Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
Alex Cora compares Red Sox prospect Kristian Campbell to Celtics star
"It's different, you know, the way they run. But they glide and they move and they’re smooth.”
Kristian Campbell’s stats speak for themselves.
Despite drawing some detractors due to his awkward swing, Campbell has teed off against minor-league pitching since joining the Red Sox organization.
In the span of just one season, Campbell advanced from High-A Greenville to Triple-A Worcester in 2024, slashing .330/.439/.558 with 20 home runs, 32 doubles, 77 RBI, and 24 steals across three levels and 115 total games.
Initially tabbed as a potential utility infielder with a high contract rate, the 2023 fourth-round pick is now tabbed as MLB.com’s No. 7 prospect in baseball, while Baseball America named him as their “Prospect of the Year.”
Advertisement:
While the optics of Campbell’s approach at the plate may not mimic sluggers with sweet swings like Manny Ramirez or Ken Griffey Jr., Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Campbell has a knack for getting results.
But rather than compare the Red Sox prospect to a big-leaguer, Cora instead drew parallels between Campbell and a Celtics star.
“You look at Jaylen Brown on the court, it’s different, [but] he gets it done,” Cora told MLB.com’s Ian Browne ahead of Boston’s 12-4 win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday. “The way he moves is different from the other athletes in the NBA. Like, honestly, the first five days [of Spring Training], I’m like, ‘Who is [Campbell] as a baseball player?’ I’m like, ‘Jaylen Brown.’ It’s different, you know, the way they run. But they glide and they move and they’re smooth.”
Advertisement:
Campbell welcomed the comparison with Brown, who took home NBA Finals MVP honors in 2024 and hails from the same state as Campbell (Georgia).
“Yeah, that’s different, for sure,” Campbell said of Cora’s comparison. “That’s the first non-baseball one I’ve heard. That’s actually really cool, in my opinion. It’s like, different, but still gets the job done.”
Despite Campbell’s high ceiling, his start to spring training wasn’t impressive. The 22-year-old opened Grapefruit League action 0-for-12 with eight strikeouts. He did get off the schneid on Monday by singling to right, with Cora noting that Campbell wasn’t playing to his strengths to open the spring.
“We talked about controlling the strike zone. ‘What’s your strength?’ Yeah, he can hit it hard, but he dominates the strike zone,” Cora noted.
Cora drew up another comparison for Campbell, due in large part to his knack for swinging at the last possible second.
“I keep saying that the decision-making is George [Springer],” Cora noted. “At this stage, George, he struck out a lot. He’s striking out a lot now, but he will put the ball in play. It’s just the decision-making [by Campbell] is so good. That impresses me. That’s really good.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com