Speaking on Friday at his charity golf tournament in Florida, Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz offered high praise of 21-year-old Roman Anthony, who made his major league debut in June of this year.

Ortiz called Anthony a 'face of the franchise,' and said he brought an undeniable maturity to the organization.

Per Ian Browne of MLB.com:

David Ortiz on Roman Anthony.

"He brought too much to the table for being 21. He has the talent, it's unquestionable. Plus he has the maturity. The Red Sox aren't famous on giving big deals to young players that early. I think it was a wonderful move to sign him right away so he just has to worry about coming to the field and being ready to whoop ass."

About Anthony

The No. 1 prospect in the sport at the time of his promotion in June, Anthony hit .292 across 71 games. He had eight home runs, 32 RBIs and a .292 batting average, which ultimately earned him a third-place finish in the American League Rookie of the Year voting.

Very disciplined at the plate, he had a .396 on-base percentage, but unfortunately missed the last few weeks of the regular season, and the Red Sox playoff run, because of an oblique strain.

He figures to be a middle-of-the-order presence in 2026, but it remains to be seen who will be playing around him in the outfield. The Red Sox have been linked to possible trades involving both Wilyer Abreu and Jarren Duran. Masataka Yoshida's future with the organization is also murky.

Red Sox front office leader Craig Breslow recently told reporters that Anthony is on track for a normal offseason and will start swinging a bat in a few weeks.

To Ortiz's point, Boston gave him a lengthy contract extension of nine-years and $130 million.

About Ortiz

One of the best hitters to ever play the game, Ortiz was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2022. He spent 20 years in the big leagues with the Minnesota Twins and Red Sox, earning 10 All-Star selections and hitting 541 home runs. He also helped lead the Red Sox to World Series titles in 2004, 2007 and 2013, and he was a seven-time Silver Slugger.

He paired with Manny Ramirez to make one of the best lineup duos of the 2000s. 'Big Papi' also won the Roberto Clemente Award, the highest off-field honor a player can have.

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