Red Sox Exec Explains Why Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer Haven't Earned MLB Promotion

Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer are itching to get to the big leagues, and most Boston Red Sox fans are on the same page.

Anthony, a 20-year-old outfielder, and Mayer, a 22-year-old shortstop, have been crushing the ball at Triple-A. Anthony is making more consistent hard contact than anyone at his level (or above), while Mayer has more RBI than anyone in either Triple-A or Major League Baseball.

Both prospects certainly look ready for the majors, though it would be tricky for Boston to fit them into the everyday lineup without benching other key players. But one top Red Sox executive insists there's still more they can improve upon.

On Monday, Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham discussed the promotions of both players on the "Fenway Rundown" podcast, spelling out what they needed to show the front office before being called up.

“For Roman, you’ve seen a guy who has hit the ball hard all over the ballpark, who has played solid defense. I think we’d love to see him pull the ball in the air more for a little bit more damage," Abraham said, per "Fenway Rundown" co-host Chris Cotillo. He certainly has the ability to drive the ball to all fields. We’ve seen him do that this year, but when he’s the most impactful, he is able to get the ball out front and really drive the baseball consistently.

“For Marcelo, continue to focus on his ability to have solid swing decisions. He’s done an amazing job of that this year, impacted the baseball in the strike zone, laying off pitches on the edges and off the plate.”

Abraham didn't give a specific timeline for either to be promoted, but he affirmed his belief that both would be in the majors soon, and though the Red Sox certainly want to maximize both players' service time, he insisted that the team was putting the players first.

“Listen, they’re people, they wanna be in the big leagues and I get it. They wanna have long careers in Boston. We want them to do that as well... I feel like I tend to be the bad guy, the one who seems like I might be holding them back or not wanting them to be in the big leagues. I certainly do. We all certainly do. But again, it’s balancing the roster, it’s balancing needs, it’s balancing when they’re ultimately ready so the transition can happen seamlessly.”

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