Rays' Slugger Predicted to Make American League All-Star Team in 2026

Which slugger from the Tampa Bay Rays might back the All-Star team in 2026?

Aug 16, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; A Tampa Bay Rays helmet sits in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

With spring training underway for the Tampa Bay Rays, the team is working hard to try to prepare for the start of the regular season. Even though the 2025 campaign wasn’t perfect, there were some positives from the season. 

As expected, it was a busy winter for the Rays. Following missing the playoffs for the last two years, the front office made some changes on the roster with some free agents coming in to help in 2026, and also some players being dealt to help restock talent for the future. 

This balance is key for the team with their low payroll, but the hope is still that they will be able to compete this coming season. If the team is going to be successful, a few key areas that they have worked on this winter will have to be good, but they will also be relying on their emerging star to replicate a great season in 2025. With the lineup having some question marks, one player being elite will be key. 

David Schoenfield of ESPN recently predicted that Rays’ star third baseman Junior Caminero would be a reserve for the American League All-Star team at third base. 

Jose Ramirez Beats Out Caminero

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

While Caminero is an emerging star at the position, Ramirez of the Cleveland Guardians is a future Hall of Famer and still very much in the prime of his career. As a potential AL MVP candidate heading into 2026, it isn’t shocking to see the Guardians’ third baseman being predicted as the starter. 

For Caminero, while he will certainly try to be a starter, making the team as a reserve is a great honor as well. The talented slugger will have a lot to prove in 2026, coming off a breakout season. 

The talented slugger is coming off a 45-home run season and has quickly established himself as one of the best sluggers in baseball. However, with it being just one year of success, the real challenge for Caminero is now going to be to replicate that breakout season. 

Working on being a bit better at the plate on the road will undoubtedly be a goal. Even though his power numbers were still very good, his batting average and on-base percentage were not. With some room to still improve, the sky is the limit for Caminero. If he can replicate his 2025 campaign, he is going to put a lot of pressure on Ramirez for the starting spot in the All-Star Game.