Over the last few days, MLB Network has been revealing parts of its Top 100 Players Right Now ahead of the 2026 season. Regarding the Boston Red Sox, they’ve had a few of their players make the list. So far, Aroldis Chapman (84), Ranger Suarez (79), and Jarren Duran (58) have made the Top 100. However, a fourth Red Sox player was named, and he only played 71 games in 2025. Where did the Red Sox’s young star, Roman Anthony, place in the MLB Network Top 100 Players Now list?
Red Sox Young Star Making People Notice
GettyRed Sox’s Roman Anthony
On Thursday night, during the MLB Network’s Top 100 Players Now countdown, they placed 21-year-old outfielder Roman Anthony 41st. MLB’s No. 1 prospect in 2025 came onto the scene and made a name for himself right away. It says a lot about how the flagship network for MLB has him ranked so high already, as the 41st best player in the league, while playing only 71 games in 2025.
During the 2025 season, Anthony had a .292 average, with eight home runs, 32 RBIs, 18 doubles, one triple, 40 walks, and was 3.1 wins above replacement (WAR). It’s something to consider when seeing Anthony being a 3.1 WAR player in only 71 games played, following a call-up in June. Moreover, he even finished with a 140 OPS+. His slash line for the 71 games came out to a .396/.463/.859. All of that while being the mainstay as the Red Sox’s leadoff hitter.
If his 71 games were extrapolated over a 162-game schedule, Anthony would have been a 7.2 WAR player. He could have had 171 hits, 41 doubles, two triples, 18 home runs, 73 RBIs, nine stolen bases, and a .292 average. What could have been if he started the season on the roster and played the entirety of 2025 instead of a mid-season call-up. Either way, Anthony came onto the scene in a big way, and it seems like the MLB Network sees the Florida native as the real deal already. For the Red Sox, they hit big on Anthony and are ready to see him play at Fenway Park for the next eight years.
That was not the only thing the young Red Sox star was named to over the week. Could he be in for his first All-Star selection in 2026?
Anthony Predicted as 2026 All-Star
Earlier in January, Bleacher Report Walk-Off gave their predictions of who could be named to their first All-Star Game in 2026. One of the names was Anthony after his stellar rookie season in 2025. When it comes to the Red Sox’s young star, it’s no surprise that he could be viewed as a potential All-Star this upcoming season, especially when he makes the Opening Day roster following Spring Training.
He is already written down in Sharpie as the leadoff hitter for manager Alex Cora and the Red Sox. If he can get to a hot start and surpass his 2025 numbers, there is no doubt Anthony can be representing the Red Sox during the mid-Summer Classic.
It helps that he could be an All-Star in 2026, when looking at Anthony’s splits against lefties and righties. Against lefties, he went 25-for-90 in 98 plate appearances, hitting .278, with a slash line of .337/.443/.770 over the 71 games last season. When facing righties, Anthony was 50-for-167 in 205 plate appearances, hitting .299. His slash line came out to .424/.479/.903. Give him between the start of the season and All-Star voting, Anthony will be right up there with the best of them.
It’s fair to predict that Roman Anthony will be an All-Star in 2026. It just comes down to what his numbers will look like when the All-Star weekend rolls around. Either way, it’ll be fun to see him represent the Red Sox when the time comes.
Red Sox Young Star Named to Top 100 & Predicted for All-Star