Eric Campbell’s 2018 Miami Marlins Review
Throughout the 2018/2019 offseason, Marlin Maniac will devote one article each for every player who appeared in the Miami Marlins system for the 2018 season. Every. Single. Player. This is Part 142 of 286. For the first 100, click here.
Eric Singleton Campbell is a 6’3″, 215 lb. first baseman from Norwich, Connecticut. Other major leaguers from Norwich include Rajai Davis, Bill Dawley and Dominic Leone.
Campbell went undrafted out of Norwich Free Academy, and went on to play Division I ball for Boston College. In three seasons with the Eagles, he hit .306/.391/.448 in 159 contests.
Born on April 9th, 1987, Campbell was an eighth round selection of the New York Mets in the 2008 MLB Amateur Entry Draft. Players chosen as Campbell was, with the 254th overall choice, have made it to the majors 20 percent of the time, or 11-of-54. The group is led by Ryan Madson (1998, Philadelphia Phillies, 13.7 career WAR), Dellin Betances (2006, New York Yankees, 11.6 WAR), and Mike Carp (2004, Mets, 1.6 WAR).
After the draft, Campbell came to terms with the Mets for a $90,000 bonus. He first joined the short-season-A Brooklyn Cyclones in the New York-Penn League, and went 56-for-215 with four homers and 28 RBI in his first professional look.
For the next five seasons, Campbell slowly worked his way up through the Mets’ system with stops for the Savannah Sand Gnats, the St. Lucie Mets, the Binghampton Mets, and the Las Vegas 51s.
From 2014 through 2016, Campbell split his time between the Mets and the 51s, playing in 149 games for Las Vegas and 196 for New York. His time with the Mets yielded a .221/.312/.311 slashline, with seven home runs and 44 RBI, with a major league WRC+ of 80.
The Mets granted Campbell his free agency following the 2016 campaign. Campbell, who at 30 was still interested in playing, signed with the Hanshin Tigers in the Japan Central League. In 21 games, he hit .191/.296/.298. And by the way, Japanese baseball looks CRAZY.
2018 would see Campbell sign with the Miami Marlins through free agency on February 17th. After going 11-for-46 through 27 Spring Training games, with no home runs and five RBI, the Marlins assigned Campbell to the triple-A New Orleans Baby Cakes, in the Pacific Coast League.
Campbell flourished for the Baby Cakes. In an 11-game stretch from April 28th through May 8th, he was 22-for-45 with a homer and 10 RBI. He played 95 games for New Orleans, and collected multiple hits in 31 of them. On eight occasions, he had three or more, including on June 6th.
On that date, Campbell hit two singles, a double, and a triple with four RBI and two runs scored in a 16-4 victory against Las Vegas.
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Campbell’s season came to a premature close with a trip to the DL on August 9th. In effect, this prevented Campbell from getting a callup with the group that joined the Marlins at the opening of September. He had put together a very solid season for the Baby Cakes, leading the team with 68 RBI and slashing .313/.420/.445. He also displayed impressive patience at the plate, drawing a team-best 58 walks and striking out only 61 times in 402 plate appearances, a 15.2 percent whiff rate.
For his efforts, Campbell was named to the 2018 PCL Mid-Season All-Star team. On November 2nd, he elected to pursue free agency.
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