Alex Cora's Kristian Campbell roster reveal shows Red Sox have sky-high expectations

The Boston Red Sox are cooking up something special.

It has been an impressively productive offseason for Craig Breslow and the Red Sox brass. After spending the 2024 campaign in outright mediocrity, Boston finally went into free agency with an aggressive mindset. The Juan Soto pursuit didn't bear fruit, but after trading for Garrett Crochet and signing Alex Bregman, this Red Sox team feels like a real sleeper threat in the AL East.

You can't have progress without bumps in the road. The Red Sox endured the Rafael Devers drama early in camp, and subsequent injuries to the pitching staff have undermined some of Boston's rotational upgrades. Still, despite the turmoil, the Red Sox are on the right track. A big reason why is their impressive farm system.

Kristian Campbell, Boston's No. 2 prospect at MLB Pipeline, won the starting second base job over Marcelo Mayer, their No. 3 prospect. The latter will begin the campaign with Triple-A Worcester, but he's on the MLB fast track. In the meantime, it's Campbell who will get an opportunity to bat in the middle of the lineup.

This feels like an important step in Boston's journey to contention. Campbell, 22, was not the best second baseman in spring training, but he offers the right mix of upside and minor-league experience. Mayer's toughest competition to date (aside from spring training) has come in Double-A. Campbell feels like the most prepared of Boston's high-level prospects.

A former Georgia Tech star turned first-round pick, Campbell also continues a rich tradition at Fenway.

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Alex Cora's decision to start Kristian Campbell places rookie alongside Red Sox royalty

There is a long history of stars from Georgia Tech taking their talents to Beantown. Take, for example, Jason Varitek and Nomar Garciaparra. Between them, nine All-Stars, two Silver Sluggers, and a couple World Series rings. The Yellow Jackets baseball program has deep MLB ties, but there's a special connection with Boston. Campbell is next up.

It's probably unfair to hold an unproven 22-year-old to the standard of franchise legends and World Series champs, but such is the price of fame. Campbell has made his bones in Triple-A and the minors, emerging as one of the most exciting young talents in MLB. Boston's whole farm system has achieved almost mythic status. This is a special collection of top-ranked prospects. With praise and expectation comes pressure, which Campbell will need to face head-on as a full-time member of the Red Sox lineup.

Campbell's spring gave us little to write home about — .167 average and .576 OPS across 20 games, with more than double the amount of strikeouts (18) as hits (8). But the flashes are there.

If Campbell, who put up an .898 OPS in Triple-A last season, can get his swing on track and put himself in the AL Rookie of the Year conversation, it probably means Boston is winning a lot of games. The Red Sox need to prove their mettle after so long out of the contenders circle, but Campbell threatens to be Cora's most consequential addition to the big-league roster if all breaks right.