After selling at the trade deadline, the youth movement is on in Tampa Bay.
According to a report by The Tampa Bay Times‘ Marc Topkin, the Rays have called up their top prospect, Junior Caminero.
Caminero, ranked as the No. 2 prospect in all of MLB, has spent the year in triple-A after making his MLB debut in 2023.
With triple-A Durham in 2024, the 21-year-old Caminero is slashing .277/.331/.498 with 13 home runs. Despite being hampered by a lingering quad injury this season, the six-foot-one third baseman has continued to routinely post elite exit velocities at the plate.
In seven MLB games in 2023, Caminero went 6-for-34 with one double, one home run, seven RBIs and eight strikeouts.
While it is unclear what the corresponding move will be to clear a spot on Tampa Bay’s roster for Caminero, the Rays dealt All-Star third baseman Isaac Parades to the Chicago Cubs ahead of the trade deadline, signalling that there may be room for Caminero to return to the big leagues this season.
After losing to the Houston Astros earlier Monday, the Rays are 59-59 and have dropped seven of their last 11.
