with 45 home runs and 110 RBIs; he fell one home run shy of tying Carlos Peña's single-season Rays record. Caminero also led the majors with 31 double plays grounded into.

2026

Against the Kansas City Royals on June 25, Caminero had the first three-homer game of his career.[25] Caminero won the AL Player of the Month Award for the month of June, after slashing .327/.402/.673, with 10 home runs and 24 RBI for the month.[26] On July 1, Caminero, at just 22 years old, became the youngest player to ever hit a home run in six straight games, surpassing Ken Griffey Jr.[27] On July 4, Caminero was selected to start at Third Base at the 2026 All-Star Game, making it his second consecutive year being named as an All-Star. He was also a contestant in the Home Run Derby for the second consecutive year, getting to the semifinals, where he was defeated by eventual winner Jordan Walker. In the following All Star Game, Caminero was hit by a pitch from Cardinals pitcher Riley O'Brien in the 2nd inning and had to leave the game.[28] X-rays taken the same night came back negative.[29]

Personal life

At Junior's suggestion, his younger brother was named Girardi in honor of Joe Girardi, who was then the manager of the New York Yankees.[30]

Caminero's wife, Francesca, gave birth to their first child, a girl named Valentina, in November 2025.[31]

References

  1. ↑ Polacek, Scott. "Rays' Junior Caminero Wears Custom Cleats With Portrait of Him, Daughter for Father's Day in Photo". bleacherreport.com. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Rays' Star Junior Caminero Delivers on Mom's Birthday Promise". Tampa Bay Rays On SI. April 17, 2026. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Junior's ascent: Caminero ready for spotlight as MLB's top prospect". MLB.com. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
  4. ↑ Stotsky, Tyler (July 2, 2019). "SS Prastano Leads Cleveland's International Signings". 247Sports.com. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  5. ↑ Adler, David (June 30, 2020). "2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled". MLB.com. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  6. ↑ Hoynes, Paul (November 20, 2021). "Makeover madness: What sweeping roster changes mean for Cleveland Guardians". Cleveland.com. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Guardians' Tobias Myers: Dealt to Cleveland". CBS Sports. RotoWire. November 19, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Rays' Junior Caminero: Showing skills in rookie ball". CBS Sports. RotoWire. August 2, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Rays' Junior Caminero Makes Strong First Impression". Baseball America. November 8, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Perth Heat's Tampa Bay Rays import Junior Caminero determined to end time in Australia with Claxton Shield win". The West Australian. February 1, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Hot Rods' Caminero named SAL Player of Month". The Daily News. May 4, 2023. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Rays' Junior Caminero: Promoted to Double-A". CBS Sports. RotoWire. May 28, 2023. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  13. ↑ Topkin, Marc (June 27, 2023). "Yandy Diaz, Randy Arozarena positioned well in early voting for All-Star start". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  14. ↑ Anderson, R.J. (September 22, 2023). "Junior Caminero debut: Rays promote top infield prospect to majors amid battle for AL East title". CBS Sports. Retrieved January 4, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Rays' Junior Caminero: Debuting as designated hitter". CBSSports.com. September 23, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  16. ↑ Trezza, Joe. "The 2023 Double-A All-Stars and Award Winners". Minor League Baseball. Archived from the original on September 26, 2023. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Rays' Junior Caminero: Sent down to minor-league camp". CBSSports.com. March 11, 2024. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Rays top prospect Junior Caminero makes quick return from quad injury". Tampa Bay Times. April 14, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  19. ↑ Ackert, Kristie (May 30, 2024). "Rays top prospect Junior Caminero sidelined with quad strain". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
  20. ↑ Mendoza, Jordan (January 27, 2025). "Junior Caminero has incredible celebration after hitting game-winning home run". USA Today. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  21. ↑ Berry, Adam (May 31, 2025). "Rays' red-hot bats back Littell's CG in all-around effort". MLB.com. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Players of the Week: June 2, 2025". MLB Stories. June 2, 2025. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
  23. ↑ "Rays 'pretty pumped up' about Caminero becoming their 3rd All-Star". MLB.com. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Round-by-round recap of a Derby with many feet of HRs ... and a crucial inch". MLB.com. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
  25. ↑ "The team that invented openers very nearly got a no-hitter out of one". MLB.com. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
  26. ↑ Kenneth Teape (July 4, 2026). "Rays Star Duo Makes History Sweeping AL Monthly Awards". SI.com. Retrieved July 4, 2026.
  27. ↑ Nick Ziegler (July 2, 2026). "Rays' Junior Caminero Breaks Record Set by Ken Griffey Jr". SI.com. Retrieved July 4, 2026.
  28. ↑ Flores Jr, Johnny (July 15, 2026). "Rays' Junior Caminero, hit-by-pitch in All-Star Game, gets a scare but avoids the worst". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 15, 2026.
  29. ↑ Castillo, Jorge (July 14, 2026). "X-rays negative after AL 3B Junior Caminero hit by pitch". www.espn.com. Retrieved July 15, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Junior's ascent: Caminero ready for spotlight as MLB's top prospect". MLB.com. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
  31. ↑ Groe, Gavin (November 24, 2025). "Rays 3B Junior Caminero Announces Personal News on Monday". Athlon Sports. Archived from the original on December 20, 2025. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
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