Rays' Star Slugger Could Become Top Player in Baseball in Near Future

Which slugger from the Tampa Bay Rays could become one of the best players in baseball?

Sep 26, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The hat and glove of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) in the dugout during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

With pitchers and catchers set to report soon, the start of the 2026 season is right around the corner for the Tampa Bay Rays. Heading into the year, all eyes are going to be on one player in particular for the team. 

As expected, this winter, the Rays were a very active team both on the trade market and in free agency. Tampa Bay was able to reshape the roster, and they hope that they will have enough to contend in 2026. That will be no easy task in the American League East, but the team remains optimistic that they can. 

This winter, the moves made by the Rays were more for the future than for 2026, and that does make sense. With payroll not expected to increase until a stadium deal is done, gearing the team toward the future when that happens does make a bit of sense. However, while Tampa Bay is always looking ahead, they do have an impact player who could become one of the best in all of baseball in the near future. 

Sarah Langs of MLB recently wrote about Rays star Junior Caminero as a player who could take a massive leap and become one of the best players in 2027.

Caminero has the Makings of a Superstar 

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

While the 2025 season might not have gone the way the team would have liked, they do have to be really happy with the emergence of their new star slugger. At just 22 years old, Caminero was able to have one of the best campaigns of all-time for someone that age, and he could very well be on his way to becoming a superstar. 

Last season, he slashed .264/.311/.535 with 45 home runs and 110 RBI. It was an extremely impressive showing by the young slugger, and the future is extremely bright for him. 

Recently, MLB ranked him as one of the Top 100 players for 2026, and Caminero came in ranked 39th after being unranked the year prior. This was a massive jump for the talented third baseman, and after 2026, he might be poised for another significant rise. 

If Caminero can replicate or improve upon what he was able to accomplish last year, there is certainly a scenario in which he is able to move into the Top 10, and perhaps even be a dark-horse candidate for the top spot. With an exciting new wave of young players emerging, the Rays’ slugger is undoubtedly one of them.