Kristian Campbell learning valuable lessons through trials in Triple A

WORCESTER -- For someone who had success at every level from high school to the majors until his struggles with the Red Sox last year, one of the biggest hurdles Campbell has had to manage is dealing with failure.

“Last year was the first time I’ve ever struggled hitting,” Campbell said. “I’ve always been a great hitter. So last year was definitely the first time I struggled, and in the majors, which is a good thing, in my opinion. I’m learning how to deal with it and come back stronger.”

It hasn’t been an easy season for the 24-year-old in Triple A so far; he’s hitting .219 with a .646 OPS with a strikeout rate hovering near 30%. There have been flashes when Campbell’s showed signs of getting hot, but the streaks haven’t lasted.

“There’s definitely frustration there,” WooSox manager Iggy Suarez said. “You see it. You don’t see his change of personality or mood; he’s always been the same guy who’s quiet in the clubhouse. But I think as of late, he is handling the frustration better. And that’s a big task. We’ve seen him go off the rails a little bit, and we get it. I think handling it is a big task, and he’s doing a pretty good job.”

The idea has been to accept the down stretches, but try to make them as short as possible.

“When things aren’t going your way, when the ball’s not falling for you, you just have to try to find ways to get on base, try to contribute as much as possible,” Campbell said. “That’s what I’m learning...how to minimize those stretches.”

It’s always worth remembering that Campbell’s rise to the majors was meteoric, and he played just 137 professional games before earning a spot on the 2025 Opening Day roster. Campbell is finding out that even though he’s reached the highest level of baseball, he still has a ton to learn.

“I’ve seen a lot of different things that I’ve never seen before,” Campbell said. “I feel like I’ve learned and seen a lot more than I thought I would have originally. Just moving so fast from when I got drafted in 2023...there’s definitely a lot to learn in this game, the learning never stops.”

One thing Campbell’s learned about himself is that while others may value having as much data as possible about their performance, Campbell would rather keep it simple.

“I feel like less information is better for me,” Campbell said. “I don’t really care for all the little details of everything. I’m pretty much just straightforward and standard when it comes to what I need to know for my preparation before a game.

“I’ve tried [diving into the numbers], and it didn’t work. So I’m doing the opposite, going back to what I was like in high school and college when we didn’t all of that, and it’s working out a little bit better,” Campbell added. “Whenever I step into the box, I don’t overthink what could be coming at me by knowing every little detail about something. That’s the main thing.”

Back on July 8, the WooSox swept a doubleheader against the Rochester Red Wings in exciting fashion, with a Worcester player hitting a grand slam in each game. Campbell joined the fun, reaching base four times over the two games. When talking about that day, Campbell lit up with a big smile.

“That was really fun,” Campbell said. “Being on base to see those is good. That’s my way of contributing, to be on base for them. So when whoever’s swinging the hot bat that game or that day or the week can do their job, it’s always important to me. It’s super exciting to see that.”

As the team’s heated up this summer, so has Campbell -- he’s hitting .259 with a .429 OBP in nine games in July. Those numbers might look impressive, but they’re a step in the right direction.

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“His at-bats are better, and he’s getting better swings,” Suarez said. “A lot of times, the results are not there, but it’s seeing how he reacts after, because he can control that. It’s tough to do, but you can harness that and channel it in a different way. And he’s been doing a good job of that.”

Notes

- According to MassLive’s Chris Smith on X, the Red Sox are not planning any promotion from Portland to Worcester immediately out of the All-Star Break.

- Tommy Kahnle will to the WooSox after he signed a minor league deal earlier this week, according to Tommy Cassell of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Kahnle posted a 1.40 ERA in 18 appearances in Worcester this year but struggled when he was called up to Boston in June, allowing eight runs in eight outings. He was designated for assignment on July 1.

Performance of the Week(end)

The WooSox have been off for the All-Star Break this week, but they went into the vacation in style as Mikey Romero delivered a walk-off single in the 10th inning as the WooSox came from behind to win (just like the major league club on the same day).

Romero’s RBI single to left gave the WooSox their fourth walk-off win of the season and their 14th win in their last at-bat.

What’s Next

The WooSox are back in action for a weekend series in Syracuse before returning home for a six-game set against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, the Miami Marlins’ affiliate.

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