After a wonderful winter, Junior Caminero ready for Rays

PORT CHARLOTTE Yes, Junior Caminero has seen the video more than a few times of his most epic bat flip during the Dominican league championships.

Like 20,000, he said.

And hes heard about it from more than a few of his Tampa Bay Rays bosses and teammates.

Oh, everybody.

As for what was running through his mind when he hit the go-ahead homer in the top of the ninth inning and launched his bat skyward in leading his Escogido team to the championship? I just threw the bat in the air, and I just ran, Caminero said Tuesday, via team interpreter Eddie Rodriguez.

I felt like a little kid.

Caminero is only 21, but his 31-game winter ball performance, and the other offseason work he did on his game and his body, has accelerated the expectation that he is ready and able to assume a leading role in the Rays lineup.

I feel ready to play at this level, he said.

Rays manager Kevin Cash on Junior Caminero: [Hes] one of those guys that when hes hitting, you make sure you dont miss a pitch, you dont miss anything.

(Jefferee Woo/Tampa Bay Times) Manager Kevin Cash was impressed with what he saw during a two-game visit to the Dominican Republic in January.

And with what he heard from soon-to-be Hall of Famer Albert Pujols, who managed Escogido.

I give Junior a ton of credit for the work that he put in on the field, but probably more so mentally and nutritionally, with his body and getting his body in shape, Cash said during the spring-opening media session at the Charlotte Sports Park.

[Baseball operations president] Erik [Neander] said it really well: were incredibly high on him.

Its one of those guys that when hes hitting, you make sure you dont miss a pitch, you dont miss anything.

The talents there.

To have Albert Pujols talk the way he did about him a guy that is arguably one of the greatest hitters to ever play the game to be pretty wowed by a 21-year-old, Just shows how special of a player he can be.

Caminero said playing for Pujols was a tremendous experience and helped him playing third base and at the plate.

I was always asking him, What am I doing right? What am I doing wrong? It was a daily thing for me, just asking him, and him to tell me how I was doing, Caminero said.

He was great.

The overall winter ball experience was extra special and very emotional because Caminero grew up as an Escogido fan in Santo Domingo.

I remember when my parents used to take me to the games, and I just would wear an Escogido hat, he said.

I just felt like a little kid, going back and having the blessings of playing at that level, and winning the championship and being the MVP.

It was a dream come true.

Caminero enjoyed the celebration, and then spent a few days on vacation in Los Angeles where agent Rafa Nieves arranged for him to meet NBA great LeBron James.

Caminero, who is 6-1, presented James with a Rays jersey he said it was a nice gesture from me and had a brief chat, marveling at the 8-inch height difference.

But Caminero said he knows the offseason is over and he has to now focus on whats ahead for the next eight-plus months with the Rays.

I feel really good, he said.

Thats behind, in the past.

We are here in spring training now, and Im ready to go.

He had an up-and-down showing during a 43-game run during the final six weeks of last season, hitting .248 with 6 homers, 18 RBI and a .724 OPS; though he struck out at a 21.6% rate.

He impressed most with how hard he hit the ball with an average exit velocity of 89.7 and a max of 116.3 and is ready to show his full game.

Caminero does look to be in better shape, though he said it was more reshaping his body into muscle than losing weight.

(Also different: The platinum highlights are gone for now from his dark hair.) Another good sign was that he reported to camp a week earlier than required.

And he showed Tuesday an improved command of English, saying he understood the questions from a 10-minute talk with a few reporters, and he answered some without waiting for Rodriguez.

He entertained a question about statistical milestones for 2025, saying he is targeting 30 homers.

But his overall goal for the season, he said, is simple: A ring.

I just want to help the team and for everything to come together..

This article has been shared from the original article on orlandosentinel, here is the link to the original article.