News broke on June 2 that a top prospect in MLB would be called up to the major leagues. To Boston Red Sox fans' disappointment — and, at this point, shock — it was not Roman Anthony.
The Kansas City Royals have summoned Jac Caglianone to the big leagues. The 22-year-old first baseman was the sixth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, and he'll make his MLB debut after just 79 games in the minor leagues. He's slashing .292/.358/.517 with an .875 OPS in his minor league career.
Caglianone's call-up highlights Red Sox fans' frustrations with the front office. The Red Sox and Royals are two teams in a similar position. Kansas City is in fourth place in a newly competitive American League Central after it made the playoffs last season. Caglianone, a slugging first baseman, could help the Royals compete, since they've hit a league-worst 34 home runs and carry the fifth-worst team OPS with a .659. Boston has fallen to fourth place in the American League East despite high expectations early in the season. It's notched the third-most strikeouts in MLB with 572, and a staggering 165 of them have come with runners in scoring position. Anthony's .430 on-base percentage through 53 games in Triple-A this season would lengthen the Red Sox's lineup.
But instead of calling Anthony up to field the strongest version of their team, it seems like the Red Sox are hell bent on waiting out his potential Rookie of the Year window. It'd be hard to argue that Anthony has anything more to prove in Worcester, with his .303/.430/.492 slash line, .922 OPS and a perfect fielding percentage across three different outfield positions.
Royals top prospect Jac Caglianone reaches MLB before Red Sox's Roman Anthony despite team's struggles
Boston's June 2-4 series against the Angels could've been the perfect opportunity to call Anthony up. He could have debuted at Fenway Park against a sub-.500 team and had three games to warm up in the big leagues before the Red Sox head to Yankee Stadium for their first series of the year against their first-place arch-rivals.
It should be noted that Marcelo Mayer didn't start either game against the Angels since they used lefty starters on June 2 and 3. Alex Cora doesn't play his young lefty hitters against left-handed pitchers, and Anthony is likely no exception to that rule. However, he's posted a 1.025 OPS against lefty pitchers in 56 at-bats with Triple-A Worcester this year.
The Royals promoting Caglianone before the Red Sox call Anthony up is a bad look for Boston. The Red Sox went all out this offseason by signing Alex Bregman and trading for Garrett Crochet. They raved about their top prospects coming up to help the team this year. But the Royals are beating them at their own game, and the Red Sox fail to help themselves.