Should I Stash Junior Caminero In Redraft Leagues? Fantasy Baseball Prospect Outlook (Week 17)

The No. 3 overall prospect in MLB is back in action.

After missing over a month due to injury, Tampa Bay third baseman Junior Caminero has begun his rehab assignment and thus has resumed his path to the major leagues.

But how soon can we expect to see Caminero in a Rays uniform and will it be soon enough for fantasy teams to utilize the 21-year-old's offense?

How High Is Junior Caminero's Fantasy Baseball Potential?

As his pedigree suggests, Caminero is oozing with potential. He's a true five-tool player who has a bright future in the majors ahead of him. His power is substantial as he hit 31 home runs between Single-A and Double-A last season and even more impressive when you consider he's just got that kind of pop in an athletic frame, standing 6-foot-1 but only 160 pounds.

Junior Caminero just went yard in his first game back from the IL.#RaysUp

— Eric Cross (@EricCross04) July 9, 2024

He's continued to show off his power bat this season at Triple-A Durham where he's smashed eight home runs in only 138 at-bats. While he has only 990 minor league at-bats, he's posted an impressive career average of .307 with a solid .920 OPS. Caminero can hit for average and power while offering a little stolen base upside, too (he hasn't run much this season, but does have 20 career steals in the minors).

When Might Junior Caminero Get A Major League Opportunity?

If all goes well in his current rehab assignment, Caminero is expected to rejoin the Durham Bulls (Triple-A) after the All-Star break.

Speculating about his 2024 debut is a bit tricky, as Tampa Bay is right around .500 this season, but pretty far out of contention behind Boston, Baltimore, and New York in the AL East.

The Rays have no real reason to rush Caminero to the big leagues as they're not likely to contend this season. They may want to see him continue to improve at Triple-A before calling him up in September when rosters expand.

A September call-up leaves very little time remaining in the fantasy baseball season for Caminero to have an impact. He's still rostered in 27% of Yahoo! leagues, but managers in shallow and even medium-sized leagues can probably ignore him for now as his promotion this season is no sure thing.

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