Roman Anthony is MLB's No. 1 prospect, and he just showed why with one massive swing. He launched a tape measure grand slam for the Boston Red Sox's Triple-A affiliate. The best part of this big moment, though, was the announcer giving Anthony a new hilarious nickname. He is now known as the "Roman Empire."
"Anthony drills it, deep right-center field, and the Roman Empire has done it again!"
Does it get any better than this? Well, it might be a bit better if the Red Sox broadcasters could call him that name in a big league uniform. For whatever reason, though, Craig Breslow has yet to give him an opportunity to make his MLB debut.
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Roman Anthony's epic grand slam is latest reason Red Sox must promote him to the majors
The call was outstanding, and the nickname couldn't be much better, but can we appreciate just how insane of a swing this was from the 21-year-old for a second?
The ball left his bat at 115.6 mph and traveled 497 feet. Yes, that's three feet shy of an even 500. It was the most impressive home run Anthony has ever hit, and the most impressive home run in professional baseball this season. I'm not kidding.
Not only was it the furthest blast we've seen all year, but Anthony's slam cleared the previous high by a fairly wide margin. This was a swing that only superstar-caliber players can put up in-game. Anthony is a special talent.
At this point, what more do the Red Sox need to see? Anthony entered Saturday's action slashing .291/.422/.485 in 56 games, and he just launched his 10th home run of the year in grand style. Sure, the Red Sox have a full outfield, but none of Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, or Wilyer Abreu have close to Anthony's upside.
If he's MLB-ready, and all indications are that he is, there's no reason to keep him in Triple-A, especially when the Red Sox are scuffling. They can figure out how to make the playing time work, and can even do so without trading Duran.
Anthony has the tools to eventually be one of the best players in the majors, and a beloved figure in Boston for years to come. He already has a perfect new nickname. Now, it's time for Breslow to make the long-awaited call.
