Junior Alberto Caminero (born July 5, 2003) is a Dominican professional baseball infielder for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.
Career
Cleveland Indians
Caminero was signed by the Cleveland Indians on July 2, 2019. His first minor league season was canceled due to COVID-19. Caminero made his professional career with the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League Indians and batted .295 with nine home runs and 33 RBIs.
Tampa Bay Rays
Caminero was traded on November 19, 2021, to the Tampa Bay Rays on in exchange for pitcher Tobias Myers. He began the 2022 season with the Florida Complex League Rays. Caminero was later promoted to the Charleston RiverDogs of the Single-A Carolina League and batted .314 with 11 home runs and 51 RBIs in 62 games between the two teams. After the season, he played for the Perth Heat of the Australian Baseball League.
Caminero was assigned to the High-A Bowling Green Hot Rods at the start of the 2023 season. He was promoted to the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits after slashing .356/.409/.685 with 11 home runs, 32 RBI, and 30 runs scored in 36 games played with the Hot Rods. Caminero was selected to play in the 2023 All-Star Futures Game. In 81 games for Montgomery, he hit .309/.373/.548 with 20 home runs and 62 RBI. On September 22, 2023, Caminero was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time. He made his MLB debut on September 23. Caminero won the 2023 Southern League Most Valuable Player Award and Top MLB Prospect Award for his performance with Montgomery.