Roman Anthony as No. 2 prospect in baseball

This summer, Roman Anthony’s stock has just kept rising. Baseball America’s blue-chip prospect for the Red Sox scored highly in their most recent update to their ranking of the top 100 prospects on Tuesday. The 20-year-old outfielder is now ranked as the sport’s top prospect overall.

It’s a sizable jump for Anthony, who was ranked No. 18 overall in Baseball America’s previous list from earlier this summer.

After slashing .269/.367/.489 line with 15 home runs, 38 extra-base hits, and 16 steals over 84 contests with Double-A Portland, Anthony was called up to Triple-A Worcester along with Marcelo Mayer and Kyle Teel on Aug. 11.

Since then, Anthony has continued to torment pitching at the highest level of competition in the minor leagues — with the power-hitting outfielder slashing .315/.393/.534 with three home runs, 10 RBI, 10 walks, and just 13 strikeouts over 18 games (73 at-bats) in Worcester.

In total, the Red Sox now have six prospects on Baseball America’s Top 100 list — including four players in the top 26 spots.

Beyond Anthony, the other two players who comprise Boston’s “Big Three” remain near the top of Baseball America’s list in Mayer and Teel.

Mayer dropped from No. 10 to No. 11 after the talented shortstop’s season was likely cut short due to a lingering lumbar-strain injury . He closed out his 2024 campaign slashing .307/.370/.480 with 28 doubles, eight homers, and 38 RBI with Portland.

Even though he has labored a bit since getting called up to Worcester (.172/.269/.241, one home run, eight RBI, 19 strikeouts over 58 at-bats), Teel climbed up five spots to No. 26 overall — with the 2023 first-round pick projecting in MLB as a defensive stalwart at the catcher position with a high contact rate.

The top riser for the Red Sox on the Top 100 list was breakout prospect Kristian Campbell — who rocketed from No. 99 to No. 25 after continuing to tee off against pitching at seemingly every level of competition this summer.

After batting .362 with eight home runs, 28 total extra-base hits, and 35 RBI in just 56 games with Portland, Campbell hasn’t slowed down since getting called up to Worcester last month. He’s batted .302 with three home runs and 12 RBI in just 11 games.

Boston’s first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft in Braden Montgomery moved up from No. 63 to No. 61, even though he has yet to make his professional debut while rehabbing back from an ankle injury. But the power-hitting outfielder out of Texas A&M was tabbed the “steal of the draft” by The Athletic’s Keith Law in July. 

The latest addition for Boston on the Top 100 list was Franklin Arias — an 18-year-old infielder who made his debut at No. 94 overall.

Arias, an international free agent who signed with Boston in January 2023, was voted FCL MVP for his outstanding play in the Florida Complex League, where he batted.355 with six home runs, 28 RBI, and strong defence up the middle over 51 games. This performance earned him a call-up to Low-A Salem.

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