May Players of the Month: Kristian Campbell and Blake Wehunt

Two top-40 prospects performed excellently in May, and both were promoted at the start of June. Kristian Campbell spent the month in Greenville but will be looking to defend his Player of the Month Award with Portland in June. Similarly, Blake Wehunt is moving from Salem to Greenville after a dominant stretch in the Carolina League. Both players started on the right foot in May by winning the Player/Pitcher of the Week award for April 29 - May 5. 

Campbell reached base in every game en route to a .371/.467/.663 batting line. He hit six home runs, drove in 17, and swiped two bases over 89 at-bats. His 34-game on-base streak eventually came to an end on June 1. The 21-year-old is now a top-20 prospect in the system, playing predominantly second base and center field. Campbell spent 14 games with Greenville at the end of the 2023 season after being drafted in the fourth round from Georgia Tech. He had a .822 OPS in the small sample and was a breakout performer in 2024 minor league spring training. In 40 games with the Drive in 2024, he hit .306/.418/.558, and his May stats showed he was ready for a new challenge. 

He joins a Portland roster with nine of the system's top-20 prospects. However, that may change soon as players like Kyle Teel and Marcelo Mayer continue to play well for the Sea Dogs. With a few players in the back half of the top 20 either injured or underperforming, Campbell can continue to climb the rankings with a strong showing in Double-A. 

Wehunt went a few rounds later in the 2023 draft, with the Red Sox selecting him in the ninth round out of Kennesaw State. He threw one inning in the FCL after being drafted and opened the 2024 season in Salem. He posted a 1.69 ERA over 10 2/3 innings in April and followed that up with an outstanding May. He went 2-0 over five starts while pitching to a 2.38 ERA over 22 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old walked seven and struck out 32. The burly right-hander is listed at 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds and has three pitches he can throw for strikes with his fastball, slider, and splitter. Currently the 38th-ranked prospect in the system, Wehunt will likely rise when the rankings are updated in June. 

Photo Credit: Kristian Campbell and Blake Wehunt by Kelly O'Connor

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