1 Improvement Has Taken Junior Caminero’s Production to New Level

One improvement has helped Junior Caminero take his performance for the Tampa Bay Rays to another level.

Jun 14, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) reacts after defeating the Los Angeles Angels 8-3 at Angel Stadium. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays have a special player as their franchise cornerstone in third baseman Junior Caminero.

In his first full season as a Major Leaguer, he launched 45 home runs. That is the second most hit by a 21-year-old in MLB history, behind only Eddie Matthews, who had 47 in 1953. It was only the fourth time a 21-year-old has reached 40 home runs, with Mel Ott and Ronald Acuna Jr. doing it in 1929 and 2019.

Thus far in 2026, Caminero’s power production has dropped. He has hit 15 home runs, which puts him on pace for about 35 this season. A drop of 10 home runs could be seen as a negative, but he has actually improved his production across the board.

One major reason that he isn’t hitting as many home runs is that opposing pitchers just aren’t throwing him strikes. Through June 20, only 41.7% of pitches he has faced have been in the zone, which is the lowest rate amongst qualified hitters in the MLB.

Junior Caminero's plate discipline development has improved overall game

Jun 6, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) strikes out to end the game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

In most cases, a young hitter would get jumpy, expanding the zone to hit some more home runs. Especially a player with the bat speed and ability to consistently hit the ball hard, as is the case with Caminero.

However, he has not done that. Caminero has whiff and chase rates both above average in the 60th percentile. His strikeout rate of 17.2% is in the 72nd percentile, and his walk rate of 13.4% is in the 89th percentile.

That plate discipline has made him an even more dangerous hitter and taken his overall production to another level. At points last year, Caminero would expand the zone, making life easier for pitchers to attack him.

His swing strike rate is down to 8.3%, down from 11.7% last year, with the MLB average being 10.8%. Not only is he making better decisions about the pitches to swing at, but he isn’t missing when he decides to attack.

Junior Caminero taking game to another level

May 31, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) runs to first base in the first inning against Los Angeles Angels at Tropicana Field. | Pablo Robles-Imagn Images

With that no longer happening, and him showing a willingness to take pitches, he has already drawn 43 walks this year after having only 41 in 2025. That has helped him produce an OPS of .869 and an OPS+ of 139, which is even higher than the .846 and 130 he produced last year in his breakout campaign.

Caminero’s batting average and on-base percentage are both higher in 2026 than in 2025, as his offensive game has been taken to another level, with his Batting Run Value of +12 being in the 87th percentile.

Only 22 years old and still with areas of his profile that can be improved, Caminero looks the part of a superstar slugger if he isn’t considered one already, with a second All-Star apperance on the horizon.