MIAMI — Junior Caminero seems a fitting successor to the lineage of elite baseball sluggers, a heritage that Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, and Kyle Schwarber will eventually hand down to the subsequent era. Yet, Caminero possesses more than just his exceptional skill at hitting home runs; there’s an undeniable allure that captivates his fellow players, drawing them in.
Perhaps it’s the magnetic appeal of his unadulterated enthusiasm. Playing for his nation, the Dominican Republic, he smashed his initial round-tripper of the World Baseball Classic last Friday facing Nicaragua, a scorching drive to right-center field that left his bat at 116.9 mph, designed to shatter a deadlock at 3-3. Caminero vociferously cheered while circling the diamond, devoid of affectation or a prepared act, echoing his colleagues’ cheers with gleeful shouts. “It’s magnificent,” he stated afterward. “When I was running the bases, the crowd’s roar was lost to me. I shed a few tears when I reached the dugout.”
During the Dominican Republic’s subsequent match, Caminero was struck by a fastball, and as he began a deliberate advance towards first base, the spectators grew silent in unison, displaying shared apprehension. Then, he flashed a wide smile, shouted, and gesticulated, warding off their sympathy while energizing the audience.
Caminero is at the age of 22, and with his poised, fluid batting motion that enables him to propel the ball across the entire field, the third baseman launched 45 long balls for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2025. Now, after dedicating the offseason to physical conditioning, he is achieving exit speeds exceeding 100 mph nearly every instance he connects with the ball. Caminero, boasting two home runs and five RBIs in this year’s World Baseball Classic, could very well emerge as the standout performer of the tournament, and the fellow Dominican athletes and advisors — including Hall of Famers David Ortiz and Adrian Beltre, and DR manager Albert Pujols — delight in Caminero’s moment in the spotlight.
“The finest attribute of Junior Caminero is that he’s unintimidated by this juncture,” Pujols conveyed to journalists last weekend. “He’s undaunted by this position. He’s eager to evolve and enhance his skills.”
“Once this young talent fully comprehends and improves…” Pujols remarked, a faint, astonished smile gracing his features. “Because there are numerous minor aspects, particularly concerning his batting mechanics, where he can refine his approach, and at 22, one refrains from altering it, as he’s performing as he is and achieving impressive statistics.”
Another prominent player on the Dominican Republic squad has been thinking of Caminero constantly from the outset of the competition — and it’s an athlete Caminero has admired for an extended period.
An image exists featuring Manny Machado, from his tenure in Baltimore, in which he is clad in an Orioles T-shirt, posing alongside a youngster who sports the broadest, most joyful smile: a youthful Caminero. He donned Machado’s No. 13 during his amateur baseball career and continues to wear it for the Rays. Caminero also has a necklace adorned with the numeral 13 around his neck.
“I was aware of his consistent fondness for that digit,” Machado stated — consequently, he devised a plan. Upon distribution of the World Baseball Classic uniforms, Machado presented the No. 13 jersey to Caminero, who was deeply touched, his expression immediately transforming into the identical beaming smile he displayed as a teenager standing for that photograph with Machado.
“I believed this gesture would be quite special,” said Machado, who is sporting his preferred numeral, 3, for the competition.
It’s not solely his teammates who are attuned to his achievements in the global arena — but additionally, his big-league skipper.
Following Caminero’s initial round-tripper in this World Baseball Classic, Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash messaged his athlete to commend him. “It was truly remarkable, placing him among that caliber of athletes,” Cash stated over the phone a couple of days later. “I observe an individual highly committed to persisting on that path to superstardom.”
Caminero’s 45 long balls last year secured the second-highest position historically for an athlete during his age-21 campaign:
Eddie Mathews, 1953: 47
Caminero, 2025: 45
Mel Ott, 1929: 42
Ronald Acuna Jr., 2019: 41
Caminero also amassed considerably the most hits from swings registering at least 80 mph throughout the 2025 campaign, as reported by ESPN analyst Paul Hembekides:
Caminero: 61
Giancarlo Stanton: 44
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: 40
With Caminero exceptionally youthful and prolific, and emerging as a superstar in this tournament, he could be considered for a multi-year agreement similar to the one Roman Anthony inked last August with the Boston Red Sox — or the deal Jesus Luzardo just finalized with the Philadelphia Phillies. Caminero appears to be the type of athlete any organization would desire to form their core around — especially a squad like the Rays, who are functioning with a new ownership group.
However, it’s exceedingly improbable that Caminero will secure an extended contract with them in the near future, due to several factors. Prior to Tampa Bay definitively outlining its prospective salary commitments, it must await resolution of Wander Franco’s legal predicament. In the autumn of 2021, the Rays inked the shortstop to an 11-year, $182 million agreement, but he has been inactive since August 2023. Franco, who has been on MLB’s restricted roster following his apprehension, was found guilty of child sexual abuse in the Dominican Republic last summer and issued a two-year suspended prison term, but a higher court has mandated a new trial for him.
Additionally, the Rays’ new ownership resumed the initiatives of the prior administration to secure a new stadium and pursue an expanded Tampa revitalization project that might emulate the Braves’ Battery development north of Atlanta. The Rays anticipate inaugurating a new facility for the 2029 season. But as former owner Stuart Sternberg could attest, there is a broad spectrum of potential results for this endeavor. Including additional elements, such as the potential for a baseball lockout in 2027 with the existing collective bargaining pact lapsing in December, the fiscal certainty required to finalize a substantial, costly agreement with Caminero is likely unattainable currently.
The prime chance for the Rays to sign him to a long-term, team-friendly contract may have already vanished anyway. With his 45-home run surge in 2025 and the indications of further potential we’ve witnessed, Caminero is on a course to emulate Juan Soto’s journey via arbitration and eventual free agency, and ultimately enter the elite tier of MLB player remuneration alongside Soto and Guerrero, where the initial digit of their contracts commences with a 4, 5, 6, or 7. Caminero, who reaches 23 years of age in July, may qualify for free agency at age 27, during the autumn of 2030.
But those choices lie far ahead. In the interim, Machado and the fellow Dominican Republic athletes — and the Rays — will revel in observing Caminero and his abundant enthusiasm as his remarkable rise persists.