Early this baseball season, Roman Anthony played his inaugural MLB game. According to reports from ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the 21-year-old outfielder is nearing completion of a contract extension spanning eight years with the Boston Red Sox, valued at $130 million.
According to Passan, this arrangement is scheduled to commence in 2026, potentially reaching a total value of $230 million, and encompasses a club option that would secure Anthony’s association with the team through 2034. Passan shared this information on Wednesday.
Throughout his 46 MLB appearances this year, Anthony has achieved a batting line of .283/.400/.428, including two home runs and 19 runs batted in (RBI).
Anthony was selected as the 79th overall pick by the Red Sox during the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft, originating from Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. He later achieved the status of the sport’s premier minor-league prospect, obtaining the No. 1 position in rankings from both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline in June, just before being promoted to the major leagues.
Prior to his debut with the Boston Red Sox, Anthony gained widespread attention for hitting a grand slam that traveled 497 feet, registering an exit velocity of 115.6 mph. This occurred two days before his first Boston Red Sox appearance, propelling his Triple-A Worcester Red Sox into the lead during the bottom of the eighth inning against the Rochester Red Wings.
During his 58 games in Triple-A during 2025, Anthony, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 200 pounds, recorded a .288 batting average along with 10 home runs and 29 RBI.
Anthony made his major league debut against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on June 9. At that juncture, Gold Glove recipient Wilyer Abreu was on the 10-day IL. Anthony filled his position in right field but made an error and didn’t get a hit. Luckily for him, his initial game with the team wasn’t indicative of his performance throughout his rookie season.
During his subsequent appearance, also against the Rays, Anthony achieved a two-run double during his initial at-bat. With a single impactful swing, he facilitated a Red Sox comeback victory of 3-1 and indicated his potential as an AL Rookie of the Year candidate.
Around a week later, Anthony launched his first MLB home run. He hit a solo shot in a 2-0 away victory against the Seattle Mariners, occurring during Boston’s initial game following the surprising trade of three-time All-Star Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants.
Although Anthony has yet to maximize his power potential in the major leagues, he has accumulated 15 doubles and participated in twelve games with multiple hits. Furthermore, he has solidified his presence as a reliable contributor at the forefront of the Red Sox’s batting order.
Anthony is set to join the ranks of Boston players under contract extending until at least 2030. Others in this category include left-handed pitcher Garrett Crochet, center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela, infielder Kristian Campbell, and right-handed pitcher Brayan Bello.
