The Next Face of MLB is Currently in Worcester, MA
- Presley Walker
- 8 hours ago
- 4 min read
I'm all-in on Boston Red Sox prospect Roman Anthony.
Faces of Years Past
Major League Baseball seems to constantly be searching for “the next face of the game.” In the 90s, you had Ken Griffey Jr., a player with the kind of swag the game had never seen. Kids were trying to mimic the backwards hat look, that sweet lefty swing, and the general electricity he brought to the sport. The early 2000s had Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, two shortstops who took the game by storm, one being a pure talent on a level all by himself, and the other leading the most respected franchise in the league to championship opportunities year in and year out.
The late 2000s and early 2010s had a few faces, but it’s hard to overlook Josh Hamilton and his legendary 2008 Home Run Derby performance, which was followed up by one of the most jaw-dropping seasons of all time in 2010. These became core memories of my childhood and instrumental in me falling in love with the game. Harper and Trout would follow, one being quiet and productive and the other more brash and embracing of the spotlight.
Ohtani and Judge have dominated the MVP voting year in and out for four straight seasons. Now, with the call-ups, debuts, and even All-Star appearances for guys like Paul Skenes, Elly De La Cruz, and Gunnar Henderson, who is next in the pipeline for lead star and face of the sport? I think I have the answer.
Roman Anthony.
Anthony's Rise
I have absolutely fallen in love with the swing, the athleticism, and the swag that the Boston Red Sox prospect carries. It is as if he knows stardom is right around the corner, similar to Bryce Harper during his rise through the ranks. Anthony has it all as the no. 2 prospect in the most recent Baseball America top 100 list, and would be the no. 1 if Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki had not posted and made the move to MLB this offseason.
Anthony rose through the rankings rapidly throughout the 2024 season, batting a combined .291 in AA/AAA ball with 32 doubles and 18 home runs, while swiping 21 bags in 119 games…at 20 years old. He has continued his development in 2025, posting a 1.026 OPS through six games at Triple-A Worcester, boosted by a whopping eight walks so far. Although his Spring Training was not the most impressive showing, he created one of the most viral clips of March with an up-close shot of his smooth left-handed swing on his lone home run, with the classic “overrated” chant by a fan in the background.
Shades of a Former MVP
In 2010, Josh Hamilton put up a league-leading 8.7 bWAR, batting .359 with a 1.044 OPS, leading the Texas Rangers to their first of back-to-back World Series appearances and taking home a well-deserved MVP trophy. Hamilton was a star, manning centerfield and hitting third for one of the best lineups in the sport. Just a year removed from putting up one of the craziest rounds in Home Run Derby history, Josh Hamilton had proven the many doubters wrong, although it was not an easy path to get there. Hamilton was drafted first overall in 1999 and was projected to be what he was in 2010 much sooner, but drugs and alcohol derailed that path. His prime would be short-lived, unfortunately, as he signed a big contract with the Angels in 2013, basically abandoning the support system he had built for himself in Texas. He would ultimately go down the same path he was on before his success. He remains one of the biggest of “what ifs” in the history of baseball.
All of that to say, that question may be answered with Roman Anthony.
Everything about this kid reminds me of what I grew up watching in Josh Hamilton. The build, the swing, the raw talent, and the composure while he is under the lights just takes me back to that time, and that could be why I am so obsessed with wanting Roman to succeed and be that next star. Roman Anthony has his entire career in front of him with an opportunity to play for one of the most storied franchises in MLB, in front of some of the most passionate fans of any sports franchise, and be part of a core that could bring many more championships to Boston. He has “it” all in front of him, and if he captures things correctly, he could not only be the next face of Major League Baseball, which craves a new face every few years, but he also may represent what one of the game’s best talents may have been, were it not for a lack of self-control. To my knowledge, Anthony is not fighting any of those types of demons, meaning all that stands in the way of him dominating MLB is his impending call-up to the Show.
To quote the great Terrell Owens, once Roman Anthony is called up, “get your popcorn ready.”
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