Brett Campbell had pitched just a handful of innings in his college career when he was drafted in 2004, and when he was taken by the Montreal Expos after his senior season at Kennesaw State University, it was in the 34th round.
Even his parents weren't terribly optimistic. His dad, Brad Campbell, was a 27th round pick of the Braves in 1978 and never made it out of the minors. His mom was, typically, a concerned mom.
"A lot of people didn't expect too much," said Campbell, a right-handed reliever now at Triple-A New Orleans with the Nationals. "The chances and opportunities for a 34th rounder weren't too good, but I went into it with an open mind."
Campbell, after all, wasn't a typical late-round pick.
He didn't pitch much at Division II Kennesaw in Northwest Georgia. He was a third baseman by trade and an occasional pitcher out of the bullpen in college. He had thrown a bit in high school, too, and while his fastball reached the low-90s, it was as raw as his slider and changeup.
"He was a guy that touched 94 [mph] with an above-average slider," said Dana Brown, the Nationals director of amateur scouting. "You take a shot. We weren't really getting a guy we thought could help us win at the minor league level, but he developed into a pretty good prospect."
It didn't take him long.
After going 4-2 with a 1.69 ERA and 19 saves last season at low Single-A Savannah, the 25-year-old began a quick ascent through the Nationals' system at high Single-A Potomac this season.
In stops at Potomac, Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A New Orleans, Campbell was a combined 3-5 with a 2.79 ERA in 60 outings, establishing himself as an unlikely prospect along the way.
Though he was among the last signed picks in 2004, he became the second member of the Nationals' '04 draft class to reach Triple-A--faster than Erick San Pedro (second round), Ian Desmond (third round) and Collin Balester (fourth round).
And this fall, he'll pitch in the prospect-rich Arizona Fall League, something he never envisioned two years ago.
"I can't wait," Campbell said. "When I got the phone call telling me I was going to Arizona, coming from the 34th round and going to the AFL, where each team's best prospects are playing, I am really excited about it. Hopefully I can go out there and show these guys what I've got."
To reach TODD JACOBSON:
Email: tjacobson@freelancestar.com