Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40 

For years, the Tigers had shied away from big-bonus international signings, opting to spread out their money across several smaller deals and leverage the odds that some of them would make it. Detroit veered off script for Campos, a strapping athlete who defected from Cuba as a 13-year-old in 2016 but went three years without competitive baseball while working out in the Dominican Republic. His $2.85 million bonus was a Tigers record at the time, but he couldn’t join competitive ball until 2021. After three seasons in the Minors, the mystery around his game remains. 

Campos’ 6-foot-3 frame profiles as a power hitter, but he has just 18 home runs in 239 professional games, including back-to-back five-homer seasons in larger ballparks. He’s capable of majestic power when he gets around on a pitch. He has worked on his lower body to stay back on pitches and generate lift in his swing, but his search for power has coincided with a drop in walks. He shows a knack for situational hitting and an awareness for how pitchers are approaching him. Campos runs well for his size and has played primarily in center field, where his athleticism helps him outrun some reads, but he profiles as a corner outfielder. 

The Tigers’ decision to leave Campos available in the Rule 5 Draft created some buzz, but it reflected a reality: He’s a young hitter with raw talent who needs time to match his game to his abilities. The Tigers have had recent success playing the long game with prospects, Parker Meadows being the top example. Campos has similar athleticism with a longer adjustment. He remains very much a mystery. 

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

Campos was a mystery man when the Tigers signed him in 2018 for a $2.85 million bonus, a franchise record at the time for an international prospect. At the time, he hadn’t played competitive baseball in three years since defecting from Cuba, instead training in the Dominican Republic under former Major League outfielder Alex Sanchez. After losing another year of play to the pandemic, Campos finally made his pro debut in 2021 with a home run in his first at-bat in the Florida Complex League. His first full pro season in 2022 showed more of his raw talent and athleticism, this time for Single-A Lakeland, but still left questions about just how good of a prospect he’ll become.

Though Campos was billed as a budding young slugger upon signing, his pro career to date has been a bit of a departure. He hits balls hard, but more for line drives and grounders than fly balls, and toward the middle of the field. He actually hit as many triples as homers (five) while collecting 26 doubles in 2022. He also impressed by keeping a relatively low strikeout rate despite a long swing and a tendency to chase pitches outside the zone. Scouts expect more power as he matures and learns to lift the ball a little more. He’s athletic and instinctive enough to play center field in the Minors, but projects to move into a corner spot where his arm could play.

One evaluator compared Campos to Juan Rivera, who had similar build and athleticism but was hampered by injuries over a 12-year Major League career. Campos has a wide range of potential outcomes based on his combination of athleticism and instincts, but will need to avoid falling into the trap of selling out too much for power and launch angle.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

Once the owner of the largest signing bonus the Tigers had ever given an international prospect, Campos was a $2.85 million mystery man until he homered in his first pro at-bat in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League in 2021. Campos defected from Cuba at age 13 in 2016 after winning MVP honors at the Punta Cana International Tournament, but he went three years without playing competitively while training in the Dominican Republic under guidance from former Major League outfielder Alex Sanchez. The COVID pandemic cost Campos a crucial year of development in the Dominican Summer League, but the Tigers kept him at their Dominican academy to work.

While Campos’ deal went against the Tigers’ historic trends of spreading their international money across several smaller deals, one look at Campos’ frame shows why Detroit took the risk. His big, strong frame looks like he could’ve stepped out of a video game, and he has the fluid swing to go with it. While his home run power is primarily to the pull side, he has shown a willingness to slash line drives to the gap in right-center. His bat sits just besides his neck in his stance, giving him a long bat path to travel that leaves him late on some fastballs but creates power. He has worked on hitting breaking balls and staying within his strike zone, but at age 18, he still needs more work. He played primarily center field in the FCL but projects to settle into right.

The mystery around Campos created an aura of potential stardom around him, complemented by a physique that reminded some of former Tiger Avisail Garcia. Time and development will tell whether he approaches those lofty hopes, but Campos has the physical tools to be an impact hitter given time. He’s played at Single-A Lakeland this season as he just gets his full-season career going.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50

Even as he just gets going at the complex level this season, there is still an air of mystery that has surrounded Campos since the Tigers signed him for a then team-record $2.85 million bonus in July 2019. Though Campos defected from Cuba three years earlier at age 13 after winning MVP honors at the Punta Cana International Tournament, he virtually disappeared for that time while training in the Dominican Republic with former Tigers outfielder Alex Sanchez. The Tigers saw enough in him to go big for an unranked prospect and brought him to their Dominican academy for instructional ball in 2020 after the COVID shutdown of the Minor Leagues cost him a season in the Dominican Summer League. 

Even a passing look at Campos shows why the Tigers believed in him. He has an imposing frame for a teenager and grew even stronger working out during the shutdown. More than one Tigers official has compared his frame to Avisaíl García when he broke into the Majors with Detroit a decade ago. He has shown the ability to hit for power to all fields, though not in actual games yet. He has good speed for his size, allowing him to play center field, but projects to settle into right, where his arm should play best.

Campos is the kind of high-risk international prospect the Tigers have historically avoided. Even if he makes it, he’s going to need time to develop his game and hone his skills. He has the physical tools to be an impact hitter who can make Comerica Park seem small and make the Tigers lineup more like Detroit’s heyday a decade ago.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

Campos and his brother defected from Cuba at age 13 in 2016, after their team had won the Punta Cana International Tournament in the Dominican Republic -- an event in which Roberto was named MVP. He spent nearly three years working out in the Dominican with former Tigers outfielder turned trainer Alex Sanchez, out of sight from many clubs. The Tigers kept tabs and then pounced in July 2019 with a $2.85 million signing bonus, a huge amount for an organization that normally spreads out its international prospect money across several players.

For a 16-year-old, Campos’ frame is imposing, and reflects on his ability to hit for power around the field. How much he continues to grow may determine his defensive skills, range and speed. He currently profiles as a corner outfielder with average running ability.

The Tigers believe Campos has the chance to become the impact bat they’ve been desperately seeking in their rebuild. One evaluator compared him to Avisail Garcia, who was compared to Miguel Cabrera on his way up the Tigers' system a decade ago. Even if Campos realizes those comparisons, he’s going to need some time, having gone three years without competitive baseball. He’ll play this year in the Dominican Summer League before heading to the U.S. in 2021.

Awards

MID Player of the Week

Week	Team
05/26/2024

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	03/07/2024	Detroit Tigers Prospects activated RF Roberto Campos.
	02/27/2024	RF Roberto Campos assigned to Detroit Tigers.
	09/18/2023	West Michigan Whitecaps activated RF Roberto Campos from the 7-day injured list.
	08/09/2023	West Michigan Whitecaps placed RF Roberto Campos on the 7-day injured list.
	04/02/2023	RF Roberto Campos assigned to West Michigan Whitecaps from Lakeland Flying Tigers.
	03/11/2023	RF Roberto Campos assigned to Detroit Tigers.
	03/11/2023	RF Roberto Campos roster status changed by Detroit Tigers.
	09/29/2022	Lakeland Flying Tigers activated RF Roberto Campos from the 7-day injured list.
	09/09/2022	Lakeland Flying Tigers placed RF Roberto Campos on the 7-day injured list.
	04/05/2022	RF Roberto Campos assigned to Lakeland Flying Tigers from FCL Tigers West.
	04/04/2022	RF Roberto Campos roster status changed by Detroit Tigers.
	04/04/2022	RF Roberto Campos assigned to Detroit Tigers.
	07/05/2021	FCL Tigers West activated RF Roberto Campos.
	06/28/2021	RF Roberto Campos assigned to FCL Tigers West from DSL Tigers1.
	02/14/2020	OF Roberto Campos assigned to DSL Tigers1.
	07/02/2019	Detroit Tigers signed free agent OF Roberto Campos to a minor league contract.