ST. PETERSBURG — Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, riding a historic power surge that included seven homers and at least 15 RBIs in a six-game span, announced he will return to the T-Mobile Home Run Derby on July 13 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
“Champion. That’s the goal,” Caminero said at Kauffman Stadium.
Caminero, who turns 23 on Sunday, reached the finals of last year’s Derby in the middle of a 45-homer campaign but fell to Cal Raleigh, 18-15. He plans to bring back Rays Major League field coordinator Tomas Francisco as his Derby pitcher. The event will air live on Netflix beginning at 8 p.m. ET, with coverage starting at 7 p.m.
The Dominican Republic native leads the Majors in average bat speed at 80 mph — a full tick above the second-ranked hitter — and has been hitting .292/.384/.548 with 22 homers and 49 RBIs through Tampa Bay’s first 81 games. His most recent homer, a career-long 463-foot shot that reached the concourse beyond the center-field fence at Tropicana Field, left an impression on teammates. “That was the type of ball that made everyone go quiet,” veteran center fielder Cedric Mullins said.
Caminero became the first player with at least seven homers and at least 15 RBIs in a six-game span since Kyle Schwarber in June 2021, going deep in four straight games to close the stretch, which began with his first career three-homer performance against the Royals. His 74 career homers rank 24th most by a player before turning 23 since 1901 and third most among Dominican-born players, trailing only Juan Soto (98) and Fernando Tatis Jr. (81). If he wins the Derby, he would have a chance to become the youngest champion in event history — a title currently held by Juan Gonzalez, who was 23 years and 265 days old when he won in 1993.
Caminero’s flair for spectacle is well-documented. During batting practice at Rogers Centre in Toronto near the end of the 2023 season, shortly after his call-up from Double-A Montgomery, he sent so many blasts into the upper decks that he received a standing ovation hours before the game. He later crushed a 454-foot homer in Game 7 of the Dominican Winter League championship series to lead Escogido to a title.
“He put on a pretty special show last year. He had a tremendous week,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “He’s putting together an incredible half of a season, and I know he’s very motivated for it to continue.”
Caminero is also a finalist to start at third base for the American League in the All-Star Game, with the Midsummer Classic set for July 15 in Philadelphia, two days after the Derby.