Red Sox's Kristian Campbell Dishes On Pressures Of Making 2025 Opening Day Roster

Expectations have been high for this recent breakout star

Feb 27, 2025; Lakeland, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox second baseman Kristian Campbell (28) bats during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Whether it happens straight out of spring training camp or shortly thereafter, Kristian Campbell is coming to make an impact on this Boston Red Sox season.

Campbell might be the number-two prospect behind Roman Anthony in the vast majority of Red Sox top prospect rankings, but he's got the best chance of any prospect to make the Opening Day roster. He's a right-handed hitter, which the Red Sox desperately need, and he can play second base, which would be an open spot in the lineup if newcomer Alex Bregman takes over third base.

Spring training hasn't gone the way Campbell would have hoped to this point, however. He's 1-for-17 thus far with four walks and nine strikeouts, which could be an indication that he's not trending towards inclusion when the Red Sox head to Arlington, Tex. to begin their season.

Is Campbell pressing? Perhaps, but outwardly, he's not letting on that he's feeling the pressures of trying to make the team straight out of camp.

During an appearance on MLB Network on Wednesday, Campbell was asked how much he was thinking about his chances of inclusion on the Opening Day roster.

"Really, I've just been learning a lot from the veteran guys," Campbell said. "I've been asking them what their experiences have been like... and picking their brains throughout the whole process, so I haven't really been thinking about it too much, but it's definitely a goal I've had from the get-go."

Last season, Campbell batted .330 with a .997 OPS across three levels of minor-league competition, earning MLB.com's Hitting Prospect of the Year and Breakout Player of the Year awards. He's come a long way from being a fourth-round compensational pick out of Georgia Tech in 2023.

At this point, the odds might be shifting out of Campbell's favor to make the team, though there are still two-plus weeks left in spring training to sway the team's opinion. But the 22-year-old is clearly soaking up all the information he can during camp, and that will likely pay dividends when he eventually earns his way to Boston.

More MLB: Alex Cora Gives Glowing Review Of This Forgotten Red Sox 1st-Round Pick