Boston Red Sox Roster: Could Former Top Prospect Be Designated for Assignment?

With the offseason officially underway, the Boston Red Sox have just three days to clear enough 40-man roster spots to make room for the seven players who ended the season on the 60-day injured list. 

After trading Nate Eaton to the Athletics and Tsung-Che Cheng to the Tigers on Thursday, the team needs only two more 40-man roster spots. MassLive.com’s Chris Cottilo and Sean McAdam discussed this problem on the latest 'Fenway Rundown' podcast, where they suggested the former top prospect Kristian Campbell could be designated for assignment to clear the final spot on the roster. 

Once a top 10 prospect in baseball, Campbell spent the entire 2026 season in Triple-A reworking his swing. In 109 games for Worcester, the 24-year-old hit .256/.383/.380/.763 with eight home runs and 22 doubles, and driving in 51 runs while shifting to a full-time outfielder role. 

So you may be asking: Campbell is only 24, and he put up a good season in the minors, why would the Red Sox give up on him? 

Well, designating Campbell for assignment wouldn’t necessarily be giving up on him. Yes, he would be exposed to waivers, but thanks to the seven years, $55-million remaining on the eight-year, $60-million contract extension he signed last March, it seems unlikely that any team would claim him and take on the money, making it a low-risk move to clear a 40-man roster spot. 

Sure, it seems unlikely any team would take a chance on Campbell, given that the last time he played in the big leagues, he posted a slash line of .159/.243/.222/.465 over 38 games. However, the $3.25 million Campbell will earn in 2027 is not a high price to pay, and the deal maxes out at $16.25 million in 2032, far from an albatross. All it takes is one team that sees something in Campbell's Triple-A advanced numbers, or a tweak they think they can make in his swing, to unlock things and take a shot on a guy who was a top-10 prospect just two years ago. 

As you look across the Red Sox 40-man roster, plenty of candidates make more sense to move on from before risking a claim on Campbell and losing him for nothing.

Left-handed reliever Raymond Burgos, who served as a mop-up reliever in the big leagues in 2026, seems like a safe bet to clear waivers and accept a minor league assignment if the Red Sox designate him for assignment.

Right-handed pitcher Zack Kelly has been open about being unhappy with his role after being optioned to Triple-A in late May. Kelly is out of minor league options heading into 2027, and with an already crowded picture at the front end of the Red Sox bullpen, it seems unlikely he can be guaranteed a spot on the opening day roster, meaning he would need to pass through waivers anyway. Kelly has shown he can perform well at the big-league level when given the opportunity; there's certainly a trade partner out there for a deal similar to those made moving Eaton and Cheng. If no one is willing to pay the price of a low-level prospect or cash considerations, that should tell you all you need to know before designating him for assignment. 

The Red Sox have until Monday, Nov. 2 to clear the two roster spots needed to be compliant with 40-man roster restrictions.