DETROIT — The Rays are sending a third slugging infielder to the All-Star Game.
Third baseman Junior Caminero will join first baseman Jonathan Aranda and second baseman Brandon Lowe at the Midsummer Classic in Atlanta, MLB announced on Tuesday night. Caminero was not initially named to the American League team, but he was selected as a replacement for injured Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman.
The news broke during the Rays’ 4-2 loss to the Tigers at Comerica Park, their eighth loss in their last 11 games to seal a fourth straight series defeat. Caminero said manager Kevin Cash pulled him aside in the sixth inning and revealed his selection.
“Tremendous thing. I thank God for the opportunity,” Caminero said through interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “The hard work that I’ve been putting in, it’s paying off.”
Caminero, who was at one point last season ranked as MLB Pipeline’s top prospect, earned the honor by slashing .252/.294/.496 with 21 homers, 19 doubles and 57 RBIs in his first 86 games this season. If he hits one more double this week, he will be the first player in franchise history to record 20 doubles and 20 homers before the All-Star break.
“So deserving. I mean, there’s a bunch of really good third basemen in this league, no doubt, but I’m happy that he got on,” said Cash, who shared the news with the rest of the clubhouse after the game. “It’s quite the honor. … The team’s pretty pumped up.”
This is the seventh time since 2008 that the Rays will send at least three players to the All-Star Game. They only had one representative last year, Isaac Paredes, after having four All-Stars in 2023. Caminero is the franchise’s third All-Star at third base, joining Paredes and Evan Longoria.
Now, Tampa Bay will be sending three-fourths of its starting infield to Truist Park. Caminero said he was excited to experience his first All-Star Game alongside Aranda (also his first) and Lowe (technically his second, but the first time he could play after sitting out due to an injury as a rookie in 2019).
“They’re both two very good superstars, so it’s going to be an honor for me to share the field with them,” Caminero said. “Hopefully, we’ll go there and we’ll put on a show for the fans.”
Caminero has made a quick ascent to All-Stardom. Signed out of the Dominican Republic by Cleveland in 2019, he had only played 43 games in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League when the Rays acquired him for pitcher Tobias Myers in November 2021.
Caminero immediately emerged as one of the top power-hitting prospects in Tampa Bay’s system, shooting up MLB Pipeline’s rankings and the Minor Leagues before making his MLB debut in September 2023. Injuries limited Caminero to a 43-game cameo in the Majors last year, but he has quickly established himself in his first full season.
Caminero leads all AL third baseman in home runs, RBIs, extra-base hits (40) and total bases (167). He finished third in the players’ All-Star balloting, behind José Ramírez and Bregman, making him the choice to replace Bregman.
Caminero has often put his elite bat speed and ridiculous raw power on display, two traits that would seem to make him an ideal candidate for the T-Mobile Home Run Derby.
Last month, Caminero told MLB.com he “would be interested” if MLB invited him to take part in the Derby. He said with a smile that he wouldn’t guarantee a victory in the home run-hitting contest but promised, “I will put on a good show for the fans.”
Asked again on Tuesday night about his interest in participating in the Home Run Derby, Caminero said simply, “I don’t have an answer for that right now.”
The most iconic moment of Caminero’s young career came while playing winter ball in his native Dominican Republic. In the ninth inning of Game 7 of the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League’s championship series, Caminero blasted a 454-foot homer off the scoreboard at Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal, tossed the bat high into the air and took a minute-long trot around the bases that quickly went viral.
Moments like that make Caminero seem ideally suited for the spotlight of the All-Star Game. Now, he’ll get his chance to shine.
“Very deserving,” Rays starter Ryan Pepiot said. “Couldn’t be happier for him, 22 years old, going to the All-Star Game. I mean, it’s pretty cool, right? I was in A-ball or college when I was 22 years old, so to be an All-Star at 22, it’s special.
“To have three representatives of our team, it’s really cool.”