Injuries delayed Justin Campbell’s professional baseball debut by nearly four years.
The payoff was two shutout innings in Eastlake, Ohio, on April 2.
The former Simi Valley High and Oklahoma State star marked his return to the mound by striking out four without a walk for High-A Lake County Captains.
“First thing, we just wanted him to be healthy,” Captains manager Omir Santos told the Lake County News-Herald. “Everything else is a plus. He came in healthy, and it’s been a big journey. He’s going to be good for us.”
Two Tommy John surgeries and another procedure on his wrist delayed the professional arrival of the 37th overall pick of the 2022 MLB Draft by nearly 45 months.
After allowing a single on the first pitch of his pro career, the Cleveland Guardians prospect struck out the next three batters to strand a runner at third in his first professional inning.
Lake County eventually lost the game to West Michigan, 1-0.
Campbell’s return to health has been a significant story in prospect circles.
Baseball America listed Campbell among its Top 50 Prospects Who Impressed Scouts Entering 2026.
“In his few backfield appearances this spring, it looks like there’s still plenty of hope that he can get to the big leagues,” wrote Josh Norris. “His frame and stuff are in line with what one would expect from a big league starter, and he was around the zone often as well.”
It also listed Campbell’s assignment to High-A the organization’s “most intriguing” assignment.
Six locals opened the baseball season on major league rosters and six locals opened the season at the Triple-A level. With Double-A, High-A and Single-A opening days arriving last week, 15 more local pros received their minor league assignments.
Rising the ranks
Tigers shortstop John Peck (Moorpark High) has been assigned to the Double-A Erie SeaWolves.
The former Pepperdine star earned a midseason promotion by hitting .307 with 10 home runs in 93 games at Single-A West Michigan last year, spending the final 18 games of the season in Erie.
Peck, who also hit .333 with two home runs in 32 plate appearances with the big club in spring training, is the No. 15-ranked prospect in the Tigers organization, according to Baseball America.
Mets pitcher Will Watson (Cal Lutheran University) is opening the season with the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies.
The 23-year-old righty was 2-2 with a 3.44 ERA in four games after his promotion to Double-A in August. He had a 1.70 in 14 appearances with High-A Brooklyn last year.
Watson, who threw 3.1 scoreless innings with the big club during spring training, is the No. 16-ranked prospect in the Mets organization, per Baseball America.
Baseball Prospectus listed Watson No. 96 on its Top 101 prospects in baseball in February.
Athletics pitcher Cole Miller (Newbury Park High) is starting the season with the Single-A Stockton Ports.
The 20-year-old righty recovered from Tommy John surgery to make his professional debut a year ago. The former UCLA commit was 1-4 with a 1.90 ERA in 15 appearances in the Arizona Complex League and Single-A last year.
Miller is the No. 28-ranked prospect in the Athletics’ system, per Baseball America.
‘Sasquatch’ to High-A
Orioles pitcher Boston Bateman (Camarillo High) has been assigned to the High-A Frederick Keys.
The 20-year-old lefty struck out 94 batters in 87 innings in his professional debut last year.
After being drafted 52nd overall by San Diego in 2024, The Star’s 2024 Baseball Player of the Year was traded to Baltimore at the trade deadline as part of the package for Ryan O’Hearn and Ramon Laureano.
Bateman is now the No. 12-ranked prospect in the Orioles system, per Baseball America. “Sasquatch” struck out five in four innings in his High-A debut at Winston-Salem on April 7.
Quentin Young (Camarillo/Oaks Christian High) is starting his first full professional season with the Single-A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels.
The 54th overall pick of last summer’s MLB Draft, Young played five games for Fort Myers last September.
The 19-year-old tripled for his first professional extra-base hit on April 3 against Clearwater. He’s splitting time between shortstop and third base.
Young is the 12th-ranked prospect in the Minnesota system, according to Baseball America.
Tigers shortstop Bryce Rainer is back on the field for the Single-A Lakeland Flying Tigers.
The Simi Valley native has recovered from the shoulder surgery which prematurely ended his first professional season.
The No. 11 overall pick of the 2024 MLB Draft, the former Harvard-Westlake star hit .288 with five home runs and 22 RBIs in 35 games at Single-A Lakeland.
Rainer is the No. 3-ranked prospect in the Detroit system and No. 29-ranked prospect in all of baseball, according to Baseball America.
TO group grows
Athletics infielders Jacob Wilson and Max Muncy have three former Thousand Oaks High teammates attempting to join them in the major leagues.
Rockies second baseman Roc Riggio (Thousand Oaks High) will open the season with the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats.
The former Oklahoma State star hit .262 with 20 home runs for four teams across three levels last year, when he was traded from the Yankees at the MLB trade deadline.
Riggio, who slugged a home run in a cameo with the big club during spring training, is the No. 15-ranked prospect in the Rockies organization, per Baseball America.
Cubs pitcher Vince Reilly (Thousand Oaks High) has been assigned to the Double-A Tennessee Smokies.
The 24-year-old righty made 29 appearances with the High-A South Bend Cubs last year. He threw a shutout inning in his Double-A debut against Birmingham on April 5.
Blue Jays catcher Charlie Saum (Thousand Oaks High) has been assigned to the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays
The former Stanford University star entered the transfer portal and committed in Hawaii in June, before signing a free agent contract with Toronto in July.
He was 1 for 4 in his professional debut in a 4-2 loss to Bradenton on April 5.
Latching on
Released by Toronto last July, Johnathan Lavallee (Royal High) has found a new home.
Originally a 16th-round draft pick of Minnesota in 2021, Lavallee signed a free-agent contract with Cincinnati on Feb. 21.
The 26-year-old has been assigned to the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts. He threw a shutout inning in his debut in Coumbus on April 3.
Padres infielder Jack Costello, a Thousand Oaks native, has been assigned to the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps. The former Chaminade High and University of San Diego slugger hit 10 home runs in 110 games for the TinCaps a year ago.
Astros catcher Chase Call (Calabasas High) has been assigned to the High-A Asheville Tourists. The former UC Irvine standout reached base at a .380 clip in 30 games with the Single-A Fayetteville last year.
Reds pitcher Cole Schoewetter, a Ventura native who starred at San Marcos High, has been assigned to the High-A Dayton Dragons to start the season.
Darius Vines has been released by the Atlanta Braves.
The former St. Bonaventure High multi-sport star, who made his MLB debut in 2024, missed the 2025 season because of injury. He faced just five batters in spring training last month.
Joe Curley writes the Local Chatter column for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage, follow @vcsjoecurley on Twitter/X, Instagram/Threads, Facebook and Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Simi’s Campbell makes long-awaited minor league baseball debut
Reporting by Joe Curley, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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