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\u201cEvery time I see him, I just try to remind him how good he is. I think he forgets sometimes he\u2019s 21,\u201d said teammate Jarren Duran. \u201cWhen I was 21, I was probably messing around somewhere. I wasn\u2019t in the big leagues being a top prospect and having an extended contract with a big-market team like the Boston Red Sox.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s got the weight of this organization \u2014 they\u2019ve put the weight of the world on him. I think he\u2019s doing a great job managing it. \u2026 [And] it is one of those markets where media is a big presence. As a 21-year-old, that can be tough, but he handles it like he\u2019s a 10-year vet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anthony has long been praised for his talent and maturity<\/a> \u2014 part of why it\u2019s possible to imagine a different growth curve than most big leaguers, especially after last year\u2019s spectacular debut. <\/p>\n But while talent accelerated his arrival in the big leagues, he\u2019s early in his baseball education. Many players at 21 experience throwing issues or offensive inconsistency, but navigate them in college or minor league ballparks. Anthony does not have that luxury.<\/p>\n \u201cWe talk about development at the major league level, and that\u2019s essentially what we\u2019re doing,\u201d said third base and outfield coach Kyle Hudson. \u201cBut for me, the confidence level is sky high with this kid. He\u2019s going to get through any challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n That seems likely, but doesn\u2019t mean Anthony will avoid growing pains. As impressive as he was in 2025, a young player\u2019s first full big league season often proves harder than the preceding callup.<\/p>\n The last three Sox position players to start on Opening Day at age 21 \u2014 Rafael Devers in 2018<\/a>, Xander Bogaerts in 2014<\/a>, Dwight Evans in 1973 \u2014 struggled in their first full big league seasons before cementing themselves as anchors the following year. All eventually emerged as stars.<\/p>\n The path required work and patience layered atop exceptional talent. If Anthony merely holds his own instead of starring this year, that\u2019s not a failure.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s always important to remind yourself of [his age], just to contextualize the situation,\u201d said Sox director of major league development Chris Stasio. \u201cCredit to him for how quickly he moved through the system and how quickly he came onto success at the major league level. That\u2019s a testament to his character and his work ethic and his values and how much he wants to help the team.<\/p>\n \u201c[His youth] is always something to consider, but luckily for us, it\u2019s something that you have to consider a little bit less [than with others],\u201d Stasio added, noting the consistency of Anthony\u2019s pregame offensive and defensive routines.<\/p>\n Still, at this stage, struggles and mistakes are unavoidable \u2014 which means, at times, the Sox need to create an environment where Anthony is forgiving of his own mistakes.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s this very blurry intersection between pressure and expectations. The expectations placed on Roman are driven by his talent, and he probably puts higher expectations on himself than any of us,\u201d said chief baseball officer Craig Breslow. \u201cWe\u2019re all going to make mistakes. I think he\u2019s probably starting from a much better place than most of us in terms of raw ability. Our job is just to make sure that the raw ability surfaces as often as possible.\u201d <\/p>\n To others, it\u2019s mind-blowing that Anthony is already the proverbial drink-stirring straw on the Sox as he navigates the learning process.<\/p>\n \u201cHe might be the face of the team right now,\u201d Bogaerts observed on his recent visit to Fenway.<\/p>\n Bogaerts noted how different Anthony\u2019s entry into the big leagues has been from his own, when the infielder resided in shadows cast by stars David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia. Anthony, meanwhile, is already a frequent spokesperson for the state of the team.<\/p>\n Is that a comfortable development environment for a young player? Do the Sox believe they\u2019ve provided the appropriate scaffolding for this stage of his development?<\/p>\n \u201cI do,\u201d said Breslow. \u201cHe\u2019s got a network [with the team]. He has a network off the field. He\u2019s a good kid who has great relationships, and I fully believe he\u2019s got the [needed] support system around him.\u201d<\/p>\n Members of the Sox praise Anthony for the way he processes struggles or mistakes \u2014 absorbing them in the immediate aftermath of a game, then moving forward productively the next day. But they\u2019re mindful of giving him the space to grow, understanding that this immensely promising version of him is not a finished product.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re under this microscope. Every little thing we do wrong gets magnified. That\u2019s just part of the game. Learning to deal with it is just part of the game,\u201d said Duran. \u201cHe\u2019s 21, so by the time he gets to my age, he\u2019s probably not going to care and be an even more amazing player than he is right now. I can\u2019t wait to see that development out of him.\u201d <\/p>\n Alex Speier can be reached at alex.speier@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him @alexspeier<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Roman](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/EQHPR623NXWO3STYN5JECIBIWE.JPG\")
Roman Anthony has made two errors already this season, and has some work to do on his throwing mechanics from left field.Danielle Parhizkaran\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n![\"When](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/WHXJ5KGGTYI6HAHPQ5CRINGJVM.jpg\")
When Xander Bogaerts (right) was 21 years old for the Red Sox in 2014, he had established stars such as David Ortiz leading the team.USA Today Sports<\/p>\n