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Trading for prospects can be challenging for fans to evaluate, especially if those players are in the low levels of the minor leagues. It can take multiple years for those players to work through the team’s farm system. Jair Camargo is one of those players, and he might finally be putting it all together at the Triple-A level.
The Dodgers originally signed Camargo in 2015 as a 16-year-old from Barranquilla, Colombia. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League, hitting .250/.309/.346 (.654) with eight extra-base hits and a 28-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 41 games. In 2017, he came stateside and played for the Dodgers rookie-level team and more than held his own. He posted a .709 OPS with nine doubles, one triple, and two home runs in 36 games. Camargo’s final rookie ball season came in 2018 when he hit .257/.277/.443 (.720) with 12 extra-base hits in 113 at-bats. His career was off to a promising start, and it was time for him to move to a full-season league.
During the 2019 season, Camargo headed to the Dodgers’ affiliate in the Midwest League. He caught over 550 innings for the first time in his career, and there were some offensive challenges with the increased level of competition. Still in his teens, Camargo was over two years younger than the average age of the competition at his level and faced older pitchers in over 91% of his plate appearances. In 79 games, he hit .236/.301/.342 (.642) with 18 doubles and four home runs. He showed some ability to draw walks while being one of the youngest players in the Midwest League.
Minnesota looked to bolster their rotation entering the 2020 season, so the club traded Brusdar Graterol and Luke Raley to the Dodgers for Kenta Maeda and Jair Camargo. Graterol and Maeda were the obvious headliners from the deal, but the Twins identified Camargo and thought he could potentially add future value to the trade. Unfortunately, the pandemic wiped out the 2020 minor league season, so that he couldn’t debut in the Twins system that season.
The Twins sent Camargo to Cedar Rapids in 2021, where he was the third youngest player to suit up for the Kernels that season. He played over 100 innings at first base but continued to get plenty of time at catcher by starting 43 games. His OPS jumped over 50 points compared to 2019, and he hit double-digit home runs (13) for the first time in his career. Camargo continued to strikeout at a high rate with 106 strikeouts in 263 at-bats, but he was facing older pitchers in nearly 87% of his plate appearances. With this performance, he wouldn’t appear on top prospect lists, but he continued improving as he moved up the organizational ladder.
Camargo has also gained some experience on the international stage. Over the last two winters, he has played in the Colombian Winter League and the Dominican Winter League. Following the 2021 season, he hit .185/.258/.296 (.555) with three home runs in 27 games for CWL. Last winter, he played in the Dominican and posted a .592 OPS with four extra-base hits over 76 plate appearances. He’s been significantly younger than the average age of the competition at those levels, but the experience should help him in the long run.
During the 2022 campaign, Camargo split time between High- and Double-A. He began the season at Cedar Rapids with some of the best hitting in his professional career. In 28 games, he hit .296/.314/.496 (.809) with five doubles and six home runs. It was his first time posting an OPS above .800 at any level, so the Twins promoted him to Wichita. He posted a .778 OPS at Double-A with five doubles and 12 home runs in 46 games. He was over two years younger than the average age of the competition, and he continued to hold his own.
The Twins could have sent Camargo back to Double-A for the 2023 season since he had played fewer than 50 games at Double-A. Instead, the club assigned him to Triple-A, where there were growing pains with the transition to a higher level. In his first 17 games, he went 7-for-62 (.113 BA) with two extra-base hits and a 27-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio. From there, things took off for him at the plate. In his next 16 games, he went 19-for-61 (.312) with two doubles and seven home runs. He’s been one of the hottest hitters for the Saints, and it’s hard not to get excited about a power-hitting catching prospect.
During the 2023 season, Camargo has only appeared at catcher and designated hitter. He’s gone 8-for-28 in throwing out runners (29 CS%) after throwing out 36% of runners in 2022. The Saints have yet to use a player younger than Camargo this season, and he has only had eight plate appearances against younger pitchers. He’s improved over the last two years and might have solidified his place in the Twins’ long-term plans.
Can Camargo help the Twins in 2023? Will he be the team’s catcher of the future? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.
Interested in learning more about the Minnesota Twins' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!
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