If Roman Anthony heard the heckler calling him “overrated,” he certainly didn’t let it rattle him. Instead, he did what great hitters do—he made them eat their words.

During the Spring Breakout game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday, the 20-year-old Boston Red Sox top prospect stepped to the plate with an “overrated” tag ringing from the stands. Moments later, he obliterated a pitch, sending it 434 feet over the right-field wall at 110 mph off the bat. The crowd gasped. The heckler? Silent.

Anthony, ranked No. 2 on Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects list, shrugged off the taunts in the most professional way possible after the game. “It’s not the first time I’ve heard that this spring, so it’s always funny. But it’s part of it,” he told MassLive’s Christopher Smith. Rather than getting annoyed, he saw it as a badge of honor. “I think if they’re saying something, it’s always a good thing if you’re relevant.” 

Anthony’s response to criticism is exactly what fans in Boston love—no drama, no trash talk, just a swing that shuts people up. Red Sox Nation has seen its fair share of brash young talents, but Anthony’s calm, no-nonsense attitude is striking a chord. Instead of getting rattled, he turned the moment into a highlight reel shot, and fans are eating it up.

On social media, reactions poured in. Some compared his demeanor to David Ortiz—never phased, always clutch. Others joked that the heckler deserved an assist for fueling the blast. This wasn’t just a cool spring training moment—it was a sign of what’s coming. Red Sox fans are already picturing Anthony launching bombs at Fenway Park, hammering balls off the Green Monster, and making opposing fans think twice before opening their mouths.

If he wasn’t on Boston’s radar for 2025 before, he certainly is now.

Future Red Sox favorite? Roman Anthony is him

“Calling a top prospect overrated who hasn’t made his MLB debut is insane to me.” Fans argue that a player who hasn’t stepped onto a big-league field yet can’t fairly be judged as overrated or underrated—only unproven. In their view, someone like Roman Anthony, who has excelled at every level so far, deserves the opportunity to show what he can do before critics start writing him off.

Another described the electrifying sequence of events surrounding Roman Anthony’s home run—starting with the heckling, followed by his powerful swing, the unmistakable sound of the bat making contact, and finally, his confident bat flip. Calling it “the most hype shit I’ve seen in a hot minute,” they express just how thrilling and cinematic the moment felt, highlighting how Anthony’s response to criticism wasn’t just impressive—it was pure entertainment.

One user imagined “how satisfying it must have been for Roman Anthony” to silence a heckler with a massive home run. Facing jeers of “overrated,” only to immediately crush a 434-foot blast, is the ultimate response—no words needed. The sheer timing, the crack of the bat, and the stunned silence that followed likely made it even sweeter.

Some compared Roman Anthony’s home run moment to an MLB “Baseball Zen” segment—those slow-motion, cinematic highlights that capture the pure beauty of the game. “Shot almost exactly like one of those baseball zen segments.” From the heckler’s chant to the smooth swing, everything about the sequence felt like it belonged in one of those carefully edited, almost poetic videos. By saying “I hope this gets turned into one,” they’re hoping MLB gives the moment the Baseball Zen treatment, turning it into an artistic highlight that fans can appreciate on a whole new level.

Another fan expressed excitement about following Roman Anthony’s career, believing he’ll be an entertaining player to track as he develops. His combination of talent, swagger, and ability to deliver in big moments makes him a compelling prospect. “He’s gonna be fun to keep tabs on,” they’re anticipating highlight-reel moments, clutch performances, and possibly a rapid rise to MLB stardom.

The phrase “The dawn of the Roman Empire” is a clever play on Roman Anthony’s name, framing his breakout moment as the beginning of something historic. It suggests that his rise to stardom could mark the start of a dominant era, much like the actual Roman Empire in history. Fans using this phrase are hyping him up as a potential game-changer, hinting that his powerful home run and composure under pressure are just the first signs of what’s to come.

In the end, his talent, poise, and ability to deliver in the moment have Red Sox fans buzzing about what’s to come. If this is just the beginning, the Roman Empire might be taking over sooner than expected. Do you agree?