Campbell named MiLB Hitter, Breakout Player of the Year
Kristian Campbell flew under the radar for so long. Campbell was one of the better position players in Georgia's 2021 high school class, but questions about his power dissuaded pro teams from trying to sign him. At Georgia Tech, the coaching staff believed he'd be better off redshirting than playing
Kristian Campbell flew under the radar for so long.
Campbell was one of the better position players in Georgia's 2021 high school class, but questions about his power dissuaded pro teams from trying to sign him. At Georgia Tech, the coaching staff believed he'd be better off redshirting than playing in his first year. Even after he batted .376/.484/.549 as a redshirt freshman in 2023, he didn't really tap into his pop or speed and lasted 132 picks until the Red Sox drafted him in the supplemental fourth round.
Even after slashing .309/.440/.471 in his 22-game pro debut, Campbell didn't crack anyone's preseason Red Sox prospect lists.
But Campbell is anonymous no longer. After a stunning first full pro season, he won MLB Pipeline Hitting Prospect of the Year and MiLB Breakout Player of the Year honors during the second annual MiLB Awards Show on Monday evening. Currently ranked No. 74 on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list, he'll jump much closer to the top of the list when we update the rankings later this week.
Campbell hit a combined .330/.439/.558 with 20 homers and 24 steals in 115 games between three levels this season. He led the Minors in wRC+ (180) while finishing second in on-base percentage and OPS (.997), fourth in batting and fifth in runs (94). He also won the Double-A Eastern League's MVP award.
In his lone college season, Campbell had no difficulty making contact but homered just four times in 45 games because he hit mostly ground balls and line drives. So the Red Sox asked him to change the path of his right-handed swing to launch more balls in the air. They gave him a program to help him add strength and bat speed.
And Campbell suddenly became one of the best hitting prospects in baseball. Fellow star Red Sox prospect Roman Anthony told Christopher Smith of MassLive: "We call him Barry Bonds just because of how good of a hitter he is."
"My bat path was very narrow in college, and in the past I was a big ground-ball hitter, line-drive hitter," Campbell said. "I'm trying to get my bat path right, trying to get some more doubles, more home runs, hit the ball in the air and hard consistently. That's been my main focus this whole year."
Lots of organizations ask lots of players to make adjustments as they enter pro ball, but massive improvement almost never comes this easily. Boston farm director Brian Abraham says that's a tribute to Campbell.
"It was a collaboration between our amateur department and our player-development department in terms of the mechanical changes that he needed to impact the ball," Abraham said. "We thought there was some low-hanging fruit that could help him. Kristian really embraces change and the challenge of improvement. To see it happen so immediately and dramatically was exciting."
Campbell spent last offseason at the organization's training base in Fort Myers, Fla., adding 15 pounds of lean muscle to his 6-foot-3 frame without losing any of his athleticism. He laid the groundwork for a breakout season that began with a .976 OPS in 40 games in High-A Greenville. He boosted his OPS to 1.045 in 56 games at Double-A Portland and posted an .898 mark in 19 contests at Triple-A Worcester before missing the last 11 days with a minor strain in his left lat.
Campbell said he tried to keep his approach simple as he rose through the Minors.
"Just have a quality at-bat and hit the ball as hard as you possibly can and in the air," he said. "That's all I can really control. If I hit the ball as hard as possible in the air and had a quality at-bat, that's really all I can do as the pitching is getting more and more advanced at each level."
Besides his metamorphosis at the plate, Campbell also improved other facets of the game. After notching just four steals at Georgia Tech despite plus speed, he became more aggressive on the bases. And while his long-term defensive home is still a question, he did make strides with his glove.
Campbell split time between second base and center field in Single-A, then played more shortstop at higher levels, in large part because of a back injury to Marcelo Mayer, another elite Red Sox prospect. He also saw brief action at third base.
Because he has just average arm strength and a funky throwing motion, Campbell is unlikely to start on the left side of the infield in the big leagues. But he looked smoother at second base and more instinctive in the outfield than he had in the past. He could become an average or better second baseman or at least a solid outfielder.
Though he has played just 137 games as a pro and only 19 above Double-A, Campbell is nearly ready for the big leagues.
"There's still a little bit of chase here and there versus better stuff," Abraham said. "He could hit the ball in the air even more. It's just smaller things, more just continuing to improve the skills he's doing really well in.
"He has the ability to stay on an even keel, even while adapting to different positions during the season. He understands that the process is more important than the results, and that allowed for sustained success this year. Everything we hoped came together for Kristian because of the person he is."
Jim Callis is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him @jimcallisMLB. Listen to him on the weekly MLB Pipeline Podcast.
Ehrhard’s Five-Hit Day Powers Greenville Past Hub City, 9-6
Ehrhard’s Five-Hit Day Powers Greenville Past Hub City, 9-6 GREENVILLE, S.C. — Zach Ehrhard went 5-for-5 with a three-run homer and five RBIs, lifting the Greenville Drive to a 9-6 victory over the Hub City Spartanburgers on Tuesday afternoon at Fluor Field. Greenville (16-19) struck early with a three-run shot
Drive Edge Spartanburgers 4-3, Nearly Completing the Combined No-Hitter
Drive Edge Spartanburgers 4-3, Nearly Completing the Combined No-Hitter GREENVILLE, SC. — The Greenville Drive flirted with a combined no-hitter Tuesday night at Fluor Field before settling for a gritty 4-3 win over the Hub City Spartanburgers in the opener of a six-game series. A trio of Drive pitchers carried
Beach Night with the Drive - 5.15
Take Beach Vacation... At Fluor Field! Get ready to trade your baseball cap for a beach hat as the Greenville Drive transforms Fluor Field into a coastal paradise for Beach Night on Thursday, May 15.The festivities begin at 6:45 PM when the Drive take on the Hub City Spartanburgers in
Health Appreciation Night - 5.15
Calling all of our Community's Healthcare Heroes! National Hospital Week is a time every year to pause and recognize the incredible sacrifice & selflessness of health care workers throughout our community and beyond. With that in mind, and as a special feature of this year’s National Hospital Week, the Greenville
Drive Through Summer - AJ Whittenberg Night - 5.16
AJ Whittenberg Night On Friday, May 16, Fluor Field will host a special evening as the Greenville Drive partners with A.J. Whittenberg Elementary School of Engineering (AJW) for AJW Night. This event marks the school's 15th anniversary and offers a night filled with celebration, community, and baseball. Gates open at
Blood Connection Blood Drive on District 356 - 5.16
Greenville Drive Teams Up with The Blood Connection for Community Blood Drive on May 16th The Greenville Drive is proud to partner once again with The Blood Connection to host a community blood drive on Friday, May 16th, from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm on District 356, right outside Fluor
Friday Night Fireworks presented by GE Vernova - 5.16
Friday Night Fireworks presented by GE Vernova The Greenville Drive invites fans to cap off their week with a spectacular display at Fluor Field on Friday, May 16, as part of the beloved Friday Night Fireworks series, powered by GE Vernova. Following the 6:45 PM game against the Hub City
Armed Forces Day - 5.17
Armed Forces Day On Saturday, May 17, 2025, the Greenville Drive will pay tribute to our nation's heroes during their annual Armed Forces Day celebration at Fluor Field. This special event coincides with the team's ongoing homestand against the Hub City Spartanburgers, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:45 PM.
Reading All-Stars Night - 5.18
Reading All-Stars Night at Fluor Field The Greenville Drive’s Reading All-Stars program, proudly presented by Michelin, is returning for the second of 5 games this season. This game is focused on celebrating our young readers that accomplished the challenge of reading 5 books or 500 pages in just 5 weeks!
SoCon Baseball Tournament to Continue in Greenville
The Southern Conference announced on Tuesday that it has extended its agreement with the Greenville Drive, establishing Fluor Field as the home of The Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases for the 2025, 2026, and 2027 championships. "Extending our partnership with the Greenville Drive to make Fluor Field
Homestand Preview: Drive Host Spartanburgers May 13-18th
4.29 - 5.4 Homestand Preview The Greenville Drive return home to take on the Asheville Tourists! The West End will be full of fun things to do around the ballpark all week; be sure to check out everything going on at Fluor Field and plan your week at the ballpark!
This is probably the biggest bat flip you've ever seen
Life is tough. You've got to celebrate your dubs. Andy Lugo, third baseman for the High-A Greenville Drive, has a firm grasp of that concept -- but a flexible grip on his bat. The 21-year-old Red Sox prospect delivered a walk-off knock for the Drive on Saturday night and immediately
With raw pop inherited from father, Brannon paces Red Sox prospects in AFL
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Brooks Brannon had a monster senior season in 2022, helping Randleman (N.C.) High School win its second consecutive 2-A state championship while leading national prep players with 20 homers and 91 RBIs in 34 games. He tied the state home run record that had been set by
MiLB pays homage to the Negro Leagues in June
On June 18, America's oldest professional ballpark will host a Double-A game between the Montgomery Biscuits and Birmingham Barons with MiLB at Rickwood Field: A Tribute to the Negro Leagues. This game, with Montgomery suiting up as the Gray Sox and Birmingham playing as the Black Barons, will kick off
Ben's Biz: Title winners ranked for '23
This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. Subscribe HERE.
Anthony, Yorke lead Red Sox Organization All-Stars
Each offseason, MiLB.com goes position by position across each organization and honors the players -- regardless of age or prospect status -- who had the best seasons in each farm system. First up in our 2023 Organization All-Stars series is the Boston Red Sox. 2023 organization summary: Triple-A Worcester: 79-68
Mayer shows bark on Dogs at the Diamond night
Marcelo Mayer seems to be putting the "May" into his surname. Or vice versa. Even though the No. 7 overall prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline has played just two games since the calendar turned, he's got six hits across them for High-A Greenville. And Wednesday's output -- matching a
Mayer clubs first deep drive of '23 with Greenville
Boston’s shortstop of the future, Marcelo Mayer, has left the yard for the first time this season. Rocking the special Greenville Black Spinners alternate jerseys on Jackie Robinson Day, the No. 7 prospect in baseball -- and Red Sox No. 1 -- per MLB Pipeline collected his first long ball
Fans provide more favorite ballpark views
This story was excerpted from the Ben's Biz Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
The Road to The Show™: Ceddanne Rafaela
Each week, MiLB.com profiles an elite prospect by chronicling the steps he's taken toward achieving his Major League dream. Here's a look at third-ranked Red Sox prospect Ceddanne Rafaela. For more stories about players on The Road to The Show, click here. Ceddanne Rafaela stole the show on a frequent
Rafaela, Kavadas barreling toward Boston
Each offseason, MiLB.com goes position by position across each organization and honors the players -- regardless of age or prospect status -- who had the best seasons in each farm system. Next up in our 2022 Organization All-Stars series are the Boston Red Sox.
Greenville's Northcut smacks three home runs
Nicholas Northcut is always confident in his swing. In a way, it wasn’t a surprise that the 22-year-old slugger crushed three home runs in a game for the first time in his pro career. But it didn’t stop his excitement about it. “It felt pretty good,” Northcut said. “It’s always
Rafaela hits for first cycle in Drive history, naturally
Natural cycles are the rarest type of cycle. They’re also the most dramatic, allowing the player to punctuate his achievement with a roundtripper and then celebrate with a jog. Ceddanne Rafaela lived that reality Tuesday, hitting for a natural cycle in High-A Greenville’s 11-6 win over Hickory. The No. 27
Greenville Drive host civic-minded 'Day of Action'
After the 2020 Minor League season was officially canceled, the Greenville Drive began marketing themselves as their community's "ideal social distancing venue." The team's home of Fluor Field has since played host to a diverse array of events. Nearly all areas of the ballpark, from the luxury suites to the