Inside The Red Sox

Red Sox Star Prospect Predicted To Win Starting Job, Force Rafael Devers To DH

A lot will be decided in the next month
Jackson Roberts|
Red Sox prospect Kristian Campbell takes some swings inside the batting cage at Fenway Park on Tuesday.
Red Sox prospect Kristian Campbell takes some swings inside the batting cage at Fenway Park on Tuesday. | WooSox Photo/Ashley Green / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Boston Red Sox

Twenty-nine days. That's all that separates the Boston Red Sox and the glorious return of regular season baseball.

It's an especially exciting countdown because the Red Sox have a much better outlook this season than they have the last three years. But they also have a lot to sort out by the time they hit the field in Arlington, Tex. on Mar. 27.

At this point, the infield is the biggest question mark. Will Rafael Devers get his wish to keep the third base job, or will newcomer Alex Bregman play the hot corner? And if it's the latter, which youngster will get the nod at second base?

It's likely down to a competition between Vaughn Grissom, the Red Sox's trade return for Chris Sale last winter, and Kristian Campbell, the Red Sox's number-two prospect who skyrocketed through the minor leagues in 2024. One Red Sox insider is banking on momentum to carry the day.

On Tuesday, Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe projected the Red Sox's Opening Day roster, and included Campbell as the starting second baseman, Bregman at third, and Devers as the designated hitter.

"In the end, Bregman will play third base with Devers getting occasional games there. The alternative would be the Sox not being willing to put their best team on the field," Abraham wrote. "The Sox are committed to giving Campbell every chance to make the team."

Campbell, 22, slashed .330/.439/.558 last season across three levels of minor-league competition. He was selected with the fourth-round compensation pick the Red Sox got in the 2023 draft to make up for Xander Bogaerts signing with the San Diego Padres.

It's still early in spring, but 29 days isn't a lot of time. Campbell has excelled at every turn since the start of last season, but he'll now have to quickly get to work in proving that he belongs at the big-league level to begin the year.

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Jackson Roberts
JACKSON ROBERTS

Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Boston Red Sox On SI, please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

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