After enduring a prolonged slump and demotion from Boston, Kristian Campbell is trying to regain his swing while learning a new position with Triple-A Worcester.
WORCESTER — Kristian Campbell hasn’t experienced many — if any — lows across his baseball career.
Except for perhaps what he’s dealing with right now.
On June 20, the Boston Red Sox optioned the 23-year-old infielder/outfielder to Triple-A Worcester following a prolonged slump that started on May 1 and saw Campbell hit .159 with 2 homers, 9 RBI and a .465 OPS across 38 games with Boston.
And since joining the WooSox, Campbell has hit .189 with 1 HR and 8 RBI and a .652 OPS in 21 games.
“I haven’t really had a low in baseball, I don't think ever. I don’t think ever until probably this year,” Campbell told the T&G ahead of Worcester’s 10-8 loss Saturday at Polar Park. “And it’s not really a low, in my opinion, because I was at the highest point of baseball.
“So it’s not really a low — it’s just a learning moment. But this is my first low in general, I think. So I’ve learned what that felt like for the first time, and it’s probably not going to be the last time.”
After being named Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America last season, Campbell made Boston’s Opening Day roster out of spring training and signed an eight-year, $60 million contract extension with the club. Campbell then got off to a scorching start to his major league career by earning American League Rookie of the Month honors for April and batting .301 with 4 home runs, 12 RBIs and a .902 OPS through his first 29 big-league games.
Then, the aforementioned slump began.
Now, after spending roughly a month in AAA, Campbell is characterizing this as a learning experience while he navigates the first lull of his professional career.
“It’s just learning how to work yourself out of it, and that’s what I’m in the process of doing right now, trying to work out of it, trying to get myself back going again,” Campbell told the T&G. “And the faster I can do that (now), then the faster I can turn around or make it faster in the future.
“Once I figure it out now, I’ll be able to look back at this moment years from now and be like, ‘OK, that’s what I did to get out of it’ and I hope that I’ll have a faster comeback.”
While Campbell continues to try to find his rhythm at the plate, he talked about keeping his body as steady as possible before taking a swing and hitting the ball to all parts of the field, the Tennessee native is also learning a new position: first base.
With a bit of a logjam in the middle infield and at third base in Boston, Campbell has played 11 games at 1B since being optioned to Worcester. The position change allows the organization some flexibility at first base — especially after the season-ending injury to Triston Casas — in the upcoming weeks and months depending on what the Red Sox decide to do at the trade deadline.
Campbell says he’s starting to feel “pretty comfortable” over at his new position.
“I’ve played every other position on the field, so I kind of know what to expect,” said Campbell, who played games at second base (59), center field (7) and left field (2) for Boston earlier this year. “So I’m always on my toes. I feel like I’m always prepared, too, that’s my role. That’s one of my roles is to be able to play every position and learn every position.
“I mean, that was the last one I needed to knock out, to be honest. I don’t think I’ll ever catch or pitch, so I don’t have to worry about those two,” Campbell added. “So that’s my role and that’s the type of player I am. So, it’s not a bad thing at all.”
When Campbell came back to Triple-A Worcester last month, where he spent 19 games last year during his rapid rise through the minors, the former 2023 fourth round draft pick of the Red Sox talked about hitting the reset button and taking a breath.
Although Cambpell’s offensive numbers aren’t quite there yet — and he’s learning a new position — WooSox interim manager Iggy Suarez thinks Campbell is starting to turn a corner.
“It’s just a matter of time,” said Suarez, who previously managed Campbell with High-A Greenville. “That guy’s an exceptional player, we all know that. ... There’s a lot going on. He’s thinking about a lot of stuff, and I think now he’s starting to be able to kind of slow down and take a breath.
“And I think he’s starting to let his talent come out again. He struggled for the first time, really, in his pro career at the big-league level. That's a lot,” Suarez continued. “A lot of us that played in the game struggled in the minor leagues, but he struggled at times in the big leagues, and it took a toll on him. So now he’s able to kind of slow down, I think we're starting to see the Kristian Campbell (we know).”
With Campbell coming across the first low of his baseball career, the 23-year-old utilityman is using it as a learning moment.
“It’s not really a setback,” he said. “I’m just down here to train and get better each and every day. So, when the opportunity opens up again, I’d be ready to go back to Boston and do my thing again.
“So, I’m looking forward to it.”
—Contact Tommy Cassell at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Catching up with Kristian Campbell a month after his demotion to Triple-A Worcester
Category: Baseball
