Kristian Campbell: Red Sox 2024 Minor League Player Of The Year
When Kristian Campbell arrived in Fort Myers, Fla., after the 2023 season, he not only began the first offseason of his professional life but a metamorphosis.
In one year as a second baseman at Georgia Tech, Campbell had positioned himself as a fourth-round pick based on his plate discipline and elite bat-to-ball skills on pitches in the strike zone. But he generally looked to put the ball on the ground and use his legs to get on base, while leaving it to others to drive the ball.
But in Fort Myers, Campbell and members of Red Sox player development defined a different path forward.
Campbell hit the ball hard but at unproductive angles. Boston believed his potential could be amplified by committing to the idea of driving the ball in the air.
Campbell committed to altering not only his offensive philosophy but his body, working tirelessly in Fort Myers throughout the offseason. By the time the season started, the 6-foot-3 Campbell had added 10 pounds of muscle to reach 210 pounds and was crushing line drives with some of the highest exit velocities in the system.
Entering the year, one Red Sox official predicted Campbell had come so far that he would end the year as a top 25 prospect in baseball. And that’s precisely what happened.
The 22-year-old Campbell diversified his positional profile by adding shortstop and center field as he zoomed from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester.
In 115 games, he hit .330/.439/.558 with 20 home runs and 24 stolen bases.
That performance has positioned Campbell to contribute in the big leagues at some point in 2025 as a dynamic player with the ability to hit for average and power while potentially serving as a super-utility player.
“I kept some parts of my game . . . and meshed it together with what I’m trying to do now to have power, speed, average—be a five-tool player,” Campbell said. “That’s what I’ve been this year.”
SOX YARNS
— At 20 years and three months, Roman Anthony became the youngest Red Sox prospect to reach Triple-A since Glenn Hoffman in 1978.
— Triple-A Worcester shortstop Marcelo Mayer’s season ended after 77 games due to a lumbar strain in his lower back. Though he is expected to make a full recovery and have a normal offseason, the 21-year-old has yet to play more than 91 games in a professional season.
