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The 5 best hitting prospects in MLB are going to change the game

Which position player prospects have the brightest futures and best shots at making an impact in the big leagues?
ByBilly Mock|
Roman Anthony has a very good chance at winning Rookie of the Year in 2025.
Roman Anthony has a very good chance at winning Rookie of the Year in 2025. | Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/GettyImages
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5. Kristian Campbell, Boston Red Sox

Perhaps the biggest riser on many prospect lists is Kristian Campbell, the 22-year-old Georgia Tech product in Boston's system. Campbell took home both MLB Pipeline's Hitting Prospect of the Year award as well as MiLB's Breakout Player of the Year award.

Following the 2023 draft where he wasn't selected until the fourth round, Campbell immediately contributed at the pro level, posting a .911 OPS and a 152 wRC+ across complex ball and High-A Greenville. As he continued to climb through the minors in 2024, Campbell didn't experience any regression. In fact, he only got better. To this point, he has not had a wRC+ lower than 130 at any stop in the minors.

Campbell's most impressive performance thus far can be traced back to his 255 plate appearances at Double-A Portland. His .362 AVG, .463 OBP, .582 SLG, 1.045 OPS, and 197 wRC+ all led Double-A hitters in 2024. Despite only spending a portion of the year in Portland, those numbers earned him Double-A Eastern League MVP honors.

Campbell has really grown as a hitter in recent years, as he has found a way to combine his contact abilities with his huge power potential. He draws a lot of walks and strikes out at a below-average rate, sprays the ball from the right field foul line to the left field foul line, and also possesses a unique ability to hit both right handed and left handed pitchers at a high level. Given that level of versatility, it's much easier to see a reality where his bat plays at the next level than a reality where it doesn't.

The biggest question concerning Campbell is his defensive home. He can play up the middle as well as any outfield position, and while he isn't poor at any given position, he isn't elite at any spot either.

His glove and arm are both 50 grade tools, but his defensive versatility does help to boost his defensive profile. He spent the majority of his time in the field last year in the infield, and it looks like he may be battling for the opening day starting second baseman job in Boston during spring training. If he doesn't break camp with the team, it won't be very long until he's taking the field for the first time at Fenway Park.

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