Sep 26, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The hat and glove of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) in the dugout during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Emerging Superstar an Easy Choice as Team MVP for Rays This Season

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Rays on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Oct 1, 2025 8:00 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Rays are heading into their offseason with new ownership and a reason to be excited about the future. For years, the Rays haven’t been major players in free agency, but with a new owner, the potential to make a splash or two in free agency is certainly there this winter.

Overall, the 2025 campaign was a bit of a disappointment for the team. This was a roster that was playing well and appeared to be in the mix for playoff contention. Unfortunately, things fell apart in the second half of the year for the team with a lot of road games on the schedule in July and August.

The return to Tropicana Field should help balance their schedule, but this is still a team that needs a long-term home. While the season might not have gone according to plan, there were some bright spots for the franchise. This is a team that always does a good job of developing young talent and it appears like they have their next star. Tim Britton of The Athletic (subscription required) recently wrote about the team MVP for the Rays being their young emerging star, Junior Caminero.

Caminero is the Right Choice

Choosing Caminero as the team MVP is undoubtedly the right choice and a relatively easy one based on his performance. The 22-year-old third baseman was one of the best power hitters in baseball, which at his age is rare.

Overall, Caminero slashed .264/.311/.535 with 45 home runs and 110 RBI. It was one of the best seasons for any slugger that Tampa Bay has ever had, and based on his age, it was also one of the best seasons for a player that young all-time.

The talented slugger seems like he could be a superstar in the making for the Rays and that is a major reason to be excited about the franchise going forward. While he was the easy choice to be the team MVP, there were some other good performers that were deserving of some recognition.

Also in the batting order, Jonathan Aranda and Yandy Diaz had some strong campaigns. Each finished with a bWAR over 3.0. Furthermore, if not for missing time, it could have been Aranda with the best WAR on the team to challenge Caminero for the team MVP.

After a fantastic season in 2025, it will be interesting to see what the 22-year-old can accomplish in 2026 and beyond. Even though it was a great year, there is still room to improve at that age, and he could become an exceptional talent.