Red Sox's 20-Year-Old Has 'Very Real' Shot At Opening Day Roster

It's an exciting time to be a Red Sox fan...

Feb 23, 2025; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (48) misses a fly ball in the second inning of their game against the Toronto Blue Jays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Chris Tilley-Imagn Images | Chris Tilley-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox already have had some very solid performances throughout Spring Training so far.

Boston is in a very exciting position. The perception and excitement around this team are in a completely different place than it was in over the last few years. Boston has plenty of talent at the big league level, more coming up from the minors, and has a realistic chance of being the top team in the American League in 2025.

Over the next few weeks, we're going to see the team having to start making some tough choices. Unlike the last few years, the Red Sox have a surplus of top-tier talent. It's likely going to be tough to lock down the big league roster because there is so much talent. One guy who obviously is worth watching is 20-year-old phenom Roman Anthony. He's one of the top overall prospects in baseball and has been great in Spring Training so far.

He has appeared in four games and is slashing .364/.417/.455 with four base hits, two runs scored, one double, and three stolen bases. The 20-year-old likely will see time in the majors at some point in 2025, but could it be Opening Day? Manager Alex Cora certainly didn't shut down the idea, as shared by the Boston Globe's Alex Speier.

"Everybody’s very real (as a possibility for the Opening Day roster),” Cora said. "I’ve been saying that since Day One. There’s a lot of stuff going on here roster-wise that, we have to make decisions based on what we want to do. Versatility comes into play. I think (Wilyer Abreu’s uncertain health) could open the door for others. But the door was [already] open for everybody."

Abreu hasn't been able to see any time in Spring Training games yet as he has dealt with a gastrointestinal illness. Hopefully, he can make a full recovery as fast as possible and get back on the field. In the meantime, could Anthony be an option for Boston?

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