At just 20 years old, Roman Anthony is ranked as baseball’s No. 1 position player prospect for 2025. He has a solid chance of securing a spot on the Boston Red Sox’s Opening Day roster, provided he continues performing well in spring training and if Wilyer Abreu’s unspecified “gastrointestinal virus” keeps him out of action for an extended period.
Last season, Anthony spent two months in Triple-A and appeared almost uninterested at the plate. In 35 games, he hit .344 with a .982 OPS, three home runs, 20 RBIs, and an equal number of walks and strikeouts (31 each). Although the Red Sox’s outfield is already crowded, if Abreu is left off the Opening Day roster, it would create an opportunity for Boston to bring up their top prospect and give him a taste of the majors.
The main concern surrounding Anthony is his defense. He’s primarily played center field in the minors, with occasional stints in the corners. MLB Pipeline rates his fielding at 50 (out of 80) and suggests he may eventually be moved to a corner spot as he progresses.
While there’s no indication that his defense is a major issue, Tony Massarotti seemed to view it differently. On 98.5 The Sports Hub, he criticized a scouting report that stated Anthony could become an above-average outfielder, launching into a lengthy rant about it.
“What do you mean, ‘should‘?” Massarotti basically screamed down his mic. “‘Should’ tells me that he’s not good and that he’s gotta grow into it. […] How is a guy the No. 1 prospect in the game if his defense sucks?”
Red Sox No. 1 prospect Roman Anthony had incredibly mature response to Tony Massarotti calling his defensive capabilities into question
This kind of contrarianism is downright frustrating. Massarotti went on to claim that Anthony is likely to become a designated hitter after reading a single scouting report (which, by the way, was still positive and optimistic about Anthony’s development, according to Massarotti himself). He focused on nitpicking one word, allowing himself to spiral into a rant over it. It’s unreasonable to expect any prospect to come into the majors fully polished, especially someone as young as Anthony, considering how much harder the game becomes at the major league level.
To his credit, Anthony responded to Massarotti’s criticism with maturity, choosing to focus on praising both the organization and the city of Boston instead of getting caught up in the negativity.
“They’re always there and they hold us to a standard. And I love that,” Anthony said. “I think playing in Boston, you’re playing meaningful baseball 24/7. So just taking on challenges like that is something I’m super excited to be a part of and to learn about when I’m actually there.”
Massarotti looked like he was on the verge of combustion while yelling about Anthony, so killing him with kindness was the perfect way for Anthony to respond. He knows that nothing is promised, and he can surely hold himself to a higher standard than a shock jock.
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