Rene Cardenas

During his 10 seasons in an Astros uniform (1987-94, 1999-2000), All-Star Ken Caminiti developed a reputation as one of the finest defensive third basemen of his era. While manning the hot corner, he combined range, soft hands and one of the most explosive throwing arms that the game has ever seen. In his heyday, Caminiti was a human highlight reel of spectacular defensive plays. In addition to his physical talent, to his peers, he was known as the “ultimate gamer” and as a great teammate.

Over a six-year period after securing a starting role with the Astros (1989-1994), Caminiti led all National League third baseman in games (841) and putouts (677) while ranking second in assists (1,545) and total chances (2,332). In franchise history, he ranks second all-time among third basemen in games (1,063), innings (9,043) and assists (1,906) and third in putouts (828).

Offensively, Caminiti was a steady presence in the Astros starting lineup for several years. He ranks third among Astros third basemen in career RBI with 546, which ranks 11^th all-time in franchise history. Among Astros switch-hitters, he ranks second all-time only to Lance Berkman in several categories, including home runs, RBI and doubles. Caminiti was also a clutch performer in the postseason for the Astros, hitting .471 (8x17) in the 1999 NLDS vs. Atlanta with three home runs and eight RBI while posting a 1.526 OPS.

In addition to his 10 seasons in Houston, Caminiti also played four seasons with the San Diego Padres (1995-98) and had brief stints with the Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves in 2001. While in San Diego, he excelled, earning NL MVP honors in 1996 (40 HR, 130 RBI). Among NL third basemen in the 1990’s Caminiti ranked first in total chances and assists and second in home runs and RBI. During his overall career, Caminiti earned three All-Star appearances and three Gold Glove Awards. In 2016, he was inducted into the Padres Hall of Fame.