Red Sox Triple-A Manager Backs Kristian Campbell’s Defensive Versatility

Boston Red Sox rookie Kristian Campbell has been somewhat of a Swiss Army Knife since joining the organization’s big league club.

Campbell debuted as a second baseman on Opening Day and immediately guarded left field just two days later. The 22-year-old has also been tested in center field, and as the Red Sox seek a reliable Triston Casas substitute at first base, Campbell’s limit has been further tested. He’s undergone pregame reps at first base over the past few weeks, which, while unusual for a rookie, isn’t anything Campbell can’t handle, according to WooSox manager Chad Tracy.

“He’s a very raw, talented athlete,” Tracy told NESN’s “310 To Left.” “A guy (with) that athleticism is so good that you can throw him out in center like, ‘Oh that’s pretty good.’ You throw him at second, ‘That’s not bad.’ Played short, he played a lot of short for us, too, initially. So, plugged him everywhere, has things to work on everywhere, but is so athletically talented that he’s able to get by.”

Pushing the boundaries isn’t anything new to Campbell. The Red Sox selected him in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB Draft as an infielder out of Georgia Tech, but Campbell played center field when promoted to Triple-A last season. It hasn’t been a problem, so based on everything Campbell has shown thus far, there’s no reason to doubt his abilities to play first base — position players for years have traditionally transitioned to the corner infield spot rather seamlessly.

Campbell has hit .224/.313/.356 with five home runs and 16 RBIs through his first 47 games as a big leaguer.

You can watch the full episode of NESN’s “310 To Left” here: