The Boston Red Sox have sent their highly touted rookie, Kristian Campbell, down to Triple-A.

Less than a week after signing the highly regarded rookie Kristian Campbell to an eight-year, $60 million contract, the Boston Red Sox have opted to send him to the Triple-A Worcester team. Sources revealed to MLB.com that this move is in the best short-term interest of the player.

This decision creates a spot for right fielder Wilyer Abreu, who is expected to be activated from the 10-day injured list before tomorrow's game against the Giants. This news was first reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan (the team has not confirmed it).

After winning the American League Rookie of the Month award for March/April, Campbell's batting has plummeted, and his second-base defense has been inconsistent. Recently, the Red Sox have used David Hamilton as their primary second baseman, whose hitting has also been struggling, a situation that will continue until Alex Bregman returns from injury in July.

Once Bregman returns, the Red Sox's second-ranked rookie Marcelo Mayer (ranked 8th on the MLB rookie list) may shift from third base to second base. Right-handed hitter Romy Gonzalez is also an option for second base.

The 22-year-old Campbell secured a spot on the opening day roster after winning the second-base position in spring training. In his first 28 games with 99 plate appearances, he had a batting line of .313/.420/.515 (with 8 doubles, 4 home runs, and 12 RBIs); however, in the following 35 games with 130 plate appearances, his batting line dropped to .154/.236/.215 (with 2 home runs and 9 RBIs).

Campbell, Mayer, and Roman Anthony (ranked 1st on the rookie list) are referred to as the "Big Three" of the Red Sox. After Anthony was called up to the majors on June 10, the three played together for ten days. Having lost his rookie status, Campbell will head to Triple-A to rebuild his confidence and improve his defense.

It is important to note that Campbell (a fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft) has only played 138 games and had 601 plate appearances in the minor leagues, with just 19 games in Triple-A. His primary goal in spring training was to enhance the details of his second-base defense.

Despite being recognized for his training attitude, Campbell's defensive metrics are negative: his second-base defense scored -14 defensive runs, ranking him at the bottom among all position players in 2025. The Red Sox infield team has a -14 defensive runs created, tied for the third worst in MLB with the Padres.

The Red Sox have also tried Campbell in the outfield (in 9 games), but with Abreu returning this week and Masataka Yoshida potentially rejoining the team next month, his opportunities in the outfield will be limited.