Kristian Campbell, Red Sox reportedly “close” on contract extension for star rookie

By Matt Geagan

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    BOSTON (WBZ) — Kristian Campbell is off to a hot start to his Major League career with the Boston Red Sox, and the rookie may be signing a long-term extension with the team in the near future.

The Red Sox and Campbell’s camp are “deep deep in talks on a long-term contract extension,” Mass Live’s Chris Cotillo reported over the weekend. The sides were reportedly “close” and were hoping to get something done before Boston wrapped up its four-game series against the Rangers in Texas, but that didn’t come to fruition.

But the two sides are indeed talking, as Campbell confirmed the contract talks with reporters in Texas over the weekend.

“They’re talking back and forth,” he said after going 2-for-3 with his first career homer against the Rangers on Saturday, via Cotillo. “I know that for a fact. I’m not sure how close or not close it is but we’ve had some communications on that for sure. … I leave that to my agents and let them talk back and forth and work out what is gonna be done. We’ll listen, for sure.”

Campbell was one of the few bright spots in the struggling Boston lineup over the first series of the season. The 22-year-old went 6-for-14 (good for a .429 average) with two doubles, a homer, an RBI, and two runs scored over his first four MLB games against the Rangers.

Who is Kristian Campbell? Campbell was a fourth-round pick by the Red Sox out of Georgia Tech in 2023, but he’s already in the big leagues after an incredible 2024 season. Last year, Campbell rose the minor league ranks from High-A to Double-A to Triple-A, and hit .330 with 20 home runs and 77 RBI over 115 games across the three levels. His hot bat earned him Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year honors in 2024.

Campbell struggled at the plate during the spring, but his smooth glove in the field earned him a spot on Boston’s Opening Day roster as the team’s starting second baseman. At 22 years and 272 days old, Campbell was the youngest Red Sox player to make their MLB debut in the Opening Day starting lineup since Joe Lahoud did so in 1968 at 20 years and 363 days old.

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