Rookies Kristian Campbell, Roman Anthony, and Marcelo Mayer have made Red Sox history by becoming the first trio of players aged 22 or younger to hit home runs in the same season since 1974, according to FanGraphs. This achievement highlights the promising talent emerging within the Boston organization during the current MLB season.
Comparing This Year’s Rookies to Red Sox Legends of the 1970s
The current group mirrors the legendary outfielders Dwight Evans, Fred Lynn, and Jim Rice, who accomplished the same feat 50 years ago. Evans had a standout 1974 season, producing 10 home runs and 70 RBIs. Jim Rice, later enshrined in the Hall of Fame, launched his first Major League home run in 1974 and impressed with 22 more the following year. Despite a broken left wrist that sidelined him during Boston’s 1975 World Series run, Rice finished second in Rookie of the Year voting and third in MVP balloting.
Fred Lynn, Evans’s teammate and fellow member of the so-called “Gold Dust Twins,” made history by becoming the first MLB player to win both Rookie of the Year and MVP in 1975. That season Lynn hit 21 homers, 47 doubles, and tallied 105 RBIs while leading the American League in slugging percentage (.566) and OPS (.967).
Current Rookies’ Home Run Performances and Season Status
This season, Kristian Campbell was the first of the trio to hit a home run, delivering his inaugural career homer in March before returning to Triple-A with the Worcester Red Sox. Marcelo Mayer followed by hitting his first major league home run on June 6 against the New York Yankees, totaling four homers so far; however, his recent slump has dragged his batting average down to .197 after an 0-for-3 outing in a 3-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants. He did not start the following game but entered as a defensive substitute in the Red Sox’s 9-5 defeat.
Roman Anthony hit his first MLB home run ten days after Mayer, going deep against the Seattle Mariners. Touted as the top-ranked MLB prospect, Anthony has struggled with consistency, batting only .111 with one home run and five RBIs since being called up from Triple-A.
Implications of This Historic Achievement for the Red Sox
This trio’s accomplishment reflects the Red Sox’s commitment to developing young talent capable of impacting the major league level. Matching the home run feats of iconic players like Evans, Lynn, and Rice sets a high bar for these rookies and generates optimism for the team’s future offensive potential. As Campbell, Mayer, and Anthony continue to adjust to MLB pitching, their progress will be closely watched by fans and analysts, who hope their performance will help Boston build a strong foundation for coming seasons.