With Wilyer Abreu set to return from the injured list ahead of Friday’s series opener against the San Francisco Giants, the Red Sox are sending one of their “big three” prospects to Triple-A.
According to a Red Sox source, Kristian Campbell is being optioned to Worcester to clear a spot on the active roster for Abreu.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan was first to report news of the Campbell demotion.
Entering the year as MLB’s No. 4 prospect, according to Baseball America, Campbell got off to a tremendous start before falling into a deep and prolonged slump. The 22-year-old infielder earned American League Rookie of the Month for April honors after batting .301 with four home runs, 12 RBI and a .902 OPS through his first 29 big league games.
But since May 1 Campbell has batted .159 with two home runs, nine RBI and a .465 OPS over a 38-game stretch. His Wins Above Replacement for the season is now -0.7, and defensively he’s struggled as well, grading at a dismal 2nd percentile in Fielding Run Value, according to Statcast.
Now Campbell, who signed an eight-year, $60 million contract extension in April just days after making his MLB debut, will get a chance to catch his breath and try to reset at Triple-A.
With Campbell in Worcester, David Hamilton figures to take over as the every day second baseman in Boston while Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Roman Anthony and Abreu all cycle through the outfield and designated hitter spots. Anthony and Marcelo Mayer, the other members of Boston’s “big three,” are expected to continue to get regular playing time in the majors as they look to acclimate to the higher level.
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