Tampa Bay Option Top Prospect to Minors to Begin Season

Junior Caminero made an impressive-late season cameo in 2023. However, the Tampa Bay Rays No. 1 prospect learned on Monday that he will not be on the club’s Opening Day roster. Instead, Caminero will begin the season in the minors following the team’s spring training cuts. One of the top prospects in baseball has earned rave reviews due to the simplicity and power of his swing.

Keith Law of The Athletic ranked Caminero as the No. 5 ranked prospect in his Top 100 prospects list.

“Caminero’s a tremendous hitter, combining the feel for the barrel, balance, and brute strength to produce a ton of hard contact, peaking at 112 mph in his brief stint in the majors,” wrote Law, who believes Caminero has the potential to be “the impact bat the Ryas have needed for ages.”

Rays Option Junior Caminero

Caminero was promoted straight from Double-A last year following a .309/.373/.548 slash line with 20 home runs. In fact, he started the year at High-A and Caminero will begin the year at Triple-A Durham. He seemed like a long shot to secure a season-opening big league job. While last season’s promotion put Caminero on the radar for a potential Opening Day spot, the likelier outcome was for him to head to Durham for the first time. Trade pickup Jose Caballéro will get the starting nod at shortstop while Amed Rosario can bounce around the field as a right-handed hitter. Isaac Paredes should get plenty of reps at third base with Yandy Díaz playing at the opposite corner.

Caminero’s Presence Has Garned Strong Reviews

Caminero is light on up-level experience but destroyed opposing pitching through Double-A. The right-hander owns a .316/.383/.555 slash in three minor league seasons. He has experience at all four infield positions as scouting reports believe he’s best fit to play at third base. When Caminero gets promoted again, it could open trade possibilities for Paredes, whom the club controls for another four seasons via arbitration. The minor league assignment is likely to have an impact on his service trajectory.

Service Time

He has 10 days of MLB service after his September call-up. Caminero would need to be on the roster for 162 days to surpass the one-year threshold in 2024. Playing in Durham prevents him from reaching that mark. There’s a reason for him to spend time in Triple-A, but a notable effect at the same time.