Red Sox's Roman Anthony Gives Teammate Marcelo Mayer High Praise

Boston's young star outfielder calls his friend and teammate a "stud" after Mayer's strong spring training debut.

Feb. 27, 2026 at 11:26pm

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Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony offered a glowing endorsement of his teammate Marcelo Mayer, the team's 2021 first-round draft pick, following Mayer's impressive spring training performance. Anthony, who is considered the new face of the franchise, called Mayer a "stud" after the 23-year-old infielder hit a 381-foot home run in his spring debut. The two players are close friends who came up through the minors together, and Anthony's confidence in Mayer's abilities comes at a time when the organization has shown some doubts about Mayer's readiness for an everyday role in 2026.

Why it matters

Mayer has faced some early criticism and doubts about his ability to live up to his status as the 4th overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, but Anthony's strong endorsement could provide a much-needed confidence boost for the young player. The Red Sox have added veteran depth in the infield, which suggests they may not be fully committed to Mayer as an everyday starter yet, making Anthony's support all the more important.

The details

After Mayer hit a 381-foot home run in the Red Sox's spring training game against the Atlanta Braves on Friday, his close friend and teammate Roman Anthony offered a simple but glowing review of Mayer's potential, saying "He's a stud." The two players came up through the Red Sox minor league system together and are known to be close friends, with Anthony considered the new face of the franchise. Mayer struggled after being called up to the majors last May, batting just .154 against left-handed pitching, leading the Red Sox to add veteran infielders Caleb Durbin and Isiah Kiner-Falefa in the offseason, which suggests the organization may have some doubts about Mayer's readiness for an everyday role in 2026.

  • Mayer hit the 381-foot home run in his spring training debut on Friday, February 24, 2026.
  • Mayer struggled after being called up to the MLB roster last May.

The players

Roman Anthony

A 21-year-old outfielder who is considered the new face of the Boston Red Sox franchise.

Marcelo Mayer

A 23-year-old infielder who was the 4th overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft by the Red Sox. He struggled after being called up to the majors last May.

Caleb Durbin

A veteran infielder added by the Red Sox in the offseason, suggesting the team may have doubts about Mayer's readiness for an everyday role in 2026.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa

A veteran infielder added by the Red Sox in the offseason, suggesting the team may have doubts about Mayer's readiness for an everyday role in 2026.

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What they’re saying

“He's a stud.”

— Roman Anthony (MLB.com)

What’s next

The Red Sox will continue to monitor Mayer's progress throughout spring training as they determine his role for the 2026 season.

The takeaway

Roman Anthony's strong endorsement of his close friend and teammate Marcelo Mayer could provide a much-needed confidence boost for the young player, who has faced early doubts about his ability to live up to his high draft status. The Red Sox's offseason additions of veteran infielders suggest the organization may not be fully committed to Mayer as an everyday starter yet, making Anthony's support all the more important.