Roman Anthony Is Passing the Eye Test

On a cold and snowy Friday night in Worcester, top prospect Roman Anthony was as hot as could be. The snow would worsen to the point where Saturday's game to be rescheduled, but Anthony added three more hits to his total on the season. The outfielder managed to showcase his tremendous hitting potential in an otherwise ugly game and to keep fans wondering when he'll be called up to the Boston Red Sox.

While the Woosox would go on to lose 9-2 on the night, Anthony was one of the few bright spots, recording two doubles and a single. What may have been most impressive, however, were the outcomes of his at-bats. Leading off in the bottom of the first, Anthony quickly fell behind in the count as Columbus pitcher Doug Nikhazy jumped ahead with two strikes. Anthony showed off his talent, roping the two-strike pitch into left field for a double. The ball was launched off the bat with an exit velocity of 103.8 mph, not even his hardest-hit ball of the night.

After striking out in his second at-bat, Anthony got right back to work in the fifth inning, launching a two-run double into left field once again. This time, he took launched two-strike changeup low and away at 103.7 mph. Those were Worcester's only runs.

In his final at-bat of the night, Anthony ripped another changeup for another double. This one was a little higher, around his waist, but on the outer portion of the plate. He pulled into right field, his hardest-hit ball of the night at 107.6 mph. The at-bat encapsulated the reason why the Red Sox and their fans are so high on Anthony. Despite the cold night and snow falling, he still managed to hit a pitch that on outer portion of the plate nearly 108 mph.

Anthony had three of the game's 10 hardest-hit balls, ranking fourth, ninth, and 10th on the night. The only Worcester player with a higher exit velocity than him was teammate Marcelo Mayer, who lined out in the third inning with an exit velocity of 111.2 mph.

After Friday’s game, Anthony is hitting .237 on the season, but that number doesn’t tell the whole story. Despite only having nine hits on the year in 38 at-bats, Anthony has been a much better hitter than it shows. With his on-base percentage sitting just under .400 at .396, he’s shown an incredible understanding of the strike zone and working walks. His slugging is currently sitting at exactly .500. When he is getting hits, they’re typically for extra bases. What may be most exciting about Anthony is his ability to barrel up the ball. In his 38 at-bats, he’s put the ball in play 21 times, with 10 barreled. His ability to hit the ball on the sweet spot is incredible and when he makes the jump to the majors, that should continue to help him succeed.

The only question remaining is when the Red Sox will call Anthony up to the major league roster. Per the current collective bargaining agreement, a player needs to be on the major league roster or injured list for at least 172 days in a season to accrue a full year of service. That means a player who stays in the minor leagues for at least 15 days will not accrue a full year of service time. Anthony has already surpassed the amount of time required for a team to intentionally manipulate his service time  and could be called up without accruing a full year. However, there may be another issue. Should he win Rookie of the Year, Anthony would gain a full season instead of the time he actually accrued, giving the team a further reason to keep him down. That's not to accuse the Red Sox of intentionally gaming the system, but it is a common practice and could be a factor in their decision-making.

The decision to call Anythony up to the major league roster is entirely up to the Red Sox and depends on when they feel he is ready. Still, yhr eye test shows that the 20-year-old is ready for a test at the major league level. Whether it’s before the end of April or some point later in the season, one thing is for certain: Anthony will be a major league player by the end of the year.

Interested in learning more about the Boston Red Sox's top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!