A little more than two months after signing him to an eight-year, $60 million contract extension, and just seven weeks removed from seeing him collect the American League Rookie of the Month award for April, the Boston Red Sox are sending 22-year-old prospect Kristian Campbell back down to the minor leagues.
Since sitting out three games with what was described as “rib discomfort” starting on May 1, Campbell who had been seen as a star-in-waiting has performed like anything but.
After hitting four home runs in late March and April, posting a .301 batting average and .902 OPS, the 2023 fourth-round draft pick out of Georgia Tech simply fell off the table.
He tallied just 11 hits and a .355 OPS in the month of May. June has treated Campbell somewhat better, with nine hits in 16 games and a more credible, if still rather anemic, .658.
A Disaster in the Field
In the field, Campbell has been a disaster, ranked last among all MLB second baseman in outs above average (-8). He has made seven errors at the position. Campbell has also been moved around the field, with 57 innings in center and 12 in left field. With a negative 14 defensive runs saved number, Fangraphs places Campbell among the worst fielders in the big leagues.
In June, Red Sox manager Alex Cora began removing Campbell late in games for a defensive replacement, usually backup infielder David Hamilton.
While his demotion to the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox is certainly far from the end for Campbell, it marks a disappointing setback in what had been a stunning rise and inspiring feel-good story. After being redshirted in his freshman year for the Yellow Jackets, Campbell broke out as a sophomore with a .376 batting average and 1.033 OPS.
The Red Sox drafted him after that season, but Campbell was still not seen as a prime prospect. MLB Pipeline did not even include him its annual preseason list of top 30 prospects in the Red Sox organization in 2024.
Campbell Works His Way On To Opening Day Roster
But Campbell continued to work and improve, rising at a blinding pace through the Red Sox farm system.
He was labeled as one of Boston’s “Big Three” prospects along with shortstop Marcelo Mayer — Boston’s 2021 No. 4 overall pick — and outfielder Roman Anthony, rated as the top prospect in all of baseball.
But it was Campbell who made the Red Sox Opening Day roster out of spring training this season while Mayer and Anthony returned to Worcester. Both have since been called up to join Campbell on the big league club.
But just as the Red Sox are in the midst of their hottest streak of the season — winning nine of their last 11 games to climb to within five games of the New York Yankees at the top of the AL East — Campbell will now return to the minor leagues.
The Red Sox apparently decided that as they have fought their way back into a race for a playoff spot, they could no longer afford to keep the badly struggling Campbell in the lineup.
Before breaking camp with the Red Sox in March, Campbell had played just 137 minor league games, a total that included a mere 19 at the Triple-A level.
Red Sox Make Consequential Decision on High-Ranking Prospect