Red Sox select Kristian Campbell with fourth-round compensation pick

With the 132nd overall pick in the 2023 MLB First-Year Player Draft, Boston has selected Kristian Campbell, a shortstop out of Georgia Tech. Campbell is ranked 255th by Baseball America, 131st by Perfect Game USA, and 186th by ESPN.com.

Campbell hit .376/.484/.549 as a draft-eligible sophomore this past season. He did not play as a freshman in 2022, but he spent last summer in the Northwoods league, where he hit .356 and stole 31 bases in 58 games. In 2023 at Georgia Tech, he struck out only 17 times and drew 29 walks in 173 at-bats. His contact skills are ahead of his power, though he does flash some good raw power in batting practice. Scouts are hopeful he will grow into it as he has projection remaining in his wiry frame. 

The right-handed hitter is listed as 6-foot-3, and scouts are mixed on if he will stick at shortstop. He is a plus runner, but there are questions about his arm and how it will play on the left side of the diamond. He has plenty of athleticism to play the outfield, and it will be interesting to see where the Red Sox slide him in defensively with all the shortstops being added to the system in this draft class.

The slot amount for pick 132 is $492,700. The Red Sox are unlikely to see significant savings on this pick, as Campbell still has three years of college eligibility. Campbell was technically a redshirt freshman this past season, though he just turned 21 last month.