The Boston Red Sox are amidst a youth movement, shown by the recent call-ups of top prospects Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer. These two joined a lineup that includes another one of the team’s best prospects, Kristian Campbell. (That the splintered Sox management traded 28-year-old superstar Rafael Devers is another matter entirely.) I interviewed Anthony and Mayer twice while they played in the minors for NewBostonPost. I wrote two Q&A articles on each player—something rare in right-wing alternative media.
I first interviewed both players in Hartford, Connecticut, in April 2024. At the time, they played for the Portland Sea Dogs alongside the Red Sox’s other top prospect: Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel (included in the trade for Garrett Crochet). Campbell was still in High-A and didn’t break out until May 2024. I drove over hours from the South Shore of Massachusetts to Dunkin’ Park, home of the Hartford Yard Goats.
A Sea Dogs radio broadcaster helped me coordinate the interviews. Tracking players down in the minors can become chaotic. The broadcaster worried Mayer might skip the interview after several recent ones, but all three players—Mayer, Teel, and Anthony—agreed. I spoke with Mayer last while dozens of autograph-seeking fans tried to get his attention.
Then I drove home. The game was interesting, but I got what I needed pre-game and preferred not to return late. The hype around these players amazed me, even at Double-A. I’ve covered professional baseball on and off since 2014, mostly Triple-A ball. The Pawtucket Red Sox teams from a decade ago featured top prospects like future Hall of Famer Mookie Betts and Gold Glover Jackie Bradley Jr., whom I interviewed before. Betts may have been the first player I ever interviewed at age 17. Not even Rusney Castillo—the $72 million man and one of the worst contracts in Red Sox history—generated this much buzz. He even drove a brand-new Porsche to McCoy Stadium.
I spoke to Mayer and Anthony again in March 2025 while covering the Worcester Red Sox. I requested a press pass for a day when I expected rain. I learned in 2017 that rainouts create more time to interview players because the team cancels the game after pre-game. This allowed me to speak with six players, including Mayer and Anthony. Anthony was the last player I interviewed, and teammates told me not to worry about interrupting him. Mayer, Anthony's close friend, advised me never to hesitate when asking players for interviews. I appreciated this, since I often wait for players to finish what they’re doing before approaching them.
The interviews taught me a lot about both players. Mayer switched from hitting both ways in late-elementary school until eighth grade, then began hitting exclusively left-handed, his natural side. That background might put him at a developmental disadvantage against left-handed pitching compared to a typical left-handed rookie, since he spent more years hitting righties.
Anthony hit three grand slams in a single game at the Cooperstown Dream Parks as a kid. A National Baseball Hall of Fame employee expressed amazement when I shared that fact. I’ve always wondered how good these Major Leaguers were as kids. That answered my question. I also learned Mayer had no experience at positions other than shortstop, except pitcher, before turning pro. Every player in elite AAU tournaments is a shortstop, so kids often play out of position, but when you’re the future fourth overall pick of the MLB Draft, you get to play shortstop over all of those talented kids. Anthony also said he wants to become a professional golfer after baseball. Both players also knew they belonged in the big leagues at the start of the season. Mayer flat-out said it, and Anthony said he wanted to make it there as soon as possible.
What stands out most about these two is how they carry themselves. They rank among the top prospects because of their skills, but also because they act like pros despite their youth. Their maturity and accessibility feel genuine. This is what you want when covering pro sports—not clichés, egos, or posturing, but real players who know their worth and carry themselves accordingly.