MiLB’s 4th Ranked Prospect Junior Caminero Highlights Manager Morgan Ensberg’s First Durham Team; 15 Return From IL Runner-Up Squad
The Tampa Bay Rays and the Durham Bulls have announced their 2024 Opening Day roster ahead of the Bulls’ season opener against the Norfolk Tides (Baltimore) on tonight at Harbor Park.
The Bulls’ roster is highlighted by infielder Junior Caminero (#1 in Rays’ system), who enters the season ranked as the #4 prospect on MLB’s Top 100 list. Caminero, 20, made his major league debut last September for the Rays, after a call-up from Double-A Montgomery. Caminero, who represented the Rays in the 2023 Futures Game was the MVP of the Southern League (309-11-32-2) while playing for manager Morgan Ensberg.
The roster features 15 who played for Durham during the 2023 season, which ended in a Game 3 defeat to the Tides in the International League Championship Series. Pitchers Trevor Brigden, Carlos Garcia, Jacob Lopez (#14), Enmanuel Mejia, Mason Montgomery (#9), Erasmo Ramirez, Manuel Rodriguez, Justin Sterner and Nathan Wiles all pitched for the Bulls in 2023, with Lopez and Ramirez logging major league time with Tampa Bay. Logan Driscoll, Osleivis Basabe, Ronny Simon (#27), Ruben Cardenas, Alex Jackson and Kameron Misner (#21) all spent time with the Bulls, including full-seasons by Cardenas and Misner. Basabe, 23, made his major league debut with the Rays last August after hitting .296 in 94 games with Durham. Misner had a 20-20 campaign (21 HR, 21 SB), while Cardenas was third on the squad with 22 home runs and second in RBI with 82. Wiles’ seven wins was most on the pitching staff, while Brigden’s 95 strikeouts led the team.
The pitching newcomers are Kevin Kelly, who spent the entire 2023 season with the Rays, 10-year major league veteran Jake Odorizzi, who pitched for the Bulls in 2013, Joe Record, Michael Gomez, Joe Rock (#19), Edwin Uceta and Colby White. The new Bulls’ position players are Rob Brantly, C.J. Hinojosa, Niko Goodrum, Jake Mangum and Tristan Peters and Yu Chang, who will open the season on the injured list.
The Bulls went 88-62 last season, winning the second half and losing the Best-Of-Three International League Championships Series 2-1 to the Norfolk Tides.
Durham’s home opener at the DBAP is Tuesday, April 2nd against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp at 6:35 PM ET.
Thanks to DBBC’s Patrick Kinas for this CapCom story.
