Why Kristian Campbell is roaming right field now
A year ago, Kristian Campbell last saw right field in a low-level Florida Complex League game. On Sunday, he was back there for Triple-A Worcester, a small but telling move as the Red Sox search for answers in a banged-up outfield and a thin September depth chart.
The timing isn’t subtle. Roman Anthony just hit the injured list. Wilyer Abreu, a Gold Glove-caliber right fielder, has been out since mid-August. That pushes Ceddanne Rafaela to anchor center field again, which opens a lane in right for anyone who can catch it, throw it, and not give away extra bases. Campbell is now part of that test group.
Since his demotion to Worcester on June 20, Campbell has been a baseball Swiss Army knife: second base, first base, left field, center field, and now right. Early in the summer, the club leaned into first base as a trial run. That’s shifting. Player development chief Brian Abraham has signaled first base is no longer the priority, with the plan narrowing to a second base/outfield track. It’s a cleaner fit for his athleticism and it lines up with where Boston actually needs help.
Front-office logic here is pretty clear. Craig Breslow and the staff want optionality without stalling his growth. In simple terms: the more positions he can play capably, the easier it is to carry his bat and deploy him when injuries pile up. They also know moving him around comes with risk. Reps are precious, and splitting them across the diamond can slow defensive progress at any one spot. The club is trying to thread that needle in real time.
The bat gives them reason to try. Since landing in Worcester, Campbell has stabilized offensively: a .272/.385/.431 slash with eight homers, nine doubles, and 36 RBIs in 63 games. On Sunday, he tacked on two more hits. That on-base mark tells you he’s seeing the ball better and staying in counts. It’s a firm step forward from his major league line (.223/.319/.345 in 67 games) before the demotion.
The problem that chased him back to Triple-A was defense, especially at second base. He graded out at minus-15 defensive runs saved at the position, which ranked among the worst in the league even with limited innings. The first base trial didn’t solve it either; across parts of June through September he made 30 appearances and was charged with four errors. That’s why you’re seeing the pivot: keep the bat alive, look for the right fit with the glove, and reduce the asks that stretch him the most.
Right field is a different test than second base. It’s more about reads off the bat, taking the right angles, cutting balls off in the alley, and having the arm to control the running game. Triple-A isn’t Fenway Park, but Worcester’s right field can still expose footwork and route discipline. If he shows steady jumps and hits the relay on time, the staff will notice.
There’s also the matter of who’s blocking his path. Boston addressed first base with the addition of Nathaniel Lowe, which closes the short-term lane there. At second, Romy Gonzalez and David Hamilton are holding down most of the work. In right field, the door is cracked because of injuries, but it’s not wide open. If Abreu gets back on schedule or Anthony’s absence is short, the team can play matchups rather than reaching deep for a fix.
What the Red Sox want to see next
The calendar helps. Rosters expand from 26 to 28 in September, usually bringing one extra arm and one position player. Campbell is in that conversation, but not guaranteed. The Red Sox have been careful with the messaging: they haven’t committed to a call-up, yet they haven’t ruled it out either. It will come down to how he looks in right and second over the next couple of weeks—and whether the big club can use him without forcing him into situations that recreate the problems that sent him down.
What moves the needle? Three things: cleaner defense, steady at-bats, and no giveaways on the bases. Campbell doesn’t need to be a highlight-reel outfielder; he needs to be predictable. Get to the spot on time. Keep the single from turning into a double. Hit the cutoff man and make the runner think twice about taking the extra 90 feet. If that shows up with a .350-plus OBP clip in Worcester, it’s an easy sell to the dugout.
Inside the organization, the thinking is practical. They’d rather build around what he can do right now than chase a perfect version of him at one position. That’s why you’re seeing the second base/outfield split instead of an all-in second base crash course. It lessens the exposure to the toughest infield reads and spreads the defensive workload over reps that might fit his instincts better.
There is also a roster math element. Every promotion requires a 40-man spot and a role that makes sense day to day. If the Red Sox carry a bench with a true backup catcher, a utility infielder, and a left-right outfield mix, Campbell’s value is tied to whether he can cover both the keystone and either corner outfield slot without burning late-inning defensive replacements. Versatility pays only if it’s playable in the seventh through ninth innings.
Sunday’s right-field start doesn’t promise anything. It does signal the club wants to see if his athleticism translates more cleanly on the grass than it has on the dirt. It’s also a nod to where Boston’s needs actually are. The big-league staff can cover second base in a pinch. Right field, with Abreu out and Anthony sidelined, is where a competent glove could buy a bat some runway.
For Campbell, the path is straightforward even if the job isn’t. Keep stacking quality plate appearances. Show consistency in the corner outfield. Limit the noise on routine plays at second. If he hits the checklist, he’s a call away the next time the Red Sox need a right-handed bat who can move around the field.
If you’re tracking it from home, here’s what to watch over the next two weeks:
- Outfield routes: the first step off contact and whether he takes clean angles to balls in the gap.
- Throwing decisions: hitting the cutoff and keeping the extra base off the table.
- Second-base rhythm: footwork around the bag on turns and the pace on routine grounders.
- At-bat quality: chase rate and walk/strikeout balance that keeps the OBP afloat.
That’s the assignment. The Red Sox don’t need a finished product in September; they need a reliable one. If Campbell turns right field from an experiment into a workable home, the conversation about his return to Boston gets a lot simpler—and a lot closer to happening.
