WORCESTER — Kristian Campbell‘s lengthy rookie slump with the Red Sox that resulted in a demotion wasn’t the first time he experienced failure as a baseball player.

“It kind of reminds me of me going into college for the first time from high school. I struggled there,” Campbell said at Polar Park on Tuesday. “I got redshirted. And the next year I was just fine.”

Campbell homered in Triple-A Worcester‘s 7-5 win over Lehigh Valley last night. He has homered in two straight games and has hits in nine straight games, including 10 hits in his past four games.

The 23-year-old made the Red Sox’ 2025 Opening Day roster despite only 137 professional games on his resume. He signed an eight-year, $60 million extension after only four big league games. He won AL Rookie of the Month for March/April, posting a .902 OPS in 29 games.

But he then began to struggle against sinkers, breaking balls and offspeed pitches. He batted .154 (20-for-130) in 39 games from April 30-June 18 and the Red Sox demoted him to Worcester on June 20.

“I’m a pretty positive person,“ said Campbell who has graduated from prospect status after beginning the season No. 4 on Baseball America’s Top 100. ”I knew I had some stuff to work on and it’s just part of the process. I wasn’t the first person to ever get optioned. I’m not the last person to ever get optioned, either. It happens. It’s part of baseball. It’s a part of learning. It’s part of growing as a player and progress isn’t a straight line all the time. Sometimes you gotta go down and go back up.”

Campbell views this experience similar to when he struggled his freshman year at Georgia Tech.

“I didn’t have a good fall,” Campbell said. “That was a big jump from high school to college. In high school, not really seeing 90 to in college seeing 90 to 95 consistently. And it’s like, ‘Oh, shoot.’ And then seeing other pitches that can actually be thrown for a strike, that was a big jump.”

Campbell got redshirted, not playing his freshman season. He then batted .376 with a .484 on-base percentage, .549 slugging percentage and 1.033 OPS in 45 games (217 plate appearances) as a sophomore at Georgia Tech.

Campbell said adjusted to college-level pitching while playing in the Northwoods League after his freshman year.

“I got used to the pitching and then came back and dominated the next year,” he said. “But my freshman year was really tough. Trying to see the pitching, get used to the pitching, seeing some stuff I’ve never seen before.

“It’s kind of the same type of thing (now),” he added. “Just trying to adjust to that pitching.”

He said he feels like he has found some rhythm at the plate recently.

“Just making sure I see the ball,” he said. “It’s the main thing before I make a decision.”

Campbell made his MLB debut Opening Day in Texas despite limited experience in college (47 games at Georgia Tech) and in pro ball. He played in 22 minor league games in 2023 after Boston drafted him in the fourth round. He then moved extremely quickly in 2024 his first full pro season, receiving three promotions. He went from High-A Greenville (40 games) to Double-A Portland (56) to Worcester (19 games).

“Last year was definitely fast,“ he said. ”I feel like I did a good job of handling last year kind of going through all the levels and making the strides. I think I did a pretty good job of handling it. This year, I took the same steps I did last year. It’s just a different level — Major League Baseball. So I had to take a step back down and refocus on some of my skills offensively and defensively and work on them.

“It’s definitely slowed down coming back here from actually going up there the first time,” he added. “So I can actually work on specific things I need to work on and communicate with all the coaches and stuff. They know what I need to work on. So it’s been really good, for sure.”

The Red Sox wanted Campbell to learn first base when they sent him to Worcester. He has made 16 starts there, eight starts at second base and five starts at DH.

“I’ve been working at first base mainly, and I’m just working on footwork around the base and working on my defense there,” Campbell said. “It’s been going good. I feel pretty comfortable over there. I feel like I’ve been doing pretty good over there.”

He said he understands becoming a better player comes with experience.

“First time going up for everybody is a different experience, and it’s something you can’t really get used to until you actually do it and get used to it,” Campbell said.

Campbell has kept a close eye on everything that is happening in Boston.

“I watch all the games,” he said. “I kind of watch the game a little bit differently now since I’ve actually been up there and see what it’s about. Kind of watch on the outside looking, and it’s like, OK, I see what he’s trying to do to him, see what the pitcher’s trying to do, see what the hitters are trying to do. … Breaking it down in my head, like, ‘OK, I understand what’s going on here.’

“It’s kind of just like reading the game and understanding what’s going on. It’s a little bit different than the minor leagues because the game plan is way more structured. … So I watch it a little bit differently now. But, yeah, I always keep up with the guys up there.”

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