The Boston Red Sox are experiencing a thrilling surge of talent in their farm system, as 19-year-old outfielder Roman Anthony emerges as a major breakout prospect.
Any die-hard baseball fan has heard about Anthony for a while now. Considering how big of a disaster the Sox have been this season, we may not have to wait much longer for Anthony to show his face in the big leagues.
Anthony’s remarkable ascent through the minors has caught the attention of the baseball world.
Keith Law of The Athletic declared: “Outfielder Roman Anthony isn’t just Boston’s breakout prospect this year; he might be the biggest breakout prospect in all of the minors.”
Roman Anthony with an RBI-single to make it 5-0 Portland.
The Boston Red Sox prospect is hitting .333 with seven RBI in Double-A.
Acknowledge him. ☝️☝️☝️ pic.twitter.com/Ec0T5Z9ynz
— Hunter Noll (@Hunter_Noll) September 17, 2023
Anthony’s journey began with a promising start in Low-A Salem, and he quickly ascended to High-A Greenville before concluding his first full professional season in Double-A Portland.
His impressive performance encompassed a .272 batting average, 45 extra-base hits, including 14 home runs, 64 RBIs, and an impressive .869 OPS over 106 games.
What sets Anthony apart is his ability to thrive at each level of competition. He exhibited an impressive upward trajectory, showcasing a .692 OPS in Low-A, a .981 OPS in High-A, and a remarkable 1.020 OPS in Double-A. His continued improvement as a teenager in the upper echelons of the minor leagues is nothing short of extraordinary.
In addition to his offensive explosiveness, Anthony displayed remarkable plate discipline, boasting 86 walks in 491 plate appearances – a rarity for a player in the modern era of baseball.
Law further praised Anthony’s skills, saying: “When people talk about pretty left-handed swings, they mean this. That wouldn’t mean much without a strong eye, but Anthony has already shown excellent plate discipline and coverage for his age, including very low chase rates, especially before he gets to two strikes.”
Red Sox OF Roman Anthony has seen 24 pitches in 4 AB (it’s the 5th inning) & is 1-2, 2B, 2 BB, 1 K. Below, he put a great swing on a 3-2 FB for a 2B. The ability to drive the ball to all fields he showed in Greenville has continued in Portland as has his impressive defense in CF. pic.twitter.com/aFmMqdUYB6
— Ian Cundall (@IanCundall) September 14, 2023
Law’s admiration for Anthony’s abilities is reflected in his midseason ranking, where he placed the young phenom at #45 among the top prospects in all of baseball.
With Anthony’s continued success in Double-A and his solid defensive performance in center field, his ranking is poised to rise much higher in the upcoming offseason.
Anthony’s meteoric rise hasn’t gone unnoticed within the Red Sox organization. He has surged to the #2 prospect spot in the team’s hierarchy according to MLB Pipeline and SoxProspects, a significant leap from his initial rankings of #10 and #11, respectively, at the start of the season.
If Anthony maintains his exceptional trajectory, he could make his debut in the big leagues before his 21st birthday, a feat accomplished by only a select few prospects.
Taking a step back and looking at the big picture, what do you think the Red Sox need to do to get things back on track?