Junior Caminero wows hometown crowd with 4-for-4 WBC warmup showing

junior caminero went 4-for-4 in the Dominican Republic’s exhibition against the Tigers on Tuesday at Quisqueya Juan Marichal Stadium in Santo Domingo, a performance that came as the World Baseball Classic prepares to officially open tonight with Australia and Chinese Taipei.

Junior Caminero delivers 4-for-4 performance

Caminero, slotted in the middle of the Dominican lineup, finished the scrimmage 4-for-4 and recorded exit velocities of 107+ miles per hour on each hit, a raw display that energized the crowd. His fourth-inning blast was an opposite-field home run that registered 107. 8 mph and helped send the stadium into a frenzy, with 13, 186 fans in attendance for the game.

Quisqueya erupts behind Soto, Machado and Caminero

The stadium was already lively after Juan Soto and Manny Machado homered earlier in the game, and Caminero’s long ball amplified that energy during the exhibition against the Tigers on Tuesday. The game atmosphere at Quisqueya Juan Marichal Stadium in Santo Domingo resembled a major international matchup rather than a warmup contest.

Guardians trade framed as misstep after Tuesday’s showing

The Tuesday performance added another chapter to the narrative that followed Caminero since Cleveland traded him to the Tampa Bay Rays after the 2021 season in exchange for Tobias Myers. Cleveland cut Myers less than eight months after making the deal, and Caminero has since been described as a top prospect who evolved into one of the sport’s best sluggers, a point underscored by his exhibition showing against the Tigers.

What’s next: WBC opens tonight

The World Baseball Classic officially begins tonight with the opening game between Australia and Chinese Taipei; teams, fans and organizers will shift focus to the tournament after a week of exhibitions that included the Dominican Republic’s scrimmage. Recovery and roster preparations for official WBC play will follow the exhibition schedule.