Roman Anthony, the 21-year-old outfield phenom, launched yet another impressive home run on Tuesday for Triple-A Worcester, smashing the second pitch of the game deep over the left-center field wall against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. What stood out most was the staggering 115.5 mph exit velocity a figure rarely seen even in the majors.
This marks the second time in just a few days that Anthony has hammered a ball at such velocity. On Saturday, he hit a homer measured at an even faster 116 mph.
To put that into perspective, only 23 balls have been hit with an exit velocity of 115.5 mph or more in the majors this season, according to MassLive’s Christopher Smith.
Widely regarded as the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball, Anthony has been living up to the hype. Tuesday’s blast was his eighth of the season. Entering the game, he was slashing .321/.453/.518 with a .971 OPS, along with 21 RBIs and 42 walks nearly matching his 43 strikeouts through 47 games.
MassLive’s Chris Cotillo speculated that Anthony could be called up to the Red Sox at any moment. Despite the mounting evidence that he’s ready for the majors, Anthony remains grounded.
Speaking to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, Anthony said he tries not to dwell on when the call might come:
“We joke about it and keep it light. No reason to get frustrated. I get to play baseball every day, no matter the level. That’s what matters,” he said.
“When you start stressing about the future, that’s when you lose focus. I’ve had a strong start by staying present and enjoying every part of the journey the team, the staff, and the daily grind.”
