Junior Caminero Put in the Work To Win Home Run Derby
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Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero is one of the brightest young stars in baseball, showcasing prodigious power at the plate.
During his first full season in the MLB, he hit 45 home runs and recorded 110 RBI, putting together one of the most productive age-21 seasons in history. That power was on full display during the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby as well.
Caminero took part in the event at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves, and put on a show. He reached the finals in his first attempt at the event, hitting 21 home runs in Round One, which tied with Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates for the most. He defeated Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins in the semifinals to face Cal Raleigh in the finals.
The Seattle Mariners catcher defeated him, 18-15, but Caminero cemented his status as a premier slugger in the league. And this year, he is looking to get over the hump and win, putting in some extra work to try and give himself an edge.
Junior Caminero has practiced new format for home run derby
"We practiced a little more this year," Rays major league coordinator Tomas Francisco said via text Sunday evening, according to ESPN. "Three times. The first time we practiced, we did 20 swings. The second time, we did 20 and 15 swings -- two rounds -- and the third time we practiced, we did 20-15-15."
Francisco is who Caminero had throwing to him in 2025, and he will be taking over that role again in 2026. It will be the third time overall that he has pitched in the home run derby, and that experience is certainly going to help.
Because of the format change, with players getting only 20 swings, throwing strikes and helping a batter get into a groove is even more important. Last year, it was all about speed, throwing as many pitches as possible with a 3-minute clock.
Now, there will be more of an emphasis on the quality of pitches, with a player getting only 10 swings to set their mark.
"Everything was so quick with the time clock last year," he texted. "This year, he can take some time in between swings. And he's a little more experienced... He's a little more mature, with his Derby experiences, and what he's done as a player."
Thus far this season, the Rays star has slugged 28 home runs. He really caught fire in the weeks leading up to the All-Star break, hitting 13 of those 28 long balls in the last 19 games, making some incredible history along the way.
Making his second straight start for the American League All-Star Team, which is a first for a Tampa Bay player, Caminero will be looking to make more history as the first Rays player to win the derby in franchise history.
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Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. Previously, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.