PHILADELPHIA. Dominican Junior Caminero once again demonstrated the enormous power of his bat by hitting the longest home run of the 2026 Home Run Derby, although his brilliant performance was not enough to advance to the final of the traditional spectacle held at Citizens Bank Park.
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Caminero, 23, considered one of the favorites after being a finalist in the previous edition, was eliminated in the semifinals after hitting five home runs in the second round, one less than Jordan Walker, who advanced with six under the new competition format.
Despite the elimination, the Rays’ third baseman was one of the great protagonists of the night. In the first round, he hit 12 home runs to finish in third place and connected on a hit with an exit velocity of 116 miles per hour, tying the highest mark of that phase.
His most memorable moment came in the semifinals, when he sent a ball 491 feet, setting the longest distance of the Derby and surpassing the 490-foot blast by Venezuelan Willson Contreras, as well as his own 487-foot hit achieved in the opening round.
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Although the coveted trophy will have to wait, Caminero once again confirmed that he is one of the young figures with the most power in the Major Leagues. At just 23 years old, the Dominican made it clear that he will have new opportunities to conquer the Home Run Derby in the future.
The Dominican player’s performance was one of the most applauded of the day and reaffirmed his status as one of the main rising stars of Major League Baseball.
