2025 Fantasy Baseball: Roman Anthony
I wrote this yesterday for Fantasy On SI, and I thought it was worth more than a link to it, as the article doesn’t have a long shelf life.
It’s only fitting that there was a commercial filmed (Prince Spaghetti) in the North End of Boston, with the catch line being, “Anthony! Anthony!” from his Mom as he ran through the street at dinner time. Red Sox fans and fantasy baseball players have been looking for their new shining prince all season. The Boston phone waves were full of “Anthony!” yesterday as his ride to the City of Champions has arrived. Over the next few years, his bat will be revered by the Red Sox community and the fantasy market.
Last season, Roman Anthony hit his way up major league baseball prospect lists after success at AA and AAA (.291/93/18/65/21 over 454 at-bats). The growth in his approach at AAA reached elite status in 2023 at the upper levels of the minors (31 walks over 164 plate appearances – 18.9%) while having follow-through in this area this year at AAA (19.2% walk rate). In addition, Anthony had about a league-average strikeout rate (22.9) over the past two seasons.
Over 93 games at AAA, he posted a .309 batting average over 343 at-bats with 78 runs, 13 home runs, 49 RBIs, and eight stolen bases while having almost the same number of walks (88) and strikeouts (88).
Anthony’s counting stats won’t jump off the page this year for fantasy teams, but his bat has a high ceiling. He is the type of player who should improve quickly and produce more power in the majors. Boston will slide him into the middle of their batting order once his swing finds its rhythm with the Red Sox. Fantasy teams will fight for him in the free agent pool this week, highlighted by his 497-foot home run on June 7th that landed him a trip to the majors.
Boston drafted Anthony in the second round of the 2022 MLB June Amateur Draft out of high school. His swing has been less productive over his last 16 games at AAA (12-for-60 with 12 runs, four home runs, and 11 RBIs), but he did take 14 walks with 18 strikeouts.
In his major league debut, Anthony went 0-for-4 with an RBI, a walk, and a strikeout.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it required Romans to do so. Boston has their Roman to help them build toward winning another World Series. When Anthony hits that critical game-winning, series-clinching home run, all of New England will have their Anthony moment, and destiny’s circle will be complete in the North End, Pasta for all!
PS New York Yankee Fans, your next World Series won’t be happening this decade! You can pay the Judge, but the jury will rule in favor of the next rising team in the AL East.