Kristian Campbell Update Raises More Questions About His Future Position

According to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, Boston Red Sox’s Kristian Campbell has been working out in Fort Myers in January. Speier also notably mentioned that Campbell has been working at both second base and in the outfield.

Red Sox CBO Craig Breslow has never been shy about discussing Campbell’s future. Certain remarks from Breslow have indicated that Boston was moving forward with Campbell’s development as an outfielder (exclusively), but Speier’s reporting contradicts that notion. So, where will Campbell ultimately land positionally?

Perhaps he’s fated to have the kind of defensive role assigned to Ceddanne Rafaela in Boston — a guy who can play in both the outfield and at second base.

Campbell doesn’t have a ton of experience at second base, and that lack of experience was on display during his MLB stint in 2025. Still, he’s young enough (and certainly athletically gifted enough) to change that narrative and become a plus defender at virtually any position.

The concern that some Red Sox fans have about Campbell is that if he isn’t assigned a specific role to work on, he’ll never gain mastery of any specific position. Time will tell if that’s a real worry.

Kristian Campbell has been in Fort Myers since early January and is working at both second base and in the outfield, per @alexspeier. pic.twitter.com/miUKCRQTu6

— Gordo (@BOSSportsGordo) January 31, 2026

Campbell’s 2025 season with the Red Sox marked his MLB debut and brought a mix of early promise followed by challenges. The former top prospect, drafted in the fourth round out of Georgia Tech in 2023, burst onto the scene after a stellar 2024 minor league campaign. He earned a spot on the Opening Day roster and started at second base.

Campbell began strongly, prompting the Red Sox to sign him to an eight-year, $60 million extension shortly after. However, his production declined sharply from May onward, with his batting average dropping significantly. He finished the MLB portion of the season with 67 games, 229 at-bats, a .223 average, .319 on-base percentage, .345 slugging, six home runs, 21 RBIs, 24 runs scored, and two stolen bases. His overall OPS stood at .664, and he posted a negative WAR.

The team optioned him to Triple-A Worcester in June, where he spent much of the rest of the year refining his game, including time in the outfield. In the minors, he hit .273 with eight homers and a .799 OPS across 271 at-bats. Defensively, struggles at second base contributed to the demotion, leading the organization to shift focus toward outfield versatility.

Campbell has reportedly worked on adding weight this offseason to build durability.