How Campbell is ramping up to put '25 struggles behind him

BOSTON -- It isn’t all that often that a bounceback candidate is a 23-year-old who, at this time a year ago, was considered one of the top prospects in the game.

But the Kristian Campbell path is a unique one, and the Red Sox hope all roads lead to him being a solid and consistent contributor to the club in 2026.

Spring Training of 2025 was a whirlwind for Campbell, as he entrenched himself in the nuances of playing second base and lost some of his offensive rhythm along the way.

However, the Red Sox were so comfortable with his work ethic and athleticism, they felt he could be one of the team’s fastest-rising prospects in years.

So they gave it a shot, sending their fourth-round selection from the 2023 Draft to second base on Opening Day ‘25 in Texas.

At first, it seemed like everything would go as planned. Campbell started hitting once the bell rang for the regular season. In fact, before the club even returned for the home opener, the Sox and Campbell agreed on an eight-year, $60 million contract extension that includes club options for ‘33 and ‘34.

Nobody within Boston’s front office was having any type of buyer’s remorse on what looked like a club-friendly deal when Campbell was named the American League’s Rookie of the Month in April.

But the joy of that hot start wore off swiftly. Campbell’s bat went cold in May. He had trouble defensively at second base. By mid-June, he was back at Triple-A Worcester, and stayed there for the rest of the season.

So why are the Red Sox so sure he can rebound from such a bumpy ride? Because nothing has changed with his attitude or his tools.

It’s simply a matter of adjusting to baseball at the highest level. Some of that involves some tweaks to his hitting position, which he has already done. It also includes adding enough weight to withstand the rigors of a long Major League season.

At last check, Campbell was at roughly 215 pounds as he reported to winter ball in Caguas, Puerto Rico, which happens to be the town Red Sox manager Alex Cora lives in, and the team that Boston bench coach Ramon Vázquez is the manager of.

“He's in a good place,” said Cora. “And we're going to take care of him down there. I told him, I said, 'Hey, man, you live five minutes from my house, but I'm not here to babysit you. I've got my [twin sons].'”

In truth, Cora will keep an eye on Campbell because of what his resurgence could mean to the Red Sox.

“I talked to him recently,” Cora said during MLB’s Winter Meetings earlier this month. “We had dinner, and he opened up about the season. The ups and downs, the expectations, the contract, Triple-A, the big leagues, the adjustments.”

Everything should be slowed down for Campbell entering 2026. Instead of being expected to win a starting job like he was last spring, Campbell must prove himself again.

Though the Red Sox already have a log-jam in the outfield, Boston’s current plan is to have Campbell focus out there rather than the infield, where he looked clunky at times.

With Rob Refsnyder departing to Seattle via free agency, perhaps Campbell can start out as a platoon outfielder against lefties. He can certainly earn more playing time as he goes.

Perhaps there was too much thrown on Campbell’s plate last year. In addition to acclimating himself to life in the Majors, Campbell was rotating his pregame hours between the infield and the outfield.

“I think there is ultimately some versatility that he can provide, though we've also talked about trying to narrow that a little bit and just giving him some stability and consistency day to day, so he didn't have to kind of take on the uncertainty of where he'd be playing defensively, alongside trying to acclimate to big league pitching,” said chief baseball officer Craig Breslow.

Campbell has quick wrists and the ability to hit the ball from foul line to foul line with authority. If he can do that, his defensive home will take care of itself.

During Campbell’s stay in Caguas, he is expected to get visits from Red Sox hitting coach Pete Fatse and third-base coach/outfield instructor Kyle Hudson.

Clearly, the Red Sox remain invested in him in more ways than just finances, and they will continue to build him up in hopes that the struggles of 2025 will be long forgotten.