WooSox top prospect likely done for the season after being placed on 7-day injured list with left lat strain
The WooSox are playing their final week of games on the road against Lehigh Valley this week. The team will be without trop prospect Kristian Campbell, who was placed on the 7-day injured list with a left lat strain.
The 22-year-old suffered the injury following an at-bat in the third inning of the WooSox’ 7-0 win over the Syracuse Mets at Polar Park last Wednesday.
Campbell swung and then ran from home to first base. He was seen on NESN’s coverage favoring his left arm but remained in the game to play defense before being taken out.
Campbell’s injury all but ends his extraordinary season where he played 115 games, posting a .330/.439/.558 slash line with 20 homers, 32 doubles, three triples, 77 RBI, 74 walks, 24 stolen bases, and a .997 OPS.
“I think the most important thing for him right now is to go into the offseason fully healthy so he can train this winter,” said farm director Brian Abraham in an interview with the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier. “I think we need to be smart here. We’re going to make sure we’re thinking about the longer term and bigger picture versus the shorter term.
“We’re going to obviously trust our group and our staff and Kristian to see how he feels and go from there, but I would not be surprised if we end up taking the decision out of his hands and making sure that he’s healthy going into the offseason.”
Campbell, who was selected 132nd overall in last year’s MLB draft out of Georgia Tech, is ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Red Sox system by Baseball America. After spending last winter adding more strength and bat speed, the right-handed hitter broke out this year, elevating through the Red Sox system before finishing the year with the WooSox.
While playing alongside Roman Anthony and Kyle Teel in Worcester, Campbell posted a .286/.412/.582 with four homers and 17 RBI in 19 games before he was shut down.
Campbell was also named The Athletic’s Keith Law’s Prospect of the Year. With Boston’s season coming to an end, Campbell has positioned himself to be in the conversation as a building block for the Red Sox roster.
