Junior Caminero Puts on Show in First Round of Home Run Derby

Junior Caminero was on fire in the first round of the MLB Home Run Derby.

Jul 13, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) before the home run derby at Citizens Bank Park. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There wasn’t a player who displayed more impressive feats of power than Tampa Bay Rays slugging third baseman Junior Caminero leading into the All-Star break.

Over his final 19 games, he launched 13 home runs, more than a few teams around the league managed to hit combined. That raised his season total to 28, which was the third most in the American League behind only Yordan Alvarez of the Houston Astros with 31 and Ben Rice of the New York Yankees with 29.

It made him a natural selection for the 2026 MLB Home Run Derby, and he put on a show in the first round. The Rays star launched 12 home runs out of his 20 swings, which was the second most. The first two batters of the evening, Willson Contreras of the Boston Red Sox and Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals, tied with 13 long balls, ensuring they advanced.

While Caminero’s 12 didn’t guarantee him a spot in the next round, it was a stellar performance at the plate. He turned only 23 years old on July 5, and if he is able to advance and win the competition, he will become the youngest player to do so in MLB history.

Junior Caminero advances to second round of 2026 MLB Home Run Derby

Jul 10, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) walks off the field during the eighth inning against Seattle Mariners at Tropicana Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

His elite swing speed is perfect for a competition like this, launching balls into the sky at Citizens Bank Park. He doesn’t have the most launch angle on his swing, actually hitting ground balls at a rate that is well above the league average, but he was crushing balls over the fence with ease.

The crowd at Citizens Bank Park was on its feet throughout Caminero’s round, getting more and more excited as he went along, hitting balls further and further with each swing. There were a few just misses that went foul, and he smoked a few line drives off the fence as well that cost him a home run or two, but his showing was still incredible.

Owning the title as the best young power hitter in baseball, the Tampa Bay star is looking to cement his status as one of the best sluggers in the sport, period, regardless of age.

479 feet and 478 feet on back-to-back swings from Junior Caminero! #HRDerby pic.twitter.com/26Y5Et15o8

— MLB (@MLB) July 14, 2026

With Kyle Schwarber falling short of the 12 home runs that Caminero hit, he has advanced to the second round, where head-to-head competition will ensue.

In the second Home Run Derby of his career, the Rays star is looking to overcome the disappointment of finishing as the runner-up during the 2025 competition. He lost to Seattle Mariners star Cal Raleigh in the finals, 18-15.