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Kristian Campbell Named Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year for 2024

Campbell joins Baltimore’s Jackson Holliday (2023) & Gunnar Henderson (2022) and Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. (2021) as recent “Baseball America” Minor League Player of the Year winners
By Ryan Sheahan
September 25, 2024

When the 2024 season began, Kristian Campbell was not regarded as one of baseball’s top prospects. Since, he has ascended prospect lists and is now considered an important piece of the Boston Red Sox’ future. The Red Sox’ No. 3 and the sport’s No. 25 prospect according to Baseball America

When the 2024 season began, Kristian Campbell was not regarded as one of baseball’s top prospects. Since, he has ascended prospect lists and is now considered an important piece of the Boston Red Sox’ future.

The Red Sox’ No. 3 and the sport’s No. 25 prospect according to Baseball America was named the publication’s Minor League Player of the Year for 2024 on September 24. In 115 games across three levels this season, Campbell hit .330/.439/.558 with 20 home runs, 32 doubles, and 94 runs scored.

"He is going to be a fan favorite,” Red Sox Director of Player Development Brian Abraham said in June before Campbell’s promotion to Worcester. “He probably hits the ball harder than anyone in Minor League Baseball and hits the ball harder than a lot of our big leaguers.”

Selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB Draft, Campbell played just 45 games at Georgia Tech, hitting .376 with 21 extra-base hits and 50 runs scored in his only collegiate season. Standing 6’3” and weighing 203 pounds as a red-shirt freshman, Campbell was a raw prospect budding with potential heading into the MLB Draft.

Graded by scouts as an infielder with average raw power and speed that didn’t always show in games, the Red Sox hoped to further develop his talent and translate it into on-field success. During his first taste of professional action, the Sox saw some early success as Campbell posted a .911 OPS in 22 games between the Rookie and High-A levels.

After a full offseason of training, the Chattanooga, Tennessee native hit the ground running in 2024.

Starting his year with High-A Greenville, Campbell recorded a .976 OPS in 40 games before earning a promotion to Double-A Portland. The Georgia Tech product quickly adjusted to the higher-level pitching, beginning his Sea Dogs career by tallying 14 hits during an eight-game hitting streak.

Over the next 48 games, Campbell’s bat stayed white hot. While playing four different positions, the top prospect slashed .362/.463/.582 with 17 stolen bases and 28 extra-base hits.

By this time, Campbell’s play had garnered him national recognition. The utility man was awarded Eastern League Player of the Week twice and earned Player of the Month honors for both the South Atlantic League (May) and Eastern League (June).

When he was promoted to Double-A in early June, Campbell joined the rest of the Red Sox’ top four prospects––Roman Anthony (No.1), Marcelo Mayer (No. 2), and Kyle Teel (No. 4)––on a Sea Dogs team that may have been the most tantalizing in Minor League Baseball. Before Campbell’s arrival, Portland was 28-23 entering June 4’s slate of games. After his addition to the lineup, the Sea Dogs went 33-22 in the 55 games they were on the same roster.

Though Anthony, Mayer, and Teel earned their promotions to Triple-A Worcester before Campbell, the 22-year-old got his call to the Heart of the Commonwealth shortly after, making his Triple-A debut a week later on August 20.

Once again, the winning effects of the Red Sox’ top four prospects were on full display. After Campbell’s promotion, the WooSox ended the year on a 20-10 run that nearly delivered the club its first postseason appearance.

“Very talented,” WooSox Manager Chad Tracy said before Campbell’s Polar Park debut on August 27. “Another one that you look at and you see the quality of the at-bat, the bat speed, the ability to put the ball in play with two strikes, [he] uses the whole field...He definitely belongs here and then some.”

With a fast, efficient swing that Tracy describes as “controlled violence,” Campbell went on to finish his year hitting .286/.412/.486 in 19 games as a member of the WooSox. His ascension through the minor leagues has him on the doorstep of Fenway Park––something that not many had on their radar at the onset of the 2024 season.

For Campbell, he’s working to stay grounded as he continues his development path.

“Really keeping the same approach going into the game,” Campbell said before the WooSox 12-2 victory over Toledo on August 27. “I feel pretty comfortable with the guys in the locker room and everything so there wasn’t a big adjustment period. Just making sure I stay confident as I move a level up.”

Later that night, Campbell seemed confident at the plate. Batting third as the WooSox’ shortstop, he belted a loud 431-foot home run onto the berm in center field. It was quite an introduction to the city of Worcester and gave WooSox Nation a preview of what they could see from Baseball America’s 2024 Player of the Year at Fenway Park in the not-so-distant future.