FORT MYERS, Fla. – Kristian Campbell’s one-out single within the first plated the primary Purple Sox run of 2026, and he got here inside toes of a grand slam within the fourth however needed to accept a sacrifice fly in Friday’s 18-3 victory over the Northeastern Huskies.
Even this early in spring coaching, it’s clear that Campbell feels extra comfy than final 12 months, when he was a high prospect in his first big-league camp and competing to make the Opening Day roster, which he finally did. If his demeanor isn’t sufficient of a sign, he’ll gladly admit it, too. Extra reserved than fellow “Large Three” prospects Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer, Campbell, nonetheless solely 23 years previous, had one other sort of adjustment to make, one which had been troublesome for him up to now.
“Going into faculty from highschool, you don’t actually know anybody round you, you’ve obtained to get used to individuals, coaches, simply individuals round you, and there’s quite a bit to do suddenly generally,” Campbell mentioned. “It was the identical factor, type of, final 12 months coming into big-league camp, not likely being accustomed to anyone. Simply attending to know your teammates, attending to know the coaches, and all people suddenly will be robust generally.”
“Individuals are completely different in several methods,” he added. “I’m extra on the quiet facet, so it takes me a second to get used to individuals generally.”
A key side of Campbell’s comfortability is day by day outfield work, one thing that can proceed all through the Grapefruit League schedule, as a result of Wilyer Abreu, Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Masataka Yoshida are all collaborating in subsequent month’s World Baseball Basic. Although Campbell mentioned he’s going to overlook his teammates whereas they’re competing within the event and might be watching their video games, he’s “trying ahead to” getting constant taking part in time within the outfield.
“Proper now, particularly as a result of I’ve been working with the outfielders day-after-day … that’s my group,” Campbell mentioned. “I positively really feel like an outfielder for certain. I believe final 12 months I positively felt like a utility (participant).”
This does, nonetheless, create questions on the place Campbell suits past preseason play.
“For certain, within the outfield I positively can (let my athleticism take over),” Campbell mentioned enthusiastically. “I’ve obtained two Gold Glovers to study from (in Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu).”
Defensive struggles impacted Campbell’s bat final season, and vice versa. He hit .301 with a .901 OPS in 29 video games between Opening Day and the top of April, and earned Rookie of the Month honors. However in 38 video games between the beginning of Could till his demotion to Triple-A Worcester in late June, he batted .159 with a .465 OPS. “For me it goes hand in hand,” he defined. “Simply adjusting to the extent of play, the velocity of the sport is one factor, after which attempting to maintain up with the extent of play on protection is one other factor additionally.”
Campbell spent the remainder of the season working in Triple-A and performed some winter ball in Puerto Rico. He arrived in camp financially safe on the eight-year, $60 million extension he signed final April, however much less sure of his positional future with the Purple Sox than final spring.
“Attempting to maintain up as a younger participant is hard generally,” Cambell mentioned, “and I used to be doing it for a minute (final 12 months). That was the intense facet of it, after which I didn’t do it for a pair months. That’s the way it goes generally, however there’s loads of growth to be completed, and I’m nonetheless working onerous to get higher every day.” ‘
Start with a blowout
It doesn’t even rely towards the spring coaching file, not to mention the 2026 season file, however baseball returned ultimately to the Purple Sox universe on a sun-soaked Friday afternoon at JetBlue Park. And in blowout vogue, as they demolished the Northeastern College Huskies 18-3 of their annual exhibition matchup.
The primary two innings of the pitching-and-defense-first 2026 Purple Sox was lower than ultimate, however they completed the seven-inning sport sturdy, scoring not less than one run each inning between the third and sixth, together with 9 runs within the last body.
Proper-handed prospect Tyler Uberstine, described by supervisor Alex Cora earlier this week as “intriguing,” struggled via his 1 ⅓ innings (20 pitches, 15 strikes). After opening with a three-pitch strikeout, Uberstine allowed three straight singles to provide the Huskies an instantaneous 1-0 lead earlier than he may retire the facet. NEU scored once more in high of the second, on left-fielder Anthony Ruggiero’s single, back-to-back stolen bases and an error by catcher Ronald Rosario, the primary of two errors the Purple Sox made within the inning.
These have been the one errors Boston dedicated. Max Carlson, Wyatt Olds, who acquired the win, Noah Tune, Jeremy Wu-Yelland, and Jack Anderson pitched the remainder of the way in which. Anderson led the employees with two innings and matched Uberstine’s game-leading three strikeouts, however allowed the ultimate Huskies run within the high of the seventh earlier than the two-hour and 22-minute contest sport to an finish.
Masataka Yoshida collected the primary hit and first extra-bagger of 2026. Taking part in left-field and batting second behind Nate Eaton, Yoshida doubled and scored on Kristian Campbell’s RBI single.
The primary Purple Sox dwelling run of 2026 belonged to Rosario, who greeted NEU’s Scott Longo with a 408-foot solo shot to start the underside of the third. Rosario stopped at second, believing he had a double, solely to be waved round by third-base coach Tim Hudson.
Shortstop prospect Mikey Romero hit the primary triple of the 12 months, an RBI knock within the backside of the fourth.
