There was a time when Isaiah Campbell wasn’t sure baseball was going to work out. The start of his professional career hadn’t gone according to plan, with the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple injuries all but wiping out his first two seasons, and then four starts into 2022 he began feeling discomfort in his elbow again.

Once a dominant starting pitcher at the University of Arkansas, Campbell was moved to the bullpen in an effort to save his career. The turnaround was immediate, and barely a year later he made his big league debut with the Seattle Mariners, becoming a valuable member of their bullpen over the second half of 2023.

“My path to the big leagues wasn’t the straight path some guys have. It’s been a roller coaster,” Campbell said. “There’s been some rough times, there’s been some really good times, but I don’t think I’d be who I am without all those setbacks and all the stuff I’ve been through.”

Now Campbell is one of the newest and most intriguing additions to the Red Sox bullpen.

Campbell was the first big leaguer acquired by new chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, coming to Boston in a November trade for veteran infielder Luis Urias. He has since been joined by a growing collection of newcomers who should all help bolster Boston’s pitching depth, and this week he visited Fenway Park for the first time since the deal to take part in the club’s Rookie Development Program.

“You never expect to be traded, but I think it’s a compliment that all of my success and all my hard work and everything I’ve been doing up to this point, another team saw me as a viable asset to their team,” Campbell said.

Following his MLB debut Campbell posted a 2.83 ERA in 27 appearances for Seattle, striking out 33 over 28.2 innings of work. The 26-year-old right-hander boasts a mid-90s fastball along with two variations of a slider, and in Boston he’s expected to compete for one of the last spots in the Red Sox bullpen.

Beyond his baseball journey, Campbell might also be one of the most interesting people in the Red Sox clubhouse.

Standing 6-foot-4, 230 pounds with glasses and a big bushy mustache, Campbell cuts a distinctive figure and also happens to be one of only two players in MLB history born in Portugal, with the other being Frank Thompson, who played all the way back in 1875.

Campbell’s father served in the Air Force and was stationed in Portugal when he was born, and while Campbell was young they bounced around from place to place before eventually settling down in the Kansas City area.

While growing up in the midwest Campbell fell in love with hockey — the early 2010s Chicago Blackhawks specifically — and since then has made a point to get to as many games as possible wherever he’s lived. He also describes himself as a big board game guy who loves picking out new games to play with his wife and friends in his spare time.

Since Campbell came to Boston the Red Sox have traded for a number of other pitchers as well, including top prospect Richard Fitts in the Alex Verdugo deal and Rule 5 Draft selection Justin Slaten. When the Red Sox hosted the Rookie Development Program the three newcomers gravitated towards one another, and Slaten and Fitts each relished the chance to make friends with someone in their shoes who’s already tasted some big league success.

“The biggest thing has been trying to pick his brain about the little things, the day to day stuff,” Slaten said. “It’s been awesome getting to talk to him and learning from his experiences, and his willingness to share has been something I really admire as well.”

“I watched Isaiah when he was at Arkansas, dominant pitcher, there’s no doubt he’s got the stuff to be really good in the league,” Fitts said. “I think he’s going to fit in really well here in Boston, I don’t think you’re going to find a guy who will fit into a locker room any better.”

Campbell said he enjoyed getting to know his new teammates and coaches this week and appreciates that he won’t have to go into spring training next month flying blind. Once in Fort Myers he expects to compete for a spot on the big league roster, but after everything he’s overcome, he’s excited to have this opportunity and doesn’t take it for granted.

“As a kid, Fenway is a place you want to play when you get to the big leagues,” Campbell said. “Being in here, stepping foot here, being in the locker room, it’s surreal. It’s a dream come true so I’m excited to be here.”