The Rays plan to recall high infield prospect Junior Caminero from Triple-A Durham earlier than tomorrow’s recreation in opposition to the Astros, experiences Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Occasions. It’s his first promotion of the season. Caminero is already on the 40-man roster as a result of the Rays initially referred to as him up final September. They’ll solely have to make an energetic roster transaction tomorrow.
Caminero, who turned 21 final month, appeared in seven video games for Tampa Bay late final season. He hit his first large league homer however managed solely a .278 on-base proportion. The Rays carried him on their Wild Card roster however didn’t get him right into a postseason recreation. Tampa Bay had jumped Caminero immediately from Double-A to the massive leagues, so that they unsurprisingly optioned him to Durham out of Spring Coaching this 12 months.
The righty-hitting infielder would seemingly have gotten a name again to the majors sooner if not for a troublesome stretch of damage luck. Caminero had a pair of stints on the minor league injured checklist due to quad points. He’s been restricted to 53 video games in consequence, although he’s taking part in effectively when wholesome. Caminero carries a .276/.331/.498 slash with 13 homers throughout 236 Triple-A plate appearances. That’s not overwhelming manufacturing within the total league context, as Triple-A has turn out to be very favorable for hitters, even within the Worldwide League.
It’s much more spectacular when contemplating that Caminero remains to be the age of a typical school junior. That is technically his age-20 season. He’s certainly one of two gamers — together with Jackson Holliday — who’ve managed 200+ Triple-A plate appearances this 12 months at that age. Jackson Chourio is the one 20-year-old to hit that threshold within the large leagues.
Not coincidentally, these gamers had been arguably the highest three prospects within the sport coming into the season. Chourio has exhausted his prospect eligibility, however Holliday and Caminero respectively landed second and third on Baseball America’s up to date High 100 checklist. Evaluators proceed to laud his huge energy potential and total offensive upside.
The Rays are in dire want of a lineup increase. They dropped tonight’s contest to the Astros 6-1 and have scored two or fewer runs in 9 of their previous 14 video games. Solely the A’s have scored fewer runs in August. Tampa Bay dropped again to .500 and sit 5.5 video games again of the final Wild Card spot within the American League with three groups to surpass.
Their standing as lengthy shot contenders contributed to the entrance workplace’s determination to deal the likes of Randy Arozarena, Isaac Paredes, Zach Eflin, Jason Adam and Aaron Civale earlier than the deadline. The Rays didn’t go full scorched earth — they held Yandy Díaz, Brandon Lowe and Pete Fairbanks most notably — however the Paredes and Arozarena subtractions make it simpler to discover a lineup spot for Caminero.
Topkin writes that the Rays are prone to play Caminero frequently at both third base or designated hitter. Tampa Bay has divided taking part in time on the scorching nook between José Caballero and Curtis Mead just lately. Mead has but to hit in his younger main league profession. Caballero is a glove-first participant who can transfer across the diamond. He’s able to taking part in wherever on the infield and Topkin suggests the Rays may get him some outfield work down the stretch.
Caminero picked up 10 days of main league service final 12 months. He may accrue one other 48 days of service time this 12 months if he’s within the majors for good. That gained’t be sufficient to affect his path to free company or arbitration. He has already ample time in Triple-A this season to push his path to free company again till at the least the 2030-31 offseason. He won’t qualify for arbitration till the 2027-28 winter on the earliest. Caminero may surpass the requisite 45 days on an MLB energetic roster to exhaust his rookie eligibility heading into subsequent season, although. Doing so would render him ineligible for the Prospect Promotion Incentive in 2025, which might take the opportunity of Caminero “incomes” the Rays a bonus draft choose primarily based on his Rookie of the Yr or MVP end off the desk.
That’s a secondary consideration to getting Caminero his first actual run in opposition to large league pitching. It’s a stretch to depend on any younger participant to instantly carry a lineup, as some early-season struggles from Holliday and Chourio demonstrated. Even when Caminero doesn’t lead Tampa Bay on a livid playoff push, he’s a possible foundational participant whom the Rays are hoping establishes himself as their reply on the scorching nook briefly order.