“Vroom, vroom, get in my Caminero!” A guy who is wearing an 18-karat, Italian horn around his neck going over the Brooklyn Bridge.
vs.
“Vroom, vroom, get in on Junior Caminero!” A guy pushing the glasses back off the bridge of his nose.
Similar, but not entirely. Here’s what I said when Junior Caminero was called up by the Rays at the end of last year, “Junior Caminero is not the tiny car that Spanish boys drive when they’re five years old and first starting growing out their mustaches. The Junior Caminero goes vroom vroom but it only does it when a nearby father makes the noise. Junior Caminero also is a top five prospect for all of baseball what on earth are the Rays doing calling him up right now on…*starts singing* Do you remembah? The 21st of Septembah? Do you remembah? It’s not the 1st of Septembah? Do you remembah? Rays? Hello? We’re seriously asking. So, here’s what Itch’s said, ‘He’ll finish up 2023 at 20 years old with 31 home runs across two levels, 20 of those coming in 80 Double-A games during which he slashed .314/.379/.557 with a 17.1 percent strikeout rate. And Grey will be hunted this winter.’ What? He ranked Caminero 6th overall in the top 25 prospects. I’d grab him in all leagues, and now I’m particularly excited about 2024, if Junior Caminero can break camp.” And that’s me quoting me quoting Itch! Still don’t know what the Rays were doing calling him up with roughly ten days to go at the end of last year, but they did. He also homered on the last day of the season. Do you remembah? The last day of Septembah? Well, you don’t have to, I just reminded you. That song is catchy though, huh? So, what can we expect from Junior Caminero for 2024 fantasy baseball?
Junior Caminero, a home run:
1st of many for Junior Caminero! pic.twitter.com/uiX9q9EVXN
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) October 1, 2023
Junior Caminero, a steal:
Hmm, that’s weird. Let me try again, Junior Caminero stealing:
Guess there’s no action clips. That’s the shame because he had [squinting] three steals in 81 Double-A games. Okay, I tease. He has a little bit of speed. Don’t think he’ll be a complete zero there, but it’s not his game. His game is clearly “hit ball, wave bye-bye.” The “Hit ball, wave bye-bye” craze is growing, too. I personally love the “Hit ball, wave bye-bye” profile. In the minors, he hit a home run 472 feet, and didn’t seem that stretched. He reminds me of a right-handed Yordan, only he’s only five-feet 11-inches and 157 pounds. I will now cackle for 45 minutes. In fairness, I’d guess he’s put on some weight since the last weigh-in. Let’s see another “Hit ball, wave bye-bye,” because why not:
Junior Caminero cannot be contained.
The No. 5 @RaysBaseball prospect has already tied his career high with his 11th home run for the @BGHotRods: pic.twitter.com/lCzdX8voIA
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 21, 2023
The funniest is when the first time you get the reverse camera angle and you’re like, “Oh, what is going on there?” It’s like that for every minor league home run. When you see the outfield, it’s always the most bizarre collection of ads and weird fencing. Any hoo! Junior Caminero’s swing packs a punch with bat speed that adds up to incredible exit velocity — 93 average MPH; seven-degree Launch Angle, 20% swing and miss, and 27% chase. The big takeaway there is a bit too much on the ground. Could he be Yandy before the previous year at the Rays’ other corner? I suppose. The Rays also have the issue: Kevin Cash, and his penchant for not starting anyone every game. At barely 20 years of age, I wouldn’t be surprised to see people find out they’re still a year early on Caminero. Of course, if he breaks camp with a job, I’m all-in. Very hard to say right now. For 2024 fantasy, I’ll give Junior Caminero projections of 47/14/54/.247/4 in 318 ABs with a chance for more.
