The Boston Red Sox are expected to soon call up their top prospect Roman Anthony from Triple-A to join the American League roster. Meanwhile, Anthony continues to impress in Triple-A, highlighted by his massive 497-foot grand slam off the bat at 115.6 mph against the Rochester Red Wings, marking the third-longest minor league home run tracked by Statcast since 2021. In comparison, only Joe Adele and Payton Burdick have hit longer home runs in the minors recently, while the longest MLB home run since 2015 was a 505-foot shot by Nomar Mazara.
Before Saturday’s game, Anthony showcased a solid .291/.422/.485 batting line with nine homers in 56 Triple-A games and is notably younger than most Triple-A players at just 21. Ranked as a top-tier prospect entering 2025 by RJ Anderson, Anthony stands out with impressive metrics including exit velocity and contact rates comparable to other elite prospects. However, a potential area for improvement is increasing the percentage of pulled fly balls to boost home run totals.
How the Red Sox will slot Anthony into their lineup remains uncertain since the team already has strong left-handed hitters in Adolis Garcia and Jarren Duran, while center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela is locked in for the future and Rafael Devers holds the DH role. The team dismissed the idea of Anthony playing first base, a position he’s never played professionally. Trade rumors around Duran are more about other teams’ interest than Boston trying to let him go, meaning Anthony’s arrival and impact have to be figured out soon because he’s clearly ready to contribute.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox participated in Saturday’s game, while rivals the New York Yankees have struggled, losing 10 of their last 13 games and currently sitting 4.5 games behind in the wildcard spot race.
Fan Take: Roman Anthony’s imminent debut is a significant moment for the Red Sox and baseball fans alike, bringing fresh, young talent with immense power potential to the majors. His emergence could signal a power surge and exciting future for the Red Sox, highlighting the ongoing evolution and infusion of youth shaping the sport’s next era.
