Minor League Baseball

Boston Red Sox Top Prospect is Posting Metrics That Are Even Better Than Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge

Roman Anthony is hitting the ball insanely hard for Triple-A Worcester, but when will he get the call to Boston?
Brady Farkas|
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 on Feb. 23.
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 on Feb. 23. | Chris Tilley-Imagn Images

In this story:

Boston Red Sox

Roman Anthony, the No. 2 prospect in baseball, is off to a great start for the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox. Hitting .283, he's posted a .441 on-base percentage with two homers, seven RBIs and a stolen base.

And according to @JayHayKid of Underdog Fantasy, he's posted some better metrics than all major leaguers in 2024, including reigning National League MVP Shohei Ohtani and reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge.

Roman Anthony’s barrel rate at Triple-A this season is 38.7%.

The only players in MLB who had a barrel rate over *20%* last season were Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.

Anthony is one of the vaunted "big three" prospects for the Red Sox, alongside Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell. The latter made the roster on Opening Day and the former are waiting for their calls.

The No. 79 overall pick in 2022 out of the Florida high school ranks, Anthony is still just 20 years old. He's a career .284 hitter in the minors. The issue for him, at the moment, is that the Red Sox have a full outfield with Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela and Jarren Duran all playing out there. Furthermore, Campbell has played out there to give himself more opportunities to get on the field. Masataka Yoshida is also expected back soon from injury, complicating matters further.

The following comes from a portion of Anthony's MLB.com prospect profile:

Anthony's advanced swing decisions, quick stroke and growing strength allow him to make more consistent contact and generate higher exit velocities than most players his age. He pulled the ball with more authority than ever in 2024, though he won't fully tap into his plus-plus raw power until he lifts pitches more regularly. He could become a .300 hitter who provides 30 homers and ranks among the league leaders in walks on an annual basis.

Related MiLB Stories

EMERSON HANCOCK DEALING: The former Mariners top prospect put together a great start for Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday, leading to wondering if he could be back in the fold for Seattle this week. CLICK HERE:

SPEED DEMON: Konnor Griffin, one of the top prospects in the game, just put everyone on notice with his blazing speed. CLICK HERE:

TO THE HALL: Congratulations are in order for Boston Red Sox star Jarren Duran, who just earned election to the Worcester Red Sox Triple-A Hall of Fame. CLICK HERE:

Published | Modified
Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is the senior writer for “Minor League Baseball on SI’’ and the host of “The Payoff Pitch’’ podcast, which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. Follow Brady on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady.

Home/NEWS