Kristian Campbell was 2024’s prospect breakout. He shot through the minors and got an invite to spring training in 2025. He broke camp with the Boston Red Sox and even got a long-term extension.
In April, he looked like the early frontrunner for AL Rookie of the Year. He hit .301 with a .902 OPS and was named the AL Rookie of the Month while playing almost every day at second. Then things fell off a cliff.
Campbell hit just .134 in May and .205 in June while being the worst defensive second baseman in baseball. It resulted in him being sent down to Triple-A. The struggles continued for a while in Worcester, but he eventually bounced back somewhat, but was never able to get his call back to the majors.
In Triple-A, the Sox had him learn first base as an attempt to find a place on the major league roster. They were also playing him all around the outfield, as well as second base. As a prospect, Campbell seemed positionally versatile, playing outfield, as well as third base, shortstop, and second base. Unfortunately, not sticking to a position in the minors may have made him not ready as a fielder in the majors.
Now, headed into the 2026 offseason, Campbell's future becomes an important factor in what the Red Sox will do this offseason. The team needs to figure out a plan for him. Is he going to stick at one position and learn it all offseason, or do they want him to try to remain a utility player?
Kristian Campbell needs a position, and the Red Sox will need to figure it out to plan offseason moves
It's mid-September, and the Red Sox' Opening Day second baseman is still in Triple A. What does the path back to Boston look like for Kristian Campbell, and what position does the team want him to focus on over the offseason?https://t.co/8P74nmoJ8g
— Katie Morrison-O'Day (@KatieMo61) September 19, 2025
If the Sox decide to keep him at second base, how do they factor the rest of the infield around him? He could platoon with Marcelo Mayer, but that would mean two highly rated prospects would not get the playing time they need to develop.
If he's an outfielder, does that make both Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu available in trades? Campbell showed that he is a capable left and center fielder due to his athleticism, but the outfield already has four starting-caliber players; adding the 23-year-old to that bunch only complicates things. Are they willing to make him a utility player after paying him?
Campbell's contract extension means the Red Sox are going to have to focus on developing him. They guaranteed him money, meaning they are not able to just leave him in the minors without making it a bust of a contract. They could try to trade him, but his value is shot after his lost season. He'll need to prove that he is closer to the April version of himself than the May version, but Boston will have to factor him in to their 2026 plans somehow.