I'm not going to say he should be called up tomorrow or that he's still for sure going to turn into the guy the Boston Red Sox thought he could be when they signed him to an eight-year, $60 million contract last season, but Kristian Campbell is quietly proving that fans shouldn't count him out just yet.
After a mostly disastrous start to his MLB career last year (.229 BA, .664 OPS, 72 strikeouts to 51 hits across 67 games -- and that's including his first 29 games, when he recorded a .301 BA and a .902 OPS) that eventually led to his demotion, Campbell hasn't looked all that good in the minors again, either.
In 73 games in Triple-A last season, he hit .273 with a .799 OPS and a 74/84 hits/strikeouts ratio, and the start to this season was more of the same story. However, the Tennessee native has found his rhythm in July, and maybe he should be on the everybody's radar once again.
Kristian Campbell has been red-hot in July
Through 15 games in March, Campbell is batting .364 with a 1.100 OPS, and he has recorded two home runs, nine RBIs, and just 12 strikeouts to 16 hits.
This might just be a hot streak, but it's still something to keep an eye on. Campbell struggled in the minors even after his time in Boston, and he's finally showing signs of life. It's too soon to say he should be called up, and maybe he needs more opportunities to prove that his turnaround is legitimate, but there are reasons to believe Campbell can turn into a real asset at the major league level.
He's still just 24 years old, and he did show some flashes last season. Teams got a scouting report on him, and he moved from position to position numerous times. Those are likely the biggest reasons for his sudden regression last season, and it's fair to think he just needed more stability and a fresh start.
It's going to be difficult for Campbell to find an everyday spot in Boston, especially this season. Not only does the team have a plethora of outfielders (Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, Masataka Yoshida, Jahmai Jones now... and Roman Anthony if he ever comes back), and he may not have a spot in the infield anymore after the Curtis Mead trade, but they're also legitimate playoff contenders now. They won't want to mess up the chemistry at this point just to see if Campbell can hit in the majors again.
But it's starting to become increasingly obvious that nobody should give up on him just yet. He's on a roll right now, and at this rate, he may force the Red Sox to give him another chance sooner rather than later.
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