MLB's No. 6 prospect Caminero wallops trio of homers at Double-A
Evan Desai
@EvanKDesaiJunior Caminero checked in at No. 6 overall on MLB Pipeline’s updated Top 100 Prospects list on Thursday, and he confirmed his status amongst the prospect elite on Saturday.
The Rays’ top-ranked prospect crushed three home runs in the first game of a doubleheader for Double-A Montgomery, providing plenty of fireworks the Biscuits’ 9-5 win over Birmingham. Even more impressive -- he did so in just a seven-inning game.
For all of his power, home run barrages aren't part of the plan for Caminero.
“I don’t try to hit homers,” Caminero said through Montgomery hitting coach Wuarnner Rincones, who served as his interpreter. “I just try to take my best swing every swing I take, and I think more about line drives. It doesn’t matter where the ball goes, I just try to take my best swing on every pitch I’m looking for.”
The first two home runs came off of White Sox No. 9 prospect Ky Bush. Caminero jumpstarted the Biscuits' bats with an opposite-field solo shot in the first.
The second dinger came in the fourth inning, and it was also launched to right-center, this time leaving Riverwalk Stadium.
Caminero walked up to bat one last time in the sixth and he took White Sox prospect Adisyn Coffey deep to left-center -- a reported 472 feet via the club's Trackman device. It was a three-run roundtripper, giving Caminero six RBIs on the day -- with a second contest still to go.
“Every day when I go to the plate, I try to get my pitch and take my best swing,” Caminero said. “Sometimes, I get surprised at how hard I hit the ball. But something that doesn’t surprise me is seeing these results because I put a lot of work in during the offseason with the little things I wanted to improve.”
It was fitting for Caminero to have a game like this at some point. His 60-grade power (via MLB Pipeline’s 20-80 scale) is arguably his top attribute. He left Game 1 of the doubleheader slugging .569 across two levels this season. On the back of his first three-homer outing as a pro, he has connected for 21 home runs in 91 games this year.
Caminero hits for average as well (another one of his 60-grade tools). Sure enough, he went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles -- one of which scored a run -- in Game 2, giving him five hits on the day and a .324 average on the season.
Despite debuting at Double-A at just 19 years old in late May, MLB's No. 1 third base prospect continues to prove well-acclimated to the level with 65 hits in 55 games.
“I’m really happy when these days happen, but I know it’s the result of all the work I’ve put in during the offseason," Caminero said. "Now I’m seeing the results, and I’m continuing to work more and more because I want to be consistent the rest of the way.”