BOSTON — When Roman Anthony put pen to paper Wednesday and finalized his eight-year, $130 million extension that ties him to the Red Sox for nearly another decade, he cemented himself as a cornerstone of the big league clubhouse for years to come. The foundation of that status, however, was laid seven months ago in Dallas.
Anthony, before ever stepping foot on a major league field, took the somewhat unusual step of flying to Texas for a crash course in being a big leaguer. It wasn’t a team-sponsored event or league-sanctioned rookie initiation. Anthony, interrupting his offseason work near his South Florida home, flew west to join “Story Camp,” the annual unofficial gathering held for a handful of Red Sox players by veteran shortstop Trevor Story.
In January 2024, Story hosted a group of infielders that included infielders Triston Casas, David Hamilton, Vaughn Grissom and Nick Yorke for a few days of workouts, hangouts and baseball activities in Dallas. Last winter, Story was joined by Casas, Grissom, close friend Rob Refsnyder and Anthony, who used it as an opportunity to get accustomed to his future teammates ahead of his first go-around in big league camp.
From the batting cage to Terry Black’s Barbecue and then a suite at a Lakers-Mavericks game, Anthony, then four months shy of his 21st birthday, fit in seamlessly. It stood out that he was able to connect so seamlessly with older team leaders like Story, 32, and Refsnyder, 34.
“Just the way he carries himself is the biggest thing,” said Story. “It’s almost like he’s a 10-year vet in a 20-year-old’s body with his mindset. Very advanced, very locked in to being a great baseball player.
“I’ve been out to dinner with him a few times and you forget, he couldn’t even have a drink with us (then),” Story added. “You think, this guy is way ahead of his years when it comes to the way he acts, the way he speaks.”
The Red Sox rewarded Anthony with a nine-figure deal less than 50 games into his big league career, in large part, because of his performance so far and immense potential. But the club’s comfort with Anthony as a person played a role, too. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and other team decision-makers view Anthony as the face of the franchise in the not-too-distant future. A big reason for that is how he’s approaching his career.
In Dallas, Anthony didn’t spend much time asking about five-star big league hotels or the best clubhouse spreads around the league. He pressed Refsnyder, who has two young children, about how to balance a big league career and a growing family. He asked Story, who had dealt with injuries in three consecutive seasons, about body care and conditioning. Anthony’s inquiries turned heads.
“He was asking me a lot about my body guys and all my prep stuff to get ready to go out there and be healthy,” said Story. “I think that was a big conversation he was really into because he wants to do it for a long time and I think he understands it starts now, when he’s young, so that you don’t have a lot of stuff to unwind when you get older. That was a pretty advanced thing you don’t see many younger guys asking.”
Refsnyder added: “He was just curious. At this stage of his career, his body probably feels better than (others). I think he was intrigued by some guys’ routines and how they manage their time. He’s an inquisitive guy.”
The veterans also saw, even in a practice setting, how balls off Anthony’s bat sounded and looked different.
“What impressed me was just how advanced his approach was,” Refsnyder said. “You hear a lot about pull-side air and all that but he’s very old school with grooving his swing to left-center. We’ve seen a lot of really nice hits to the opposite field, a lot of wall-balls and things like that. He’s got a really, really nice inside-out swing. And obviously, how hard he hits the ball is the first thing that really stands out.”
On Wednesday, Cora recalled his first genuine interaction with Anthony. Before a spring training road game, Cora headed out to the dugout 40 minutes before first pitch, as is custom for the manager. Boston’s top prospect was already there preparing for the game.
“He was there before I got there,” Cora recalled. “He treated me like he knew me for years. Asked me questions about my family, the game, all that. I was like, ‘This is different.’
“He wants to know who you are and what drives you. That caught my attention and he hasn’t changed.”
In spring training this year, Anthony, along with fellow top prospects Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell, were with the big league group for the entire time. The trio gained a high-profile locker neighbor when Boston signed Alex Bregman and put him next to the group at JetBlue Park. In February and March, the “Big Three” became immersed in the club’s clubhouse culture. Of the three prospects, only Campbell made the team.
“It was really fun getting to know him, how professional he is at his age,” said Refsnyder. “I was bummed out when he got sent down, honestly, because of how well he mixed in with the group.”
By mid-June, both Mayer and Anthony were up with the group and six weeks later, Anthony is not just leading off for the Red Sox but also serving as an on-base machine in the middle of a pennant race. All the while, he has praised teammates endlessly in interviews and, in the words of Cora, does a great job of locking in — or as the Red Sox call it, “making the main event the main event” — when the game starts.
“It’s different,” said Cora. “Usually, rookies gravitate toward veterans. In this case, it has been different in every sense.”
Refsnyder, who unlike Anthony played college ball, was playing in the Pac-12 when he was Anthony’s age.
“I was pretty self-aware of if someone had a little bit more experience at whatever level, to be respectful of their time, but he goes above and beyond that,” Refsnyder said. “I definitely wasn’t as mature as him.
“I think that speaks volumes, when older guys like us really enjoy being around him. I don’t think you could ask for a better routine, how he approaches being a rookie in the big leagues and how respectful he is of everyone’s time. He’s the real deal.”
In Dallas in January, the other players gathered around Anthony didn’t know exactly when he’d join them in Boston. They did know he’d be there to stay, a reality shored up by Wednesday’s monumental extension.
“He’s a special guy, man,” said Story. “He’s a special mindset, a special work ethic, and has a special belief in himself. There’s a confidence factor that goes a long way. You can see it if you’re around him or talk to him at all.”
“I don’t know where he learned it, his upbringing or something like that, but it’s impressive,” Refsnyder added. “It’s easy to pick on younger players, just the nature of learning at the big league level. But he’s probably one of the most professional people in here.”
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