Sometimes, comparing baseball players to other baseball players can get boring. Fortunately, Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora is here to rescue us all.
Feb 28, 2025; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox outfielder Kristian Campbell (28) catches a fly ball during the fifth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
The Red Sox are getting close to welcoming top prospect Kristian Campbell to the major leagues this season. He's off to a slow start to spring training and might not make the Opening Day roster, but after hitting .330 across three levels of the minors last year, he's sure to get his shot soon.
Campbell's violent right-handed hack doesn't fit the textbook definition of a beautiful baseball swing, but it's undeniably effective. And his athleticism allows him to play all over the diamond, even if he doesn't move like most other ballplayers.
Cora happens to be a huge Boston Celtics fan on top of his baseball duties, and that helped him come up with a unique comparison for Campbell on Tuesday.
“You look at Jaylen Brown on the court, it's different, [but] he gets it done,” Cora said, per Ian Browne of MLB.com. “The way he moves is different from the other athletes in the NBA. Like, honestly, the first five days [of Spring Training], I'm like, ‘Who is [Campbell] as a baseball player?’ I’m like, ‘Jaylen Brown.’ It's different, you know, the way they run. But they glide and they move and they’re smooth.”
Campbell was asked for his take on his manager's comparison, and when given the reasoning, he seemed honored by the suggestion.
“Yeah, that's different, for sure,” Campbell said. “That's the first non-baseball one I’ve heard. That's actually really cool, in my opinion. It’s like, different, but still gets the job done.”
It's always hard to name expectations for a 22-year-old, so props to Cora for thinking outside the box. If Campbell can help lead the Red Sox to a championship someday, as Brown did with the Celtics in 2024, he'll always have a spot in Boston sports lore.
