Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero Joins Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez in History Books
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Junior Caminero may not have ascended to star status as a rookie in 2024, but the Tampa Bay Rays third baseman is more than coming into his own in 2025.
The 21-year-old slugger went 2-for-4 with a home run and a single against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday, marking his second straight game with a homer. He is now batting .265 with 19 home runs, 16 doubles, 46 runs, 50 RBIs, five stolen bases, an .833 OPS and a 1.6 WAR through 73 games this season.
According to Underdog Fantasy's Justin Havens, Caminero is one of three players in the Wild Card Era to have at least 19 home runs and 50 RBIs through 73 games before the age of 22. Alex Rodriguez achieved the feat in 1996, while Albert Pujols joined the club in 2001.
19+ HR and 50+ RBI through 73 games
— nugget chef (@jayhaykid) June 23, 2025
Age-21 or Younger
Wild Card Era
Junior Caminero (2025)
Albert Pujols (2001)
Alex Rodriguez (1996)
Matching Pujols and Rodriguez – two of the most productive batters of the last 30 years – is no small feat. And yet, it didn't come out of left field for Caminero, who was ranked as the No. 2 prospect in baseball in August 2024.
Through his first 50 games in the big leagues, Caminero was a .246 hitter with seven home runs, 25 RBIs, a .708 OPS and a 0.8 WAR. After starring in the Dominican Winter League this past offseason, though, Caminero has taken a major leap towards stardom.
Caminero ranks No. 9 in the American League in home runs, on top of ranking No. 16 in slugging percentage and No. 19 in RBIs. His average bat speed of 78.0 miles per hour is also in the 100th percentile across MLB.
After taking Monday off, Caminero and the Rays will look to stay hot against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday.
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- BATS POWERING HOT STREAK: Since May 20, the Tampa Bay Rays are 22-8, the best record in baseball. They always have great pitching and defense, but the change has come with a batting order that's been impressive from one through nine almost every night. That's a winning formula. CLICK HERE
- ESPN INSIDERS LOVE THE RAYS: With each win, the Tampa Bay Rays are compelling the nation to pay attention. ESPN insiders Buster Olney and Paul Hembekides were raviing about the Rays in a recent Baseball Tonight podcast. CLICK HERE
You can follow Sam Connon on Twitter @SamConnon.
Sam Connon covers baseball for "On SI'' on the Sports Illustrated platform and is also a senior writer on "Fastball on SI'' and ''Minor League Baseball on SI.'' He previously covered UCLA Athletics for "On SI's'' All Bruins site, among others.
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