Bold claim: Roman Anthony is poised to transform the Red Sox lineup, and the ABS challenge system could unlock a new era of plate mastery for him. But here’s where it gets controversial: will the new two-dimensional strike zone really level the playing field for a young hitter, or will veterans find ways to bend the rules in their favor again? And this is the part most people miss: Anthony’s 2025 rookie season hinted at a rare blend of discipline and instinct that could be amplified by ABS in 2026.
Roman Anthony impressed in his rookie year with a maturity at the plate that belied his experience. He posted a 20 percent chase rate, a mark that placed him in the 94th percentile among big leaguers and suggested a level of swing decision-making you don’t often see from a player so early in his development.
Worcester Red Sox manager Chad Tracy, who supervised Anthony for 93 games across two seasons, highlighted his standout trait: plate discipline. “What’s the most special attribute about Roman? It’s his plate discipline,” Tracy said. “It’s hard to describe honestly for a kid his age. It’s rare even for a veteran with a decade in the league, and to see someone so young navigate the zone with such confidence is the most exciting part about him.”
The ABS system changes the frame in which Anthony operates. It creates a smaller, two-dimensional strike zone—positioned between the front edge and the back tip of the plate—and it tightens the boundaries compared with traditional definitions. In Triple-A, umpires adjusted to this more precise zone quickly, typically calling strikes closer to the corners while narrowing the edges and avoiding a zone that sways with the count.
If the strike zone shrinks, hitters gain because more pitches are likely to be called strikes in their favor, nudging pitchers toward middle locations. Sox assistant hitting coach John Soteropulos explains the dynamic: a smaller zone can tilt outcomes toward hitters, encouraging more confident decisions.
Additionally, batters can challenge calls they believe are out of the zone. In 2025, Statcast data showed that roughly 13 percent of borderline pitches outside the zone were still called strikes for Anthony—a middling figure compared with veterans like Kyle Schwarber, Shohei Ohtani, and Mike Trout, who enjoyed an 8 percent called-strike rate on similar borderline pitches.
Anthony has acknowledged he sometimes faced the “benefit of the doubt” less than his veteran peers. He believes ABS could level the field, reducing the advantages that longtime pitchers might enjoy and forcing umpires to rely on a more standardized approach to borderline calls.
Bottom line: Anthony’s jump from Double-A to Triple-A in 2023–24 set the stage for a dramatic leap when faced with higher-quality pitching. He posted a strong .277/.379/.494 line with an impressive 13 percent walk rate and a 24 percent strikeout rate in 94 games for the Portland Sea Dogs. In 93 Triple-A games against more advanced pitching, he climbed to .309/.438/.501 with a 19 percent walk rate and a 20 percent strikeout rate. The jump wasn’t solely about talent; experience, physical development, and favorable park conditions contributed as well. The ABS system—and the accompanying smaller strike zone—could magnify Anthony’s strength: selective patience, better counts, and more opportunities to drive pitches when the zone tightens.
There’s potential for multiple hitters to benefit from ABS, especially players who struggle to reset after a bad call. Dillon Lawson, Sox assistant hitting coach, notes that the system may help players who tend to dwell on a miscue. Anthony isn’t one of them; he believes the narrower zone and the option to contest missed calls could amplify his performance.
“I trust my eye. I feel like I have a pretty good feel for the zone,” Anthony said. “It was cool in Triple-A, and I enjoyed it a lot. I definitely tapped my helmet a fair amount, which I think worked to my advantage.”
Observers who’ve watched him with ABS expect a notable uptick in his first full major-league season. Chad Tracy underscored the anticipation: “We’ve seen what Anthony can do with ABS—fans haven’t yet seen what’s coming in 2026.”
Alex Speier can be reached at alex.speier@globe.com. Follow him @alexspeier.
