EPISODE · May 18, 2026 · 40 MIN
Why the Rays Kick Junior Caminero Out of the Cage at 100 MPH
from The Baseball Development Hub Podcast · host Backside Groundballs Media
Trevor responds to the Rays hitting coach's viral radio clip about kicking Junior Caminero out of the cage when he hits a ball over 100 mph. The takes online split into two camps — "stupid old-school strategy" vs. "finally somebody trashing exit velocity." Caminero needs to think slow down. Schwarber needs to think oppo gap. Different problems. Same framework. Real vs. feel.Topics:Why kicking a hitter out at 100 mph is more about bat speed intent than exit velocityCaminero's 21st-percentile squared-up rate and what it tells you about usable bat speedThe wild-horse hitter problem — and why athleticism masks it until it doesn'tKyle Schwarber's real-vs-feel framework with Chris YoungWhy the league leader in pull-air% trains himself to hit the ball to centerThe Christian Yelich blueprint vs. the Caminero/Schwarber blueprintData points referenced:Caminero: 79.8 mph avg bat speed (99th %tile), 116.9 max EV, 21st %tile squared-up%, 4th %tile launch-angle sweet spot, .535 SLG, 12 HRSchwarber: 32.5% whiff (13th %tile), 31.7% K (7th %tile), 32.7% pull-air%, 15% BB (90th %tile), 20 HR (MLB lead), pace for 65
What this episode covers
Trevor responds to the Rays hitting coach's viral radio clip about kicking Junior Caminero out of the cage when he hits a ball over 100 mph. The takes online split into two camps — "stupid old-school strategy" vs. "finally somebody trashing exit velocity." Caminero needs to think slow down. Schwarber needs to think oppo gap. Different problems. Same framework. Real vs. feel.Topics:Why kicking a hitter out at 100 mph is more about bat speed intent than exit velocityCaminero's 21st-percentile squared-up rate and what it tells you about usable bat speedThe wild-horse hitter problem — and why athleticism masks it until it doesn'tKyle Schwarber's real-vs-feel framework with Chris YoungWhy the league leader in pull-air% trains himself to hit the ball to centerThe Christian Yelich blueprint vs. the Caminero/Schwarber blueprintData points referenced:Caminero: 79.8 mph avg bat speed (99th %tile), 116.9 max EV, 21st %tile squared-up%, 4th %tile launch-angle sweet spot, .535 SLG, 12 HRSchwarber: 32.5% whiff (13th %tile), 31.7% K (7th %tile), 32.7% pull-air%, 15% BB (90th %tile), 20 HR (MLB lead), pace for 65
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Why the Rays Kick Junior Caminero Out of the Cage at 100 MPH
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