It’s not every day a prospect debuts and makes an immediate impact. Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony is doing just that.
Anthony has been highly touted for over a year now. He was ranked the number one prospect in baseball by several outlets, for good reason. After a slow start, the outfielder has raised his OPS to .828. He’s hit in the top three in the order in almost every game since he’s been on the roster.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora can’t stop saying nice things about him.
“[Anthony] has a great swing. He has a pretty good idea of what he wants to accomplish in every at-bat. He doesn’t get too high or too low,” Cora said. “He’s actually in the business of winning… he’s one of the first ones here, one of the last ones at recovery.”
Anthony’s preparation is what stands out. Despite being just 21 years old, he never looks overmatched at the plate. He’s patient and understands the strike zone.
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If there’s an area for Anthony to improve, it’s lifting the ball. His ground ball rate is high, and he hasn’t pulled his fly balls. Once the rookie starts doing that, he’ll see more balls leave the ballpark.
Despite playing just 46 games, he’s earned the trust of his manager.
“Little by little, just get to know him. Shoot, I pinch-hit for him the first game. Probably, he won’t get pinch-hit again in his life,” Cora said.
Anthony was scratched from Monday’s game against the Kansas City Royals just before the scheduled first pitch with low back tightness.
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