Kristian Campbell showcases his potential on Saint Patrick's Day
After a slow start to spring training, Kristian Campbell has started to look like the prospect who took baseball by storm last year. He has been a hits machine over the last week and played elite defense. That continued on Monday afternoon against the Baltimore Orioles.
The talented 22-year-old started his day by robbing Livan Soto of a single with a diving stop on the first play of the game. After adding to his highlight reel with his glove, Campbell made an impact with his bat. In the bottom of the second, Campbell lined a base hit into the left field corner. He wasn’t content with just a single using a creative slide to extend a single into a double.
While Campbell only finished the afternoon with one hit, raising his batting average to .167, he showed how he can impact a game in multiple ways. That is what the Red Sox want to see from their future second baseman as Opening Day draws closer.
For one of the best prospects in baseball, it is expected that his MLB debut will come this season. The only question that remains is when he will get the call. His competition in camp includes David Hamilton and Vaughn Grissom, who haven’t been lighting the world on fire at the plate during spring training.Â
Regardless of what the Red Sox decide, Campbell has a bright future. While splitting time between three levels last year, Campbell posted a .330 batting average in 115 games. He finished the season in Triple-A, driving in 17 runs in 19 games.
Even if Campbell starts the 2025 campaign in the minors, he shouldn’t be there long. He excelled at every level last year and has little to prove in Triple-A. As the deadline for roster decisions inches closer, Campbell isn’t making things easier for the Red Sox, which is not a bad problem to have.