-1600x900.webp)
Kristian Campbell's standing with the Boston Red Sox will be an important touchpoint all through the upcoming season.
Campbell's story is well-known at this point. After racing through the minors and earning a major league debut and a $60 million extension in the same week last year, the youngster ran into a wall against big-league pitching, which earned him a trip back to the minors for the final three months of the season.
Because the Red Sox have exclusively played Campbell in the outfield this spring, where their major league roster is the deepest, it seemed fairly obvious that the 23-year-old was ticketed for Triple-A once again once the new season began. And insider Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reinforced that notion in a Monday column.
"(Campbell will) almost certainly start the year in Triple A, where he’ll be able to get consistent at-bats and playing time to keep focusing on his offense away from the pressures of the majors," wrote McCaffrey. "The Red Sox will surely have an injury in their outfield at some point this season, opening the door for Campbell to be recalled as long as he’s showing progress in Triple-A."
McCaffrey also noted that Campbell will at some point have an opportunity to play the infield again, whether that's second base, first base, or maybe even third.
"For now, (the Red Sox) want to take away that extra variable and have (Campbell) focus on hitting," McCaffrey wrote. "He noted when I spoke to him about his swing that he feels better focusing on one position while he tries to lock in his offense."
The plan of action seems clear, but Campbell still has a lot to prove. A big April in Worcester would to wonders to open doors to his return to the majors, though an injury would likely be required to facilitate it.