Milliken: Why Alex Cora can’t stop comparing Roman Anthony to Juan Soto

Since Roman Anthony made his big league debut back in June, Alex Cora has made a habit of comparing him to Juan Soto, which is about the highest compliment you can currently give a young slugger. Back in spring training, Cora had used J.D. Drew as a comparison for Anthony, but it was clear something changed after watching Anthony on a daily basis. The first time Cora referenced Soto when talking about Anthony was in a quote he gave to Ken Rosenthal over the summer and he’s doubled down on it throughout the winter (Sup, Section 10). So, how fair is the comp? Let’s dive in, because I think everyone will start to see why Cora isn’t afraid to put them in the same sentence so soon.

Roman Anthony finished 3rd in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2025 after slashing .292/.396/.463/.859 with a 140 wRC+. That included 8 homers, 18 doubles, and 1 triple, with 6 of his homers coming in his final 21 games before a strained oblique ended his season. Over that stretch, he accumulated 2.7 fWAR in only 71 games, which was the 5th-highest mark amongst outfielders from the moment he debuted until he got hurt on September 2nd. Only Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr., Julio Rodriguez, and Byron Buxton were more valuable over that period.

Dating back to 1940, Anthony is 1 of 15 players to post a .396 OBP or better in his age-21 season or younger (minimum 180 plate appearances). Soto accomplished the feat 3 times and Trout did it twice. Some of the other names on the list? Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Ted Williams, Eddie Matthews, Rickie Henderson, Willie McCovey, and Albert Pujols. Williams and Anthony are the only two to accomplish the feat in Red Sox history.

When looking back at rookie seasons since 2000, it was hard not to dream about Anthony’s potential over a 162-game pace. If you were to project his fWAR from 2025 over a full season, it would’ve been a Top 10 season amongst all rookies this century. Obviously a major reason for that was his bat, but he also shined defensively, racking up 7 Defensive Runs Saved and 6 Outs Above Average while mostly playing the toughest right field in baseball. It also helps being an above-average baserunner.

Underneath the hood, Anthony was even more impressive. He finished with the best HardHit% in MLB (Minimum 150 BBE), 4th-best Average Exit Velocity, a ridiculously low 20% Chase Rate, and the highest BB% for an age-21 season since Soto. That also included a .372 wOBA, which weirdly enough, was the exact same mark that Soto posted during his rookie season back in 2018.

Looking at 2025 alone, Anthony (if he qualified) and Soto were the only two hitters in baseball that ranked in the 94th percentile or better in terms of HardHit%, Chase%, BB%, and Average Exit Velocity. When it came to Swing%, Soto had the lowest in MLB at 35.3%, while Anthony was the 3rd-lowest at 37.4% (minimum 300 PA). In terms of Z-Swing%, Anthony was 8th at 53.8%, with Soto right behind him at 54.3%. That type of hitting profile is why Anthony is already generating MVP buzz. For Soto, he’s received MVP votes in 6 of his 8 seasons played and he still hasn’t started a game at age 27 yet. Even if Anthony ends up being 90% of Soto, you’re talking about a guy who’s going to be one of the best players in the sport for the next 15 years.

So, we see how similar Anthony and Soto are currently, but what did it look like when Soto was a rookie? Good question, even with Anthony being 2 years older than Soto at the time of his debut. The answer? Not too far off at all.

Anthony as a rookie had a .261 xBA and .476 xSLG. Soto was right there with a .262 xBA and .483 xSLG. While Anthony’s Average Exit Velocity was several ticks higher (94.5 vs. 90.5), both had the exact same Max Exit Velocity of 113.7. Beyond the damage done with the bat, the plate discipline numbers were similar as well. Soto had a Chase Rate of 18.4%, which fell just short of Anthony’s, but he also registered a higher BB% of 16% compared to 13.2%. Soto’s traditional slash line wasn’t too far off of Anthony’s either, as he batted .292/.406/.517/.923 with a slightly better wRC+ of 146. One of the more noticeable differences? Soto was so unreal he had a K% of only 20%, while Anthony was up to 27.7%. Not to mention, Soto was able to tap into the long ball a bit more, while playing 45 more games.

Boiling down all the numbers, it’s easy to see why Anthony continues to see his name associated with Soto. We’re talking about two left-handed hitting corner outfielders who have a ridiculous understanding of the strikezone, the ability to get on-base at an ELITE rate, and a habit of obliterating baseballs (especially 4SFB).

On the defensive side of things, Anthony seems to have a higher ceiling on that front due to his athleticism, but he’ll likely be spending a majority of his time in left field like Soto did early on. We’ll see how the Green Monster ends up impacting his metrics, but he should be a more consistent defender than Soto was early in his career, and I wouldn’t expect the same type of falloff we’ve seen from Soto since 2023. To be fair, that could change as Anthony’s body continues to mature, with him looking more jacked every single time we see him. I do think one of the most fascinating things about Soto is that he was able to steal 38 bases in 2025 despite having a Sprint Speed in the 13th percentile. That speaks more to his baseball IQ than anything else. It’s hard to predict Anthony ever reaching that total, but he should be good for 10-12 steals annually. Who knows, maybe he unlocks another gear as he continues to grow between the ears.

While the Red Sox missed out on Soto last winter, it’s massive to have a baby version of him still getting his feet wet at the big league level. Anthony is the type of player that can completely change the trajectory of a franchise, and while it’s unfair to put that expectation on him, it’s clear the front office believes he can handle it. While Anthony doesn’t have quite the on-field flash as Soto, he seems extremely mature for his age and has already shown that the Boston media won’t be something that gets the best of him. It’s a telling sign when a veteran like Alex Bregman is going out his way to highlight your maturity.

I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the team-friendly, 8-year, $130 MM extension that Craig Breslow was able to get Anthony to accept, but it’s nothing short of a massive win. The Nationals were never able to lock down that type of deal with Soto and it led to him playing for four different franchises rather quickly. Hopefully, Red Sox fans get to sit back and enjoy Anthony’s prime for the next decade, because it should be a show that rivals what any of the superstars in this city have been able to accomplish. It doesn't take much digging to see that all the signs are there. It’s just whether you’re ready to recognize them or not. Welcome to Roman’s Reign.