How Red Sox’s Long-Term Future Could Be Shaped By Underrated Benefit

The Red Sox’s future sure looks bright.

Not just because their farm system has improved in recent years, highlighted by the trio of Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and Kyle Teel. But also because of the chemistry that’s forming among Boston’s next wave of prospects.

“It’s amazing,” Anthony told NESN’s Tom Caron and The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier on the latest episode of the “310 to Left” podcast. “We spend a lot of time together at spring training. And not just the three of us, or the four of us. It’s all of us and all of the guys in this clubhouse. We’re all so close. We hang around after the games, before games. We get there early and sit around and talk. We’re all so open with each other. We’re constantly doing things — getting lunch, getting dinner, whatever it is. We’re literally always together. So, it’s awesome. It makes the game slow down so much, and it makes the game much easier when you’re taking the field with a group of guys that you really are super close with and love to play with and love being around. And it just makes winning that much more fun — when you’re winning with a group of guys who you hope to win with for a while.

“So, I’ve got nothing but positive things to say. It’s such a great group, from the coaching staff to medical, all the way down. It’s been amazing so far. And I think I can speak for everyone when I say we’re just having a blast playing baseball right now.”

Obviously, camaraderie isn’t the be-all and end-all. There have been plenty of teams over the years who’ve been chummy, only to fall flat because their talent level wasn’t up to snuff.

So far, the latter hasn’t looked like a problem. Anthony, Mayer and Teel are among the best prospects in baseball, let alone the Red Sox pipeline. And the former, while intangible, could be a real separating factor as clubs across MLB continue to infuse young players into their big-league rosters.

The Red Sox have a group of prospects who not only like each other, but who hold each other accountable in the pursuit of reaching the majors and achieving greatness — together. It’s a friendly yet competitive environment that ultimately could breed success at the highest level.

“It’s a little bit different for me, Marcelo and Kyle, because we all play different positions. But I think just the group as a whole — whether it’s the (batting practice) groups, the infield groups, the outfield groups — we’re always doing something where you can make it competitive,” Anthony said. “And I think it’s great when you have a group of guys that have that friendly competitiveness and make it a competitive environment in practice and hold each other accountable constantly. We have a group of guys that are constantly holding each other accountable and always pushing each other to get better and better. We feed off each other, we build off each other and we constantly talk about different things and how the game went and adjustments we could make.

“So, again, it’s just amazing when you have a group of guys who are constantly just willing to show up to the field every day and push each other and hold each other accountable and make each other better every day. Because it truly does make each of us better, and it makes winning easier almost in a sense, when you push each other in practice.”

Anthony, Mayer and Teel all currently are stationed at Double-A Portland, where the Sea Dogs have been battling atop the Eastern League standings so far in 2024. They might arrive to the majors at different points when all is said and done, but they’re on similar trajectories, allowing them to learn together, grow together and win together.

“Sometimes in the minor leagues, that winning feeling and that togetherness can be lost sometimes because people are just trying to constantly develop and move up,” Anthony said. “But I think we have a group of guys here who are so present and so stuck on getting better here, where we are now, and winning here, that it just makes it a lot more fun, and it makes everyone better.”

Player development oftentimes isn’t a straight line. And it’d be unfair to view the Red Sox’s “big three” prospects — Anthony, Mayer and Teel — as long-term saviors amid Boston’s rebuild. But the franchise should be optimistic about the culture it’s fostering down on the farm.

There’s a collective buy-in, which doesn’t always come easy, and the combination of chemistry and talent someday could prove fruitful in Boston.