He was frequently compared to Hunter Pence as he rapidly advanced through the minor leagues. However, the Boston Red Sox’s No. 2 prospect’s movements have caught the attention of Alex Cora, who sees similarities to a Boston Celtics star — not a baseball player.
Cora explained, “When you watch Jaylen Brown on the court, it’s different, but he still gets it done. His movements are unique compared to other NBA athletes. Honestly, during the first five days of Spring Training, I was like, ‘Who is this guy (Campbell) as a baseball player?’ And I thought, ‘Jaylen Brown.’ They run differently, they glide, they move smoothly.”
Campbell appreciated the comparison. “Yeah, that’s definitely different. It’s the first non-baseball one I’ve heard, and it’s actually pretty cool. It’s unique, but still effective.”
At 22, Campbell is working to secure a spot on the big-league roster. While he may have the best chance of breaking camp among the “Big Three” with Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony, there’s still a lot of development left for the infielder.
Campbell started his Grapefruit League campaign with a rough 0-for-12 performance, including eight strikeouts, before breaking out of his slump on Monday. With multiple players vying for the second-base job, including the recent signing of Alex Bregman, Campbell’s path to the roster is more challenging. However, this depth allows the Red Sox to take their time developing Campbell until he’s fully MLB-ready.
While Campbell still has areas to work on, his ability to command the strike zone gives him a strong foundation, and there’s plenty of time for him to make a significant impact for the Red Sox.
