The meteoric rise of Boston Red Sox prospect Kristian Campbell last season had many believing that, entering spring training in 2025, the Sox's starting second base job was his to lose.
In a perfect world, Campbell would show up to big league camp, go absolutely nuclear and skyrocket to the top of a crowded field of potential second basemen, including Vaughn Grissom, David Hamilton and offseason free agent signing Alex Bregman.
However, the Red Sox don't live in a perfect world, and Campbell's spring numbers have been anything but big league-worthy. Attending spring training as a non-roster invitee, the 22-year-old has gone 1-for-14 over six Grapefruit League games with two walks, nine strikeouts and a slash line of .071/.188/.071. In other words, he hardly sounds like someone ready for an everyday job in the majors.
Despite Campbell's abysmal performance at the plate this spring, some insiders still seem convinced that he is the most likely of the Red Sox's "Big Three" prospects to make the team's Opening Day roster.
Red Sox fans (and insiders) are getting way too ahead of themselves with Kristian Campbell
The more that time goes on, the more it feels like Kristian Campbell won't be on the Opening Day roster. Alex Cora loves the work ethic and the athleticism but he is still a work in progress at being ready to play second in the Majors in three weeks.
— Ian Browne (@IanMBrowne) March 4, 2025
Campbell, the No. 7 prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, can fill a position of immediate need on Boston's roster, but he has to earn it. To earn it, he has to hit. And if the starting second base position is in fact Campbell's to lose, it looks like he's losing it.
While other Red Sox insiders seem bullish on Campbell's chances of breaking camp with the big league club, Ian Browne of MLB.com observed Tuesday morning that he may not be ready yet.
The Red Sox think Campbell has the potential to make an instant impact for them and want to give him every chance possible to break camp with the team; it's why they haven't committed to Bregman playing at second base despite Rafael Devers saying (loudly) that he has no intention of relinquishing his duties at third. After his early spring performance, though, it's hard to argue that Campbell is deserving of an Opening Day roster spot right now.
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