Rookie Kristian Campbell Addresses Red Sox Extension Rumors

Boston Red Sox rookie Kristian Campbell had plenty to speak about following the 22-year-old’s third game as a big leaguer on Saturday night.

First, Campbell crushed his first MLB home run against Texas Ranger reliever Jacob Webb, which tied the game at 2-2 before the Red Sox endured a 4-3 loss at Globe Life Field. Campbell also doubled to secure a 2-for-3 showing in the batter’s box, but then the young infielder’s postgame discussion became more interesting when MassLive’s Chris Cotillo and Mac Cerullo of The Boston Herald reported that Campbell and the Red Sox have engaged in contract extension discussions.

Campbell, although very limited in experience as a big leaguer, addressed the rumors like a seasoned veteran after Boston dropped to 1-2 on the season.

“I just leave that to my agents and let them talk back and forth and work out what is gonna be done, and we’ll listen for sure,” Campbell told reporters, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage.”They’re talking back and forth, I know that for a fact. I’m not sure how close or not close it is, but we got some communications on that for sure.”

The Red Sox have jumped forward in locking their young talent in recent years, which should make the this situation an unsurprising development. Boston signed pitcher Bryan Bello to a six-year, $55 million contract before his age-24 season last March, and did the same with infielder/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela, finalizing an eight-year, $50 million extension with the then-23-year-old.

It’s an approach teams have become inclined to adapt after watching the Atlanta Braves successfully apply the front-office strategy. Boston endured a brutal past six seasons, headline by five postseason misses, including three last-place finishes in the American League East. With youngsters on the rise, both with the big league club and in the farm system, now is the time to secure the future of a handful of premier pieces.

Campbell was named Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year last season as he catapulted his name in the prospect rankings. With an opening at second base, the Red Sox rewarded Campbell after a rusty 20-game spring training run — he batted .167 with 18 strikeouts — and promoted him before Opening Day.

The growth ever since has caught the attention of Red Sox manager Alex Cora.

“He’s feeling better and better,” Cora told reporters, per NESN. “If you watch his highlight reels from last year, his homers are left-center, right-center on the fastball and then he pulls the stuff up and he’s on pitches. The walk before that one was very impressive. He’s feeling good about himself. He almost made one of the best catches that we have seen. It was probably a zero percent catch probability and he had it.”

Campbell wasn’t able to snag his first career web gem, however, his bat managed to reel in the Hallmark moment every up-and-coming prospect dreams of: Having your family in attendance to watch you round the bases after belting your first home run. The weight of that moment was too strong for a nearly-secured diving grab in left field, and it’s likely Campbell’s family also shares that sentiment.

“I’m happy that they got to see that,” Campbell explained. “They haven’t seen me hit a home run probably since college. It’s been a minute.”

Campbell became the first Red Sox rookie first Boston rookie with five-plus hits (now 5-for-10) through his first three games since Xander Bogaerts in 2014.