The Prospects

Red Sox Kristian Campbell is No. 99 on Baseball America's Top 100 list.                                                 (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)


In one year, Red Sox minor leaguer Kristian Campbell went from the 255th ranked prospect in the 2023 MLB Draft class to No. 99 on Baseball America’s Top 100 list.

Thirty-nine players were selected in the first round in 2023. Thirty-six selections are still considered prospect eligible. Pirates ace Paul Skenes, Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford and Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel have graduated from prospect status.

Campbell at No. 99 already ranks ahead of 19 of those 36 first rounders. He would without question be a first round selection if the industry redrafted the 2023 MLB Draft today.

“We got him in the fourth round, which it’s kind of incredible if you think about it and when you look at it now,” said Red Sox area scout Kirk Fredriksson who scouted Campbell at Georgia Tech.

Boston selected Campbell 123 picks before his Baseball America pre-draft ranking and Fredriksson said “that’s probably right where a lot of” teams had him on their draft boards.

But why was Campbell, a first round talent, considered no more than a fourth rounder in the first place?

The right-handed hitting outfielder/infielder, who turned 22 on June 28, entered Tuesday batting .373 with a .470 on-base percentage, .554 slugging percentage, 1.024 OPS, four homers, 16 doubles, one triple, 27 RBIs, 37 runs, 26 walks, 30 strikeouts and 12 steals in 44 games (198 plate appearances) since his promotion to Double-A Portland on June 4.

Boston drafted Campbell 132nd overall with the compensation pick it received from losing Xander Bogaerts in free agency to the Padres during the 2022-23 offseason. Baseball America now ranks him Boston’s No. 5 prospect after having him unranked on its Top 30 to start the 2024 season. MassLive ranked him Boston’s No. 25 prospect entering 2024.

“Everything he did was phenomenal at Georgia Tech but there were questions about the impact, questions about which position he was going to play — and the resume,” Fredriksson said. “And he did it for only one year but my counter to that is, well, he did it for only a year but he did it in the ACC. He did it in one of the best conferences.”

The question about impact/power came after he hit just six homers in 103 games combined between summer ball and his sophomore year at Georgia Tech. His calling card was his elite contact skills. He posted a 90% overall contact rate and 94% in-zone contact rate his sophomore year, according to Baseball America.

The question about impact “has been answered,” Fredriksson believes. The right-handed hitter entered this week with a .342/.445/.556/1.001 line, 12 homers, 29 doubles, one triple, 52 RBIs and 66 runs in 84 games (375 plate appearances) combined between High-A Greenville and Portland this year.

“Just one of those kids that the impact was the question and this is where two things need to get mentioned: his willingness to buy in and the job our player development did with him to create that impact and get those exit velos up to where they are,” Fredriksson said. “Just a phenomenal job done in such a shorter period of time.”

The Red Sox asked Campbell to trade some contact to hit for more power. He also has increased his bat speed significantly, leading to more extra-base power.

As Greenville hitting coach JP Fasone said in June, “That was part of the conversation with him is that we’re going to try to hit the ball in the air more and kind of look to do some more damage than he has in the past. That might come with striking out a little bit more. But because his strikeouts were so low, he had a little bit of room to give and still be within league average or below that. So I think that was part of the conversation with him and I think we expected them to be a little bit higher. But we’ll kind of trade the production for a few more strikeouts.”

While his strikeout rate has increased this season, it has decreased as the year has progressed. He has a 15.2% strikeout percentage in 198 plate appearances at Double A, down from 26.5% in 177 plate appearances at Greenville before his promotion. He also has maintained a 13.9% walk percentage.

His amateur resume wasn’t extensive because he played only one year of college ball after red-shirting as a freshman at Georgia Tech.

“He put up these crazy numbers even though it was only one year but the summer before that, he had pretty good numbers, too,” Fredriksson said.

Fredriksson was impressed by Campbell’s walk rate in the 2022 Northwoods League. Campbell walked in 14.3% of his 258 plate appearances for the Duluth Huskies, a summer ball team located in Minnesota.

Campbell then posted a 13.4% walk rate while striking out in just 7.8% of his 217 plate appearances at Georgia Tech in 2023.

“He had more walks than strikeouts,” Fredriksson said. “It was elite bat-to-ball skills basically for college. ... He didn’t chase. He had a small zone for his size.”

Campbell was listed at 6-foot-3, 203 pounds in college.

“He’s a good-sized kid but he had some noticeable bend in his knees and waist,” Fredriksson said. “He has such quick hands. Again, very good hand-to-eye. He starts his swing really easy. Everything is lined up.”

All that creates “really good timing” and the “ability to make contact and stay to the ball,” Fredriksson added.

The Red Sox also noticed his ability to track pitches so well.

“His nose is always on the ball,” Fredriksson said.

Fredriksson said the elite stats Campbell posted in the Northwoods League were something he didn’t see live.

“I had to watch it on video,” Fredriksson said. “And I couldn’t wait to get to see him in the fall at Georgia Tech. Liked him a lot. Liked the athleticism and talked to him a little bit — loved the aptitude he had. Wasn’t sure where he was going to play in the field to be honest with you. He was playing some time at short. Ultimately he ended up at second. He played a little bit of left field. Now if you look at him, the arm has obviously improved since then.

“He throws much better now than he did then,” Fredriksson added. “There were questions about the arm. And I don’t think you have those questions anymore.”

Fredriksson still wasn’t completely sure “what he was” as a player after he saw Campbell play in fall 2022.

“And then spring started, he actually had gotten hurt early,” Fredriksson said.

Campbell got hurt in Georgia Tech’s opener Feb. 17, 2023 against Miami (Ohio) and missed 12 games before returning March 10 against Notre Dame.

“So had to wait even longer to see him before he got healthy again. And then once he hit the ground running, he never stopped,” Fredriksson said. “He was fun to watch.”

Campbell has made 33 starts at second base, 23 starts in center field, 14 starts at shortstop and two starts at third base this season. He also has served as the DH in 12 games.

He made starts at second base and both corner outfield spots in the Florida Complex League and Greenville after being drafted last year.

“He holds down left field, center field, shortstop, second base, third base. Wherever you put him on the field, he holds his own pretty well,” Fredriksson said. “So he’s a pretty versatile kid and that’s again the aptitude and athleticism.”

Fredriksson pointed out that cross-checker Stephen Hargett and director of amateur scouting Devin Pearson saw the potential for Campbell to hit for more power and become the offensive player he is now.

Fredriksson said he “rang the bell on him” but he also considers what he did the easiest part in a combined team effort. He gives the most credit to Campbell and the player development staff.

“We were really lucky to get him where we did (in the draft),” Fredriksson said. “But credit our player development for making him what he is right now. And give him the credit for buying in and putting the work in. Obviously that’s one of those situations where everything just clicked right for us and for Kristian. He’s an incredible hard worker and a very coachable kid. There was never any doubt about him picking up on things.”

Fredriksson said Campbell’s love for the game also should not go overlooked and it helps him figure out ways to get better every day.

“And he’s going to make everybody else better around him,” Fredriksson said. “Those are the kind of guys you want.”

Fredriksson certainly has enjoyed watching Campbell’s success so far.

“It’s fun to watch guys and especially when they make us look smart,” Fredriksson said. “This was a team effort all the way. How he became a Red Sox was totally a team effort. And it’s just amazing to watch him benefit from all the work that he’s put in and people put into him. And above all else he enjoys playing the game. You can tell he loves to play.”