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At long last, the time has finally arrived.
We here at Talk Sox have been clamoring for this day for a while, and it's a relief to finally report that, yes, Roman Anthony is coming up to the big leagues to make his MLB debut. It's currently unclear if he'll be added to tonight's lineup against the Tampa Bay Rays, but expect him to make his debut this series at Fenway Park regardless.
Anthony, the Red Sox's number one prospect and the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball according to MLB.com, is the best player that has proliferated through Boston's farm system in quite some time. He's got 50-grade tools across the board, with his hit and power traits being considered well-above average by most scouts and industry experts.
This season with Triple-A Worcester, Anthony is batting .288/.423/.491 in 212 at-bats. He's hit ten home runs and struck out nearly as often as he's walked (56 strikeouts, 51 walks). His 146 wRC+ actually falls shy of his mark last year (147), and the 21-year-old (born May 13, 2004) has a career .879 OPS in over 1,100 MiLB at-bats.
It appears he'll replace Wilyer Abreu, who has been struggling mightily in recent weeks following a hot start and is now headed to the injured list. Having played all three outfield positions throughout his time in the minors, Anthony should get plenty of run in Boston, though he'll primarily play right field so long as Jarren Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela are healthy and on the roster.
Originally drafted in the second round (79th overall) of the 2022 MLB Draft, Anthony has steadily climbed the minor league ranks and has now emerged as arguably the most talented player across all of MiLB. With Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell already up — and Kyle Teel having been shipped off to the Chicago White Sox in the Garrett Crochet blockbuster — Anthony's debut will mark the final one for the team's vaunted "Big Three". Expectations will be sky-high for the all-galaxy prospect, but if there's anyone who can surpass them, it's Anthony. At 32-35, the Red Sox are barely hanging on to contention; perhaps Anthony's belated call-up will prove to be the spark plug that turns this ship around.
UPDATE: Anthony is batting fifth tonight and will make his debut versus the Rays. Buckle up.
Update II: The team is also selecting the contract of Brian Van Belle from Triple-A Worcester. He has a 2.29 ERA with 41 strikeouts and seven walks in 51 innings this year. In order to make room on the 40-man roster, Boston has designated Robert Stock for assignment (again).
What do you think about the Red Sox's decision to call up Roman Anthony? What are you most excited for in his MLB debut? Sound off in the comments!
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