Will Roman Anthony be Jarred Kelenic or Brady Anderson?
Red Sox Video
Top prospect, Roman Anthony, has been called up by the Red Sox to play in the show. How will he perform? Is he here to stay in the big leagues, or will he need more seasoning again in the minors?
Will he stick for the whole season?
|
Roman Anthony: Batting (2022-2025)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

Just sit right back and hear a tale about two other top outfield prospects, for what might be in store for Roman Anthony. Both of these prospects were highly regarded center fielders with 5 tool ability, but it took 5 seasons for one to reach his potential, while the other is just entering his fifth MLB season. Players with five tool potential are the most complete position players with top tier abilities in these five areas:
- Hit for Average
- Hit for Power
- Speed
- Fielding
- Arm Strength and Accuracy
The first is former Red Sox Brady Anderson. He was the top AL East Division prospect in 1988 and was the opening day center fielder and Boston lead-off hitter, starting in 41 of Boston’s first 49 games, but only hit .230 before being sent down to the Pawtucket AAA minor league team.
In the heat of a pennant race in 1988, Boston traded Brady Anderson and Curt Schilling to the Baltimore Orioles for Mike Boddicker.This was a trade that the Red Sox would regret though not at first.


From 1988-1991, Brady Anderson set a record for playing more than 60 games in the field for 4 seasons straight while batting .231 or less, but broke out in 1992 with an All-Star 5.2 WAR season, leading the league in plate appearances as the Baltimore Orioles lead-off hitter, a role he held for the next 9 seasons, while becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs in one season,1996, and stealing 50 bases in another,1992.
Anderson averaged 3.3 WAR/year, peaking at 6.9 WAR in 1996 with his 50 home run season, during which he became, at the time, only the second major leaguer after Willie Mays to have a 50 HR/20 SB season.
Although Mike Boddicker helped bring two AL East Division titles in 1988 and 1990, and Curt Schilling, of course, returned to bring two World Series titles to the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007, the trading away of Brady Anderson lost the Red Sox an all-star center fielder and leadoff hitter.
From 1992 to 2001, Brady Anderson was the Orioles lead-off hitter and centerfielder compiling these offensive numbers. We'll never know what he would have brought the Red Sox had he not been traded.
| Brady Anderson: Batting (1992-2001) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Seasons
|
Age | Team | WAR | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ | rOBA | Rbat+ |
| 1992-2001 | 28-37 | BAL | 33.2 | 1410 | 6363 | 5338 | 919 | 1411 | 292 | 56 | 199 | 668 | 258 | 83 | 807 | 957 | .264 | .372 | .452 | .824 | 116 | .374 | 117 |
| Avg per Season | 3.3 | 141 | 636 | 534 | 92 | 141 | 29 | 6 | 20 | 67 | 26 | 8 | 81 | 96 | |||||||||
| Avg per 162 Games | 3.8 | 162 | 731 | 613 | 106 | 162 | 34 | 6 | 23 | 77 | 30 | 10 | 93 | 110 | |||||||||

In 2025, Jarred Kelenic, the other former prospect, is in his fifth year. Originally with the Mets, Kelenic was part of the 2018 trade between the Mets and the Mariners for veterans Edwin Diaz and Robinson Cano.
In 4 years, Kelenic has shown some major league ability but not enough. He has averaged 95 games/year over the past four seasons with the Seattle Mariners and Atlanta Braves.

Kelenic almost matched Brady Anderson’s record of 4 years of a .231 or lower average while playing over 60 games in the field. In his 2nd season, he played only 50 games in the field, and in his 3rd season, he hit .253.
However, Kelenic was optioned to the minor leagues on April 28, 2025, potentially derailing his major league career.
Below are their stats for their first four years.
Brady Anderson took 5 years to mature to become a solid offensive threat. Jarred Kelenic may yet still.
So do you think Roman Anthony will be more like Jarred Kelenic or Brady Anderson?
| Brady Anderson: Batting (1988-1991) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Seasons | Age | Team | WAR | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ | rOBA | Rbat+ |
| 1988-1991 | 24-27 | BAL,BOS | 2 | 390 | 1273 | 1081 | 139 | 237 | 42 | 11 | 10 | 88 | 53 | 17 | 135 | 210 | .219 | .313 | .306 | .619 | 77 | .300 | 76 |
| Avg per Season | 0.5 | 98 | 318 | 270 | 35 | 59 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 22 | 13 | 4 | 34 | 53 | |||||||||
| Avg per 162 Games | 0.8 | 162 | 529 | 449 | 58 | 98 | 17 | 5 | 4 | 37 | 22 | 7 | 56 | 87 | |||||||||
|
Jarred Kelenic: Batting (2021-2024)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Seasons
|
Age | Team | WAR | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ | rOBA | Rbat+ |
| 2021-2024 | 21-24 | ATL,SEA | 0.7 | 383 | 1423 | 1284 | 154 | 273 | 61 | 6 | 47 | 154 | 31 | 13 | 125 | 432 | .213 | .284 | .379 | .663 | 86 | .292 | 85 |
| Avg per Season | 0.2 | 96 | 356 | 321 | 39 | 68 | 15 | 2 | 12 | 39 | 8 | 3 | 31 | 108 | |||||||||
| Avg per 162 Games | 0.3 | 162 | 602 | 543 | 65 | 115 | 26 | 3 | 20 | 65 | 13 | 5 | 53 | 183 | |||||||||



12 Comments
Recommended Comments
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now