Red Sox Prospect Looks Back On Award-Winning Breakout In Disbelief

BOSTON -- Red Sox prospect Kristian Campbell's stock value catapulted, leaping from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester this season before being named Baseball America's 2024 Minor League Player of the Year.

The 22-year-old, frankly, didn't know what to expect entering the year but Campbell was taken aback by the .330/.439/.997 slash line with 20 home runs, 32 doubles, 77 RBIs and 24 stolen bases compiled throughout 115 games spent with the Drive, Sea Dogs and WooSox. Now listed as the 74th top prospect in baseball, and the fifth in Boston, according to MLB Pipeline, Campbell is poised to compete for a big league roster spot once the club returns to Fort Myers, Florida for spring training next year.

"It was definitely more than I expected coming into the season because I've never really hit home runs before in the past," Campbell said. "I feel like a couple during the season, but if you asked me before the season if I would've hit 20 home runs I would've been like, 'No, no way I would've done that.' The work I put in and stuff and the work that the team has for me, I really work on every day (and) it gets me prepared so I'm not really surprised. It's just all the work that I've put it definitely shows for sure."

Campbell added: "I've played everywhere pretty well. I played middle infield, centerfield, I can play the corners too, and a little bit of third base. I feel pretty comfortable everywhere on the field. ... I feel really comfortable at second base."

The end-of-season honors didn't end with MiLB Player of the Year for Campbell as the rising up-and-comer was also named the Eastern League MVP. Campell's power, although unexpected in the eyes of Boston's fourth-round selection from 2023, carried its way from Greenville -- where he went deep eight times in 40 games -- to Worcester -- where Campbell finished 2024 crushing four round-trippers in 19 appearances.

"Just a good athlete, good athlete that has versatility," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said pregame. "... We're very pleased with the season he had. Obviously, putting himself in the radar. He worked hard for it and he's an interesting player."

Cora's had plenty to look forward to already with Marcelo Mayer, Kyle Teel and Roman Anthony making their respective jumps to Triple-A alongside one another this season, but adding Campbell to the mix only signals brighter days to come.

"I think we saw a lot of progress and growth this offseason, but for any of us to say any of us were expecting the type of season he's had this year I think would probably be a little bit of a lie," Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham said. "He added really good weight, he added bat speed, he made a bunch of adjustments with his swing but I think the work and the production was incredible to see and probably unmatched, quite frankly, within Minor League Baseball this year. So it's really good to see the success and I think he would say there's still ways to go but we're really happy with what he's done so far."

Campbell showcased some impressive defensive versatility -- reminiscent of that of Ceddanne Rafaela's run through the farm system -- with appearances at shortstop (36), second base (36), centerfield (25) and third base (five). Campbell maintained a .970-plus fielding percentage in all five positions, leaving the Red Sox with plenty to consider this upcoming winter in terms of where the right-hander could potentially contribute and fit into their Opening Day roster.

"It's kind of crazy," Campbell explained. "I think that was kind of the vision from the whole beginning. Just being out there in front of the guys, just hanging around baseball your whole life it's kind of a dream come true when you think about it. I was doing it as a young kid just playing around not taking anything too serious and now it's actually a reality. So it's really a blessing, to be honest."

Campell was honored at Fenway Park with fellow Boston prospects Nelly Taylor (Defensive Player of the Year), Hunter Dobbins (Starting Pitcher of the Year), Chase Shugart (Relief Pitcher of the Year), Franklin Arias (Baserunner of the Year), Justin Gonzales (Latin Program Position Player of the Year) and Yermain Ruiz (Latin Program Pitcher of the Year) before Friday night's matchup against the Rays.