Kristian Campbell Puts On Show While Making Case For Red Sox Spot

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Kristian Campbell start the season with the Worcester Red Sox, but he appears hellbent on making the decision as difficult as possible right up until the final day of spring training.

It remains unclear where he’ll start the 2025 season, but the roster competition for the starting second baseman job seemingly is still wide open. It was notable that Campbell’s name was in the lineup Monday afternoon against Baltimore at the bottom of a batting order that looked a lot like an Opening Day roster.

Campbell, batting eighth and playing second, wasted no time making a major impact on the game. On just the second pitch of the contest, Livan Soto sent a one-hopper up the middle that looked ticketed for the center field grass. Campbell had other ideas. The 22-year-old was shaded to the right side, but Campbell’s quick cross-over step sent him springing up the middle to make a diving stop. He then quickly steadied himself and gunned down Soto at first on a throw from one knee.

Watch the play by clicking here.

One inning later, Campbell made another impressive play to his right. He was slotted up the middle and made a backhanded stop on the left side of the bag before a running throw to get the runner at first.

Campbell kept it up at the plate, too. He drilled the second pitch he saw to left field that one-hopped the wall. Campbell was sprinting out of the box and to top it all off, he uncorked an acrobatic slide into second to avoid the tag for a double.

“He was fired up, too. He knows this is a big day for him,” NESN analyst Will Middlebrooks said on the broadcast. “His year last year was … he got better at every level he advanced.”

Campbell’s numbers at the plate haven’t jumped off the page so far, but his approach has improved over the last few weeks. The Red Sox have taken notice, and like most players, they’re not concerned about the results. They’re more eager to see if players, especially young ones like Campbell, can make the necessary adjustments with a stellar approach.

“That’s what (Red Sox manager Alex Cora) said this morning,” Middlebrooks added. “We’re not too worried about the numbers. We know the player we have here.”

Ultimately, it might make the most sense for Campbell (as well as Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony) to start the season in Triple-A where he’ll get consistent at-bats. If he keeps playing like he showed Monday, though, that decision is going to get more difficult.

File that under the latest good problem to have for the Red Sox.