Boston Red Sox prospect Roman Anthony talks home run derby, trade and promotion rumors, and being acknowledged
Roman Anthony became one of the top prospects in all of baseball last season, flying up from Single-A to Double-A in the process. This season, he continues to impress.
Entering Friday, the left-handed hitting outfielder is slashing .249/.349/.454 with 17 doubles, three triples, and 11 home runs in Double-A this season. He’s driven in 34 runs, scored 44 more, and stolen 12 bases. Meanwhile, the underlying numbers scream superstar, and he was recognized by being given a spot in the Futures Game Skills Showcase.
Anthony wowed the baseball world with an incredible home run display and won the showcase. He continues to be acknowledged.
How has the spotlight been treating him, though? What are his thoughts on the big three? Big four? Trade rumors? More? We went straight to the source and caught up with the Tribal Chief of Boston Red Sox prospects to find out.
Q: Futures Weekend, what was that experience like for you?
"It was great. Just getting to go to Texas and be treated like a big leaguer. That setup was amazing for the All-Star game and the Futures game. Getting to see a bunch of guys who are around the game, and the coaching staff was a bunch of legends.
Getting to play with guys that you've played all year. And playing with guys that you don't get to play with but you know and are friends that I've played with in Summer ball or whatever it may be. Sharing the field and being in the clubhouse with all those guys is a nice little break."
Q: You put on a show. Did the Skill Showcase make you consider a home run derby down the line?
"Yes. Absolutely. I'd like to think if the rounds were just a Home Run Derby, I would've done a whole lot better. But yeah, we were talking about that. Me and a couple of the guys were saying that at some point in my career, if I get invited, I'll definitely have to go."
Q: There's been a lot of talk of the "Big Three" getting promoted recently. I guess you could say "Big Four" with Kristian Campbell. Is that something that reaches the locker room?
"Not really. You hear it a bunch from different people, but as far as the clubhouse goes and me living with Marcelo [Mayer], it's not really a conversation that we have a lot. It's more so that we have such a good group here. You just mentioned us three, Campbell, and there are plenty of other guys.
We're super lucky to be able to have such a good squad here. It's like we're having too much fun that we aren't reallythinking about it. And then when the time comes, we know that whoever's making those decisions, they've done a pretty job so far at making them. So we trust whoever it is."
Q: In the same vein, the Red Sox are better than many people expected this year, and there are talks of them buying at the trade deadline. Rumors have been swirling about basically every prospect at this point, with fan and media trade proposals throwing all of you in trades. Is that something that's ever in the back of your head? Is it something that again reaches the locker room, like a fear that this is the last time I'll play with this guy?
"No, not really. I think again it's more that we're having so much fun. We appreciate playing with each other so much that we don't take it for granted.
If something like that does happen, like last year, I was in Greenville, and one of our guys, a pitcher of ours, got traded. It sucks, but we understand as players that it's part of this. The team's in a pretty good spot right now, and they need to win. It's really out of our control.
If you worry about something like that, it's going to hurt how you play on the field. So you can't really think about it."
Q: I talked to you last year right after you got promoted to Double-A. Almost a year later, how would you evaluate your progress getting here?
"There's been a lot of positives. I've learned a ton. This is, I think, officially the longest I've been at an affiliate. It's been a learning experience for sure. I think Double-A is the first spot where you really start to learn and start to struggle a little bit more than you would've thought.
We have so many resources here and so many coordinators up and down this affiliate. Portland is such a great place thatI've learned to develop around these guys.
This is a little older team. I mean, we're young for the league. But in terms of how old I am, they're a little bit older than me. So, just getting to lean on these guys and be here for a while now with some of these guys has been a great learning experience.
And we see guys go from Double-A to the big leagues. Like, we've played guys this year that have been in the big leagues. So just knowing that it's super close and really locking in and honing and developing here is huge. It's been awesome."
Q: The Red Sox took Braden Montgomery in the first round of the draft this year. What did you think of the pick, and have you gotten to talk to him yet?
"I haven't, but I've heard nothing but good things. I've heard he's a great kid. What really matters for us is continuing to get guys like him and like Teel, who will come here and are good teammates.
I heard it's similar to Teel last year, where we weren't really expecting to land him, but we got a stud again this year. The Red Sox really know what they're doing. I'm excited to meet him, and I'm excited for the future."
Q: There's been a lot of online recently of not enough baseball players having shoe deals. Fast forward a couple of years, and you've got a signature shoe. Who would you want it to be for?
"Well, I'm a NIKE guy. I always wanted NIKE. Last year, I wore Under Armour last year on a little equipment deal before I really kind of had a name for myself. They were great. They hooked me up.
But I always wanted to wear NIKE. It was always the thing that I wore in High School and what I wanted to wear when I got to pro ball, so luckily this offseason, I got a NIKE deal, so I'm locked up with those guys for the next four years, which is exciting."
Q: Portland Teals or Greenville Black Spinner jerseys?
"I gotta go with the Greenville Black Spinners just because I homered in them. Marcelo really likes the Black Spinners, but he'll probably say the teal because he doubled three times with the teal ones on, and he always wants to wear those.
I mean, they're both sweet. Portland does such a good job. Like the Black Spinners, we wear a few times, but Portland does a great job of really switching it up. I'm sure you see, we're always in a new uniform every week. It's fun, that's part of the minor leagues, and the fans really get into it. It's great, it's a lot of fun. But I have to go with the Black Spinners."
Q: This last one is more for me. MLB and MiLB have both recently been tweeting out, "We acknowledge Roman Anthony." Throwing the ones up. Is that something you've seen? Is it cool to have a brand recognition type thing? Like, there's something that they already associate you with?
"Yeah, I've seen it quite a bit, pretty much since last year when you started it. I know my agent's always reposting it, so I'm always seeing it. So, yes, I've been seeing it lately on the MLB and MiLB accounts. It's pretty cool for both sides. I think it's cool for you, too.
*I jump in* I'm still waiting for MLB to run me my check. They tweeted it out after you won the showcase, so I'm still waiting for it.
[Laughs] "Yeah, it's pretty funny. I haven't really had a nickname or a sort of saying like that, so it's funny. They've taken it and run with it the last five or six posts on their Instagram. They've done the thing (Roman throws up the one) and said, 'We acknowledge you.' So, it's pretty funny.
Follow Hunter on Twitter @Hunter_Noll.
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