MONTERREY, Mexico -- Kristian Campbell¡¯s meteoric rise through the Red Sox¡¯s farm system culminated in MLB Pipeline¡¯s No. 7 overall prospect being informed by the club on Sunday he will be on the team¡¯s Opening Day roster, a source told MLB.com.
The right-handed hitter earned his promotion less than two years after being selected as a compensatory fourth-round pick in the 2023 Draft.
Now that Campbell has made the club, he is expected to open the season as the starting second baseman. The Red Sox open the season in Texas on Thursday.
The 6-foot-3 Campbell is part of Boston¡¯s vaunted Big 3 prospect trio -- including Roman Anthony (Pipeline¡¯s No. 2 overall prospect) and Marcelo Mayer (No. 12 overall) -- which created plenty of buzz this spring and about the organization¡¯s long-term outlook. We may see that trio all contributing this season in the Majors, putting the Red Sox in an enviable position for the next half-decade.
While all three players flew on the team¡¯s charter flight to Mexico for exhibition games against Sultanes de Monterrey on Monday and Tuesday, it is expected that Campbell will be the only member of the Big 3 to open the season with the club.
Campbell expressed excitement about the trip in a recent interview, noting it would be his first time out of the country. Now, the 22-year-old Campbell has something to celebrate.
Given Boston¡¯s need for a second baseman and more right-left balance in the lineup, Campbell had a clear path to earn a roster spot this spring.
And he did just that, despite putting up underwhelming numbers (.576 OPS, two doubles, one homer, two RBIs in 59 at-bats) in Grapefruit League action
On Saturday, Red Sox manager Alex Cora noted Campbell¡¯s under-the-hood numbers suggested he was swinging the bat better than the traditional statistics.
¡°He was on the fastball [today],¡± Cora said after Saturday¡¯s game against the Rays. ¡°He¡¯s been late the whole spring on fastballs and today he got a 2-1 pitch, hit it out in front to center field. He got to the other one, hit it the other way [for a home run]. That¡¯s the most important thing. At this level, if you hit the fastball, and you get to the fastball, you¡¯ll be in a good spot.¡±
Campbell, who played all over the field last year, worked overtime at second base to learn all the nuances of playing that position at the highest level.
Vaughn Grissom and David Hamilton were Campbell¡¯s main competitors in the quest to be Boston¡¯s starting second baseman. Grissom was optioned earlier this week and the speedy Hamilton, who had a solid camp, will likely back up at second base and shortstop.
Campbell made a swift rise into the upper stratosphere among baseball¡¯s top prospects. Drafted as a fourth-round compensation pick by the Red Sox in 2023, Campbell took off in ¡®24, slashing .330/.439/.558 with 20 home runs and 24 stolen bases in 115 games across three levels and finishing the year with Triple-A Worcester. He was named Boston¡¯s Minor League Hitter of the Year and Baseball America¡¯s Minor League Player of the Year.