Referred to by teammates as “Barry Bonds,” Boston Red Sox prospect Kristian Campbell put on a hitting clinic across three levels to earn the 2024 USA TODAY Sports Minor League Player of the Year award.
Campbell, 22, batted .330 for Greenville (Class A), Portland (AA) and Worcester (AAA) in his first full season as a pro after he was selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2023 Major League Baseball draft.
“I’m just like a fan watching him play,” Red Sox shortstop prospect Marcelo Mayer said about his teammate. “He’s just such a unique player, and he’s so athletic, and he’s able to do everything at such a high level that it’s just like, it’s super impressive to watch.”
Campbell split his time pretty evenly between shortstop, second base and center field in 2024, offering him more than one pathway to the big leagues.
“It’s rare that you get a guy like that who can play so many different premium positions and play it at the level that he plays it at while putting up the numbers that he’s put up,” Red Sox outfield prospect Roman Anthony said of Campbell.
Campbell had a .997 OPS in 430 at-bats with 20 home runs, 77 RBI, 24 steals and 32 doubles.
“We call him Barry Bonds just because of how good of a hitter he is,” said Anthony. “He’s a great player. He’s a freak athlete. (He) plays the game the right way, and he’s a great person on and off the field.”
Expected to begin the season together with Triple-A Worcester, Boston’s top three prospects should be knocking on the door by the summer with the Red Sox perhaps in need of upgrades at second base, shortstop and center. But there’s no reason for Boston to rush Campbell, who enters 2025 with only 19 games under his belt in the minors’ highest level.
“It was a collaboration between our amateur department and our player-development department in terms of the mechanical changes that he needed to impact the ball,” Red Sox farm director Brian Abraham told MLB.com. “We thought there was some low-hanging fruit that could help him. Kristian really embraces change and the challenge of improvement. To see it happen so immediately and dramatically was exciting.”
As James Ramsey, one of Campbell’s coaches at Georgia Tech, told Boston.com: “In some ways, I think he was born to play baseball.
USA TODAY has been handing out the Minor League Player of the Year award annually since 1988, honoring the year’s top minor league player as voted on by the staff’s MLB writers and editors.
Of 15 winners since 2008, 13 have become All-Stars and that group has combined for three MVP awards, three Cy Young awards and five Rookie of the Year wins.
USA TODAY Sports Minor League Player of the Year winners
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2023: Jackson Holliday, Orioles
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2022: Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks (2023 NL Rookie of the Year)
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2021: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
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2020: No season due to COVID-19
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2019: Luis Robert, White Sox
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2018: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
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2017: Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves (2018 NL RoY, 2023 NL MVP)
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2016: Alex Bregman, Astros
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2015: Blake Snell, Rays (2018 AL Cy Young, 2023 NL Cy Young)
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2014: Kris Bryant, Cubs (2015 NL RoY, 2016 NL MVP)
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2013: Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox
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2012: Wil Myers, Royals (2013 AL RoY)
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2011: Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks (2022 NL MVP)
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2010: Jeremy Hellickson, Rays (2011 AL RoY)
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2009: Jason Heyward, Braves
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2008: David Price, Rays (2012 AL Cy Young)
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2007: Justin Upton, Diamondbacks
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2006: Matt Garza, Twins
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2005: Francisco Liriano, Twins
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2004: Jeff Francis, Rockies
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2003: Prince Fielder, Brewers
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2002: Jose Reyes, Mets
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2001: Josh Beckett, Marlins
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2000: Josh Hamilton, Devil Rays (2010 AL MVP)
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1999: Rick Ankiel, Cardinals
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1998: Gabe Kapler, Tigers
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1997: Ben Grieve, Athletics (1998 AL RoY)
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1996: Andruw Jones, Braves
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1995: Andruw Jones, Braves
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1994: Billy Ashley, Dodgers
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1993: Cliff Floyd, Expos
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1992: Carlos Delgado, Blue Jays
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1991: Mark Wohlers, Braves
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1990: Tino Martinez, Mariners
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1989: Todd Zeile, Cardinals
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1988: Mike Harkey, Cubs
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Red Sox prospect Kristian Campbell wins Minor League Player of the Year
