Sox Discuss with Will Middlebrooks is a recurring content material sequence on NESN.com. Middlebrooks, a former Pink Sox participant, and present NESN analyst offers his perception and opinion on pertinent Pink Sox storylines all through the season. You possibly can learn the newest tales from the sequence right here.
Vaughn Grissom appeared just like the Boston Pink Sox second baseman of the current and future once they acquired him from the Atlanta Braves final offseason.
However Kristian Campbell has totally different concepts.
Campbell went on a meteoric rise by way of Boston’s farm system this previous season and was named Baseball America’s Minor League Participant of the Yr. He began the 2024 marketing campaign with Excessive-A Greenville earlier than progressing all the best way to Triple-A Worcester, getting on the cusp of breaking by way of to the main leagues.
That very effectively may occur subsequent season for Campbell. Many need to watch the 22-year-old push Grissom, who had a down debut season with the Pink Sox, for the beginning job at second base and see who comes out on prime within the place battle.
Story continues beneath commercial
“I’m not prepared to surrender on Vaughn Grissom, however I’m all for a wholesome competitors to see who desires it,” former Pink Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks instructed NESN.com.
Campbell definitely has loads of momentum at his again after hitting .330 with a .997 OPS to go together with 20 residence runs, 77 RBIs and 24 stolen bases throughout three minor league ranges this previous season.
The Georgia Tech product is now considered because the Tenth-best prospect in all of baseball by MLB Pipeline and was named Boston’s Minor League Participant of the Yr as effectively.
Middlebrooks, very similar to everybody else, is extremely impressed by Campbell’s means within the batter’s field. However Campbell’s sheer measurement at 6-foot-3 and 191 kilos, which Middlebrooks caught a glimpse of when the Pink Sox honored the teen for his organizational accolade throughout the ultimate sequence of the season, made him appear past his years, too.
Story continues beneath commercial
“He’s a beast,” Middlebrooks stated. “… I walked previous him and his household at Resort Commonwealth, my God. This man’s constructed like an NFL receiver.”
Grissom is only a yr older than Campbell however already performed components of three MLB seasons. Hamstring accidents derailed his first yr with the Pink Sox after which the franchise determined to maintain him at Triple-A for an prolonged keep to work on some issues as soon as he recovered.
Grissom ended up enjoying in simply 31 video games for the Pink Sox, wherein he batted .190 with no residence runs and 6 RBIs. However the potential continues to be there — he confirmed it throughout his first season with the Braves when he hit .291 with 5 homers and 18 RBIs in 41 video games — to be a strong contributor for an enormous league staff.
He’ll should put that on show, although, with Campbell, who additionally has expertise at third base and heart area, nipping at his heels. And even with the 2 battling it out at spring coaching, it would to tough to get a very correct evaluation of who may maintain the higher hand at a key place within the infield.
Story continues beneath commercial
“Competitors in spring coaching is hard, too, as a result of guys are coming off the offseason, they’re attempting to work on issues,” Middlebrooks stated. “So spring coaching isn’t all the time an excellent indicator of what you’re going to get in-season when guys try to win a job, however they’re additionally attempting to work on their craft. So some video games you’re like, ‘What is that this man doing? Why is he not swinging? Why is he solely swinging at this?’ You’re like, ‘He’s engaged on one thing.’
“However that’s robust while you go into camp, and I’ve been in that spot, the place you go in and also you’re attempting to win a job, so engaged on issues is form of out of the query.”
