sportingnews
The Tampa Bay Rays have built a reputation for identifying undervalued talent and developing it into star players. No current example illustrates this better than third baseman Junior Caminero, who was acquired from the Cleveland Guardians in a seemingly insignificant trade following the 2021 season. That deal has since been recognized as one of the most one-sided swaps in recent memory.
Caminero has blossomed into one of the premier power hitters in Major League Baseball, leaving the Guardians to rue their decision to part with him. At the time of the trade, Caminero was bewildered by the move. "That happened really quick. In that moment, as a young player, I was surprised," he told MLB.com. "'Why did Cleveland trade me? We played just one year in the Dominican, and they traded me?' I said, 'Am I a bad guy? Why would they trade me?' But in that moment, I didn't understand baseball. Like, hey, if you get traded, it's good for you. It was an unbelievable trade. Thank God." Now, Caminero's success has made the Guardians regret their decision, potentially influencing how they approach future trades.
Revisiting the Trade
In November 2021, the Rays and Guardians completed a minor league swap. Tampa Bay, needing to clear space on its 40-man roster, sent right-handed pitcher Tobias Myers to Cleveland, who was interested in adding the young arm. In return, the Rays received infielder Junior Caminero, who had spent two years in the Cleveland system. According to MLB.com, Caminero was ranked as the Rays' 30th-best prospect before the 2022 season, while Myers was No. 22 in the Guardians' system. Neither had made their MLB debut, but both were considered intriguing prospects.
The Rays ultimately won the trade decisively. Cleveland traded Myers to the San Francisco Giants in June 2022 for cash considerations, and he later played in the Chicago White Sox system before debuting with the Milwaukee Brewers. He currently pitches for the New York Mets. Meanwhile, Caminero has evolved into one of the best hitters in baseball, a player Cleveland would love to have in its lineup.
Why Did the Guardians Trade Caminero?
The Guardians simply did not value Caminero's talent as highly as they should have, and they paid the price. Just two years after the deal, when Caminero had become a top-five prospect in the league, Guardians president Chris Antonetti admitted, "That's a bad trade." In reality, the Rays had done their homework and targeted Caminero once it became clear the Guardians were interested in Myers. Tampa Bay quickly realized they had unearthed a hidden gem. "The immediate reaction upon acquiring him was wondering how in the world we were able to make that acquisition," former Rays director of minor league operations Jeff McLerran said. "Really from the get-go, the guys felt like we had something special with Junior. Just his ability to impact the baseball and what he could do at the plate was not something that they had seen much from a guy that age."
Caminero made his MLB debut in September 2023, nearly two years after the trade, at just 20 years old. Since he was only 18 at the time of the deal, the Guardians likely viewed his potential as a lottery ticket. After brief stints in 2023 and 2024, Caminero broke out in 2025 with the first of two consecutive 40-home run seasons. Since the start of 2025, he has hit the most home runs in the American League and the second-most in the majors, trailing only Kyle Schwarber.
Junior Caminero Stats
- 2023: 7 games, 8 hits, 4 runs, 1 HR, 7 RBI, .235 BA, .278 OBP, .631 OPS
- 2024: 43 games, 41 hits, 15 runs, 6 HR, 18 RBI, .248 BA, .299 OBP, .724 OPS
- 2025: 154 games, 159 hits, 93 runs, 45 HR, 110 RBI, .264 BA, .311 OBP, .846 OPS
- 2026: 162 games, 170 hits, 100 runs, 42 HR, 101 RBI, .276 BA, .360 OBP, .885 OPS
Originally reported by sportingnews.