The Boston Red Sox have a loaded farm system. But they don't seem too eager to deploy their top prospects in the middle of a last-ditch playoff push.
In August, the Red Sox have promoted four of their top organizational position players to Triple-A. That includes 2023 fourth-round pick Kristian Campbell, a second baseman/outfielder who started the 2024 season a level below the other three in High-A.
Campbell's meteoric rise through the Boston system has been impressive to watch, and the start to his Triple-A career has been no different. In four games, he is 8-for-19 with a 1.239 OPS, including a two-homer game on Friday night.
Given the Red Sox's struggles at second base, and Campbell's incredible hot stretch at the plate, it is reasonable to wonder whether Boston may consider giving him a look in the big leagues this season. But according to one insider, that appears to not yet be on the table.
According to Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald, the Red Sox currently have no plans to call up Campbell in the month of September. Manager Alex Cora was asked about the possibility on Saturday and had this to say:
“I haven’t talked about him in a while,” Cora said, per Cerullo. “I mean, you talk about what he’s doing but not in this situation.”
Campbell, 22, has a 1.010 OPS in 100 games this season between High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A. He's changed his approach at the plate significantly from his 2023 professional debut, sacrificing contact for power. That has resulted in 18 home runs in 2024, compared to one in 22 games a year ago.
If Campbell keeps hitting like he is with Worcester for the remainder of 2024, it seems likely he'll earn himself a chance to compete for a roster spot in Spring Training next year. With Vaughn Grissom and Enmanuel Valdez also in the picture, second base will be a position to watch in camp.
But even if there's a chance Campbell could help the Red Sox in the short term, it appears the organization is prioritizing his development for now, because he's becoming a bigger part of their future by the minute.
