Red Sox Reportedly Send Kristian Campbell to Triple-A, Signed $60M Contract in April

Things are not going according to plan for infielder Kristian Campbell this season.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Thursday that the Boston Red Sox sent Campbell down to Triple-A Worcester amid his recent struggles. Boston signed him to an eight-year, $60 million contract this year, but he is slashing .159/.243/.222 since the end of April.

It didn't take long for the Red Sox to make a long-term commitment to the 22-year-old.

In fact, they agreed to that contract after Campbell played just five major league games. Perhaps the organization should have shown a bit more patience, but it wasn't a stretch to assume he would be a franchise cornerstone for years to come.

After all, he was named the 2024 Minor League Hitting Prospect of the Year when he slashed .330/.439/.558 with 20 home runs, 94 runs, 77 RBI and 24 steals across three levels. Nobody in the minor leagues finished with more than his 240 total bases, and he looked ready for the big league level.

"He is going to be a fan favorite," Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham told reporters in June 2024. "He probably hits the ball harder than anyone in Minor League Baseball and hits the ball harder than a lot of our big leaguers."

Yet the minor league success has not translated to the majors at this point.

Campbell slashed .223/.319/.345 with six home runs, 21 RBI and two stolen bases in his first 67 games with a solid portion of his success coming in the early going when he slashed .287/.388/.460 in April.

Perhaps a return to Triple-A will help him rediscover his form and overall timing at the plate before the stretch run of the 2025 campaign, when he can then return to the Red Sox and potentially help them make a run in the American League East.