Red Sox’ top prospect Roman Anthony hits 497-foot home run, futher sparking calls for promotion
Anthony's 10th homer of the season was the longest recorded in affiliated baseball this season.
Roman Anthony added to his case to be called up to the majors in the near future on Saturday.
The Red Sox’ top prospect hit a 497-foot home run in Triple-A Worcester’s 10-4 win over Rochester. Anthony’s home run, which was a grand slam, came in the eighth inning off right-handed reliever Carlos Romero. It’s the longest home run in affiliated baseball in the 2025 season, according to Statcast.
As Anthony’s homer traveled 497 feet at the WooSox’ Polar Park, the ball appeared to land over the street behind the right field bleachers. Anthony’s homer had an exit velocity of 115.6 mph and gave the WooSox a 9-4 lead at the time.
“That ball was crushed,” WooSox manager Chad Tracy told reporters, via MassLive’s Katie Morrison-O’Day. “The dugout erupted the way the ball came off the bat, the trajectory. That was a big time at-bat in a big-time moment again.
“Roman wants to be up [at the plate] in those moments, and coupled with his elite plate discipline, you know it’s not going to speed up on him and he’s going to swing at the right ones,” Tracy added. “You like his chances that when he’s swinging at the right ones the ball’s gonna find the barrel, and if the ball finds his barrel it has the chance to go a really long way.”
Anthony’s home run was his 10th in 57 games this season, which is the most among all WooSox players and tied for 12th among all Triple-A hitters. He’s also hitting .290 with a .916 OPS, adding 29 RBIs over 210 at-bats.
Anthony’s strong first two-plus months of the 2025 season have helped solidify him as the consensus top prospect in baseball. It’s also led to many calling for the Red Sox to promote him to the major league squad, especially as Boston’s deals with inconsistencies at the plate since the start of May.
The calls for Anthony to be called up only grew louder following his home run on Saturday night. The Athletic‘s Ken Rosenthal joined that chorus.
“Boston Red Sox rookie second baseman Kristian Campbell needs more defensive reps at Triple A,” Rosenthal wrote. “Top prospect Roman Anthony needs to be hitting his 497-foot grand slams in the big leagues. Exchanging one for the other would make the Sox a better team.”
Campbell, who was a part of the Red Sox’ “Big 3” prospects along with Anthony, has also cooled off at the plate so getting off to a good start to his major league career. He’s hit just .150 since he returned from a rib injury in early May, recording one home run, six RBIs, and a .403 OPS in his last 28 games.
Of course, the big issue with calling Anthony up is that there currently isn’t an open spot for him in the outfield to play. Jarren Duran has been among the Red Sox’ best hitters over the last couple of seasons and occupies left field. Ceddanne Rafaela is arguably the best defensive center fielder in baseball. Wilyer Abreu has been nearly as strong in right field, winning a Gold Glove last season.
However, by sending Campbell down to Triple-A, Rosenthal proposed that the Red Sox move Rafaela to second and Duran to center to make room for Anthony in left.
“This isn’t complicated. Campbell for Anthony,” Rosenthal wrote. “Improve the offense, improve the defense. The Red Sox’ talent is better than their record shows. But they need to start putting that talent in the right places, once and for all.”
Comments in recent weeks from Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and other members of the organization have suggested that Anthony could be called up soon. That call-up day could be imminent now, though. Earlier this week, FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray circled Monday as a potential call-up date for Anthony.
“If the Red Sox were waiting until after the road series against the Yankees, then they have an opportunity to call him up on June 9 that begins a six-game home stand against the Rays and Yankees,” Murray wrote. “Allowing Anthony to play an extended home series in Boston would 1) rejuvenate a frustrated fanbase; 2) bring optimism back to the locker room during a difficult stretch and 3) mark an impactful addition ahead of the trade deadline.”
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