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# Junior Caminero emerging as Rays’ next franchise cornerstone
- URL: https://www.bayareaexaminer.com/junior-caminero-emerging-as-rays/
- Published: 2025-07-14T13:03:08.000Z
- Updated: 2025-07-14T13:03:08.000Z
- Description: After years of searching and failing the Rays have finally found their guy
- Author: Collin Sherwin
- Tags: #Migrated-1792597384348, #Import 2026-10-21 15:44

For years, the Tampa Bay Rays have been known for getting the most out of players unfamiliar to the average baseball fan. While that approach has brought consistent success, the Rays have spent the past eight seasons searching for a true franchise cornerstone.

That void began Dec. 20, 2017, when the Rays traded third baseman Evan Longoria to the San Francisco Giants.

“Evan is our greatest Ray,” principal owner Stu Sternberg said at the time.

That sentiment still rings true. Longoria remains the franchise leader in games played, runs, home runs, RBIs, extra-base hits and walks.

The Rays parted with Longoria to shed salary — a recurring theme for the cost-conscious organization. Tampa Bay’s budget-first philosophy has made it difficult to commit long term to a star player.

Since Longoria’s departure, the Rays have had standout seasons from several players, but none have anchored the team long term.

In 2018, left-hander Blake Snell won the American League Cy Young Award, finishing his Rays career with a 3.24 ERA. However, he is most remembered for being pulled from Game 6 of the 2020 World Series by manager Kevin Cash — a controversial decision that preceded the Rays’ series loss. Snell was traded to the San Diego Padres that offseason.

Outfielder Randy Arozarena delivered one of the greatest postseason performances in MLB history during the Rays’ 2020 run, hitting 10 home runs with a .377 average. But his regular-season production declined in the following years, and he was traded to the Seattle Mariners in 2024.

Several top prospects — including Brent Honeywell, Vidal Bruján and Brendan McKay — failed to meet expectations in the majors.

Perhaps no player’s rise and fall was more heartbreaking than Wander Franco. The highly touted shortstop debuted in 2021 with a home run in his first game and later signed an 11-year, $182 million deal that November. Franco produced on the field but was placed on the restricted list in August 2023 following allegations involving a minor. He was charged with sexual abuse in 2025.

Just as it seemed the Rays were destined to continue cycling through short-term contributors, another highly rated prospect emerged — one who had long been overshadowed by Franco.

Junior Caminero was acquired by Tampa Bay in November 2021 in a trade that sent pitching prospect Tobias Myers to Cleveland. At the time, Caminero was just 17 years old. He rose quickly through the prospect rankings, going from the Rays’ No. 30 prospect in 2022 to the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball in 2024.

Caminero made his major league debut in 2023 at age 20\. After playing in 43 games in 2024, he has broken out in 2025.

The 22-year-old leads the Rays in home runs and RBIs this season. The only players who have hit more home runs in the American League this season than Caminero are Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh and Riley Greene. Caminero was named to his first All-Star Game and will start at third base for the American League after José Ramírez withdrew. He’ll also participate in Monday night’s Home Run Derby, becoming just the fourth Ray to do so, joining Longoria, Carlos Peña and Arozarena.

It’s early in Caminero’s career, but the tools are there — power, poise, star potential — for him to become the franchise player the Rays have long been missing.