Junior Caminero x Launchpad: Meet the Máxima Line

MLB star Junior Caminero has officially partnered with Launchpad on an exclusive colorway of our Max thumb guard — the Máxima line. The name borrows from one of baseball's most recognizable young nicknames, and the design borrows from everything that makes Junior one of the most electric hitters in the game today.

It's performance protection dressed in the kind of style the next generation of hitters wants to wear.

A partnership years in the making

Long before the deals and the headlines, Junior Caminero was a Double-A player with an absurd swing and a sharp eye for what works. He was one of the first professional hitters to put a Launchpad on — back when we were a young company trying to prove that a small piece of gear could change how a hitter felt in the box.

That kind of early trust doesn't get forgotten.

"Junior was one of the first pros to wear Launchpad when he was in Double-A," said Chris Cohen, founder of Launchpad. "As a young company, knowing that an up-and-coming player of his caliber understood what we were building really kept us going in the early days. This is truly a dream that's come to fruition. Junior brings an energy to the game that fits Launchpad perfectly. He plays with confidence, attacks the baseball, and represents the modern hitter."

Caminero's first impression of the product has stuck with him ever since. "I never thought something so small could be so impactful for me. I remember when I first put it on, I thought — this feels really good. I feel comfortable and confident with it. I'm excited for more players across the sport to discover what's special about it."

Why more hitters are using thumb guards

The thumb guard has quietly become standard equipment for hitters who take their craft seriously, and the reason is mechanical, not stylistic. Positioned between the bat handle and the top-hand thumb, Launchpad's patented bat-shaped channel does several jobs at once: it absorbs the sting from off-the-barrel mishits, pushes the bat further out in the fingers, and it reinforces the loose, relaxed grip that allows a hitter to generate real bat speed without squeezing the life out of the handle. 

That's the difference between gear designed to protect and gear engineered to perform. Launchpad refuses to compromise on either.

Few hitters in the world swing faster or hit the ball harder than Junior, and the fact that he's trusted Launchpad throughout his ascendance says everything about how the product holds up when the swing is real.

What's in the drop

The Máxima line launches with three core colorways inspired by Caminero's energy and presence at the plate, with additional colors set to release throughout the season as the collection expands. Same patented bat-shaped channel, same hand-specific fit, same wraparound protection — refreshed for a hitter who brings a new level of energy to the game. 

About Junior Caminero

Originally from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Junior Caminero signed as an international prospect and climbed the minor league ladder on the strength of his elite bat speed, raw power, and aggressive approach at the plate. He made his Major League debut with the Tampa Bay Rays, where he's quickly established himself as one of the most exciting young hitters in the sport — the kind of player who turns at-bats into events.

The Máxima line is available now at launchpadthumbguard.com/maxima and select baseball retailers.