FORT MYERS, Fla. — As they departed Fort Myers to formally wrap up spring training, the Red Sox informed one member of their “Big Three” that he will make the team’s Opening Day roster.
According to an industry source, the Red Sox told Kristian Campbell on Sunday that he will be on the team’s 26-man roster when the team opens the 2025 season against the Rangers on Thursday at Globe Life Field.
Last week, MassLive reported that Campbell was considered the leader in the battle for the second base job. It’s likely the Red Sox are handing him the keys to that position, though his exact role remains unconfirmed. Campbell, who also has played left field throughout spring training, is also expected to get some reps at that position.
Campbell, one of the organization’s top three prospects along with infielder Marcelo Mayer and outfielder Roman Anthony, is expected to be the lone player without any major league experience to begin the season on Boston’s roster. All three of those players are on the team’s roster for Boston’s two-game exhibition series in Monterrey, Mexico, which begins Monday, but the expectation is Mayer and Anthony will both be sent to Triple-A Worcester before the regular season begins.
Early in camp, the Red Sox were impressed enough with Campbell that they begun contemplating having him as their everyday second baseman, a decision that set in motion a chain of events that saw newcomer Alex Bregman ticketed for third base and Rafael Devers, however unhappily, ticketed as the primary designated hitter. Even Sunday, manager Alex Cora remained coy — and somewhat defiant — about the decision to move Devers off designated hitter, refusing to offer a full explanation. Now, it’s clear he was unwilling to do so before telling Campbell the good news.
“It was a decision we made as a group and a decision that, we decided that over the course of a month or the last two months. This is where we’re going. There’s no explanation,” Cora said. “I think Alex (Bregman) is a good defender. He can play second and he can play third. He’s going to play third for us.”
Once Grapefruit League play began, however, Campbell then struggled mightily with the bat, collecting just one hit in his first 17 at-bats, while recording 12 strikeouts.
That slump appeared to open up the position for more competition, and just two weeks ago, it appeared as though David Hamilton might claim the role for himself. Vaughn Grissom was also thought to be in the mix before being optioned to Triple-A last week.
But Campbell rallied down the stretch, belting a home run Saturday, his first of the spring while producing far better at-bats with hard contact in the final 10 days. Heading into Sunday’s Grapefruit League finale, Campbell was slashing just .174/.304/.283. The Sox, however, appear willing to be patient with him at the start of the season, confident that he’ll be a solid contributor — even as a rookie.
That Campbell started Sunday, in the team’s Grapefruit League opener in a lineup with every other projected starter, was a good sign for his roster candidacy.
“Momentum,” Cora acknowledged when asked why Campbell was starting again. “He had some great at-bats yesterday, he played good defense. We’ll play him again.”
A fourth-round pick out of Georgia Tech in 2023, Campbell has met success at every minor league level. Last year, he moved from Single A to Triple A, slashing a combined .330/.439/.558. with 20 homers and 77 RBIs.
It’s expected that Hamilton, too, will be part of the roster, joining Romy Gonzalez as the two utility infielders. From right to left, the Red Sox anticipate starting Triston Casas, Campbell, Trevor Story and Bregman, with Hamilton and Gonzalez, as long as he’s healthy, as the backups. Cora said late last week that a platoon remains possible, so Hamilton could see some at-bats as the starter as second as Campbell gets his feet wet.
Campbell will reach the majors playing only 19 games at Triple-A late last season. The Red Sox, under the current collective bargaining agreement, had an added incentive to call him up for Opening Day. If he wins the American Rookie of the Year award (or finishes in the top three in MVP voting), the Red Sox will receive a compensation draft pick after the first round in 2026.
Despite the news that he’ll make the team, it doesn’t sound like Campbell, who is open to a long-term deal with the Red Sox, is on the verge of signing an extension before Thursday.
“My agents talk about that type of stuff with them. We haven’t done anything yet,“ Campbell said Thursday. ”I haven’t talked about it, talked to my agents about it or anything like that. (They) would know if they’ve talked to the Sox and stuff. I haven’t heard anything.
“It’s definitely a place I would love to be for a long time, but I try to focus one day at a time and just see where everything goes. It’s a great community to be in, great place to be in, and I’m excited for whatever comes. It’s definitely a conversation to have and everything. We’ll see where it goes, but, like I said, I really have to communicate with all three of (my agents) and see where it goes.”
KPRC 2’s Ari Alexander reported Campbell’s promotion first.
- BETTING: Check out our MA sports betting guide, where you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts.
