Some prospect rankings don’t always go as the fans expect. A name that has dominated conversations about the Red Sox farm system over the past few months is the one everyone expects to lead the upcoming generation in Boston. We mean Kristian Campbell. In a surprising twist, when a recent Fenway Rundown podcast ranked the team’s top prospects, Campbell didn’t hold the first position. In fact, he wasn’t even second. He was ranked third behind Roman Anthony, who’s at the top, and Marcelo Mayer at No. 2.
The baseball insider has an interesting take on this. “I’ve always been high on Campbell, where I thought he could be the number one guy in the system. However, I actually considered going Anthony #1, Mayer #2, Campbell #3.” Mayer, who has faced injury setbacks over the last two seasons, is now shaping up to be a complete player, especially when defense is concerned.
Here it gets more interesting—Manager Alex Cora isn’t somebody who is known for handing out unwarranted praise. But surprisingly, he spoke highly of Mayer’s performance on the field. An insider said, “Cora doesn’t like to praise players that aren’t good defenders… he’s kind of an infield expert, and he’s not going to give high praise unless it’s deserved.”
When Cora was questioned about Campbell, he noted a few things that Campbell should work on. But when it circled back to Mayer? The response was completely different. “I tell him like an old-school shortstop, smooth… his instincts, different things like that.”
Campbell might have the higher ceiling on the offensive side, but Mayer’s all-around game, particularly his defensive instincts and ability to stick at shortstop, makes him a better player overall.
Kristian Campbell: 2025 baseball outlook and potential impact on the Red Sox
Every season, there is a prospect no one talks about early on but ends up making waves. Could that prospect be Kristian Campbell in 2025? The Boston Red Sox are hopeful.
Campbell has been a fast riser in the Red Sox system. With his disciplined plate approach and adaptability, he has significantly turned heads. In his lone season at Georgia Tech, he recorded a phenomenal .376 with 29 walks and just 17 strikeouts over 173 at-bats. This kind of stat screams having an elite batting eye. His consistency followed him into the minors, where he hit .309 in his first taste of professional baseball.
Then, in 2024, he raised the bar by batting .330 across three levels (High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A) with 94 runs, 20 homers, 77 RBIs, and 24 steals. The digits are absolutely astounding, but here’s the twist—he’s only had 70 Triple-A at-bats.
And that’s exactly where things got a bit tricky. Campbell’s way to the majors relies highly on how the Red Sox shuffle their infield. We know for a fact that Rafael Devers won’t be moving off third anytime soon, which indicates that Alec Bregman could see starts at second base. If that happens, Campbell could be initially blocked for a full-time role.
Presently, Campbell is struggling in spring training, going just 2-for-21 with nine strikeouts in his first nine games. If he’s able to turn the tables, he has what it takes to be a leadoff hitter for the Red Sox in the coming future.
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