Angels' Mike Trout Offers Advice to Recently-Demoted Top Prospect

Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout knows a thing or two about life in the major leagues, but recently imparted some wisdom to a top prospect that was recently demoted to Triple-A.

Boston Red Sox second baseman Kristian Campbell came into the 2025 season with extreme excitement about finally making his MLB debut, but his production trailed off to a point where he just spent his 23rd birthday back in the minor leagues.

Before Trout amassed three American League MVP awards, he, too, was a top prospect who needed additional time in the minors before becoming a staple in the lineup for years to come, and spoke on that experience.

“In the moment, it (stinks),” Trout told the Boston Globe's Tim Healey. “But you got to experience what it’s like up here. You know what you need to do to maintain and stay up here. That’s what I look back on for me. When I got sent down, I was upset, but I knew, OK, now when I get another chance, I know what to expect. I can slow the game down.”

“When young guys get up here, they try to do so much," he added. "Especially myself. I got out of my approach a lot. Didn’t really trust what got me there. If I try to hit the ball so hard or hit the ball so far every time, I’m going to get myself out. I had to trust what got me there. It was a big learning experience for me.”

Trout needed just 20 more games in Triple-A before reentering MLB during the 2012 season, and never looked back after that.

As for Campbell, he certainly shows potential with an above average walk-rate that puts him in the 76th percentile of qualified players. He further displays his potential for greater plate discipline with one of the lower chase-rates when he is at the plate, also grading him in the 76th percentile of active players.

His strikeout-rate of 27.4% puts him in just the 13th percentile of active players, along with a swing-and-miss rate of 27.3% putting him in the 29th percentile.