Oftentimes, highly touted prospects don't hit the ground running as many expect/hope. Baltimore Orioles fans know this all too well after second baseman Jackson Holliday's disappointing inaugural MLB campaign in 2024. And now, the Boston Red Sox faithful are getting a taste of it with promising young outfielder Roman Anthony.
Anthony was scratched from Boston's spring training exhibition opener against Northeastern due to right elbow soreness. He was set to lead off and play left field when the Red Sox announced the original lineup for the contest. But alas, the 20-year-old phenom wasn't available for the club's 5-2 victory over the Huskies.
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Roman Anthony is radiating 2024 Jackson Holliday vibes with a rough start to the 2025 MLB season
Of course, it's never too early in the season to panic, so, the alarm bells have subsequently begun ringing in Boston. Yet, while this is a less-than-ideal start to the 2025 season, early indications are this was merely a precautionary move.
Per Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald, Anthony was removed from the lineup because he was hit by a pitch the day prior. Moreover, she noted that Red Sox manager Alex Cora "wasn't concerned" about the matter, indicating it's a short-term issue.
As the No. 2-ranked player on the MLB Pipeline's Top 100 list, there's a lot of hype surrounding Anthony, and reasonably so. This past season, he flashed his tremendous upside from the plate and on the base paths at Triple-A Worcester, cementing himself as an elite baseball prospect.
In 35 games on the doorstep of the majors, Anthony hit three home runs with 20 RBIs, adding five stole bases. He boasted an impeccable .344/.463/.519 slash line. Compared to the big league average rate of .711 in 2024, his .983 OPS was stupendously good. Hopefully, the 20-year-old phenom can put this ailment behind him and continue his incredible development and trajectory.