the lineup card: vol 8
Beginning on July 9, over 600 high school and college ballplayers will hear their names called by organizations in the 2023 MLB draft. For some, it will mark the beginning of an arduous trek to the big leagues. Others will forgo the opportunity to sign right away, betting that they will be selected at a more financially beneficial slot in a future draft class.
While exciting, this process can be equally overwhelming for those who have earned the right to be in this situation. Unlike the NFL or the NBA where most prospects have made a name for themselves on the collegiate stage, here there are an abundance of 18-year-olds who will soon be forced to decide between either honoring their college commitment or leaving a scholarship behind to chase a childhood dream.
Last year, former Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School star Roman Anthony and Evansville North product Cameron Decker were faced with the same dilemma. Anthony had already signed his letter of intent to play SEC baseball for Ole Miss University while Decker planned on wearing the black and gold for The University of Central Florida. Even after months of filling out questionnaires, communicating with pro scouts and participating in private workouts, both players accepted the possibility that major league clubs would not offer what they had hoped.
Ultimately, each of them signed despite being chosen 16 rounds apart. Once the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers came calling, Anthony and Decker experienced what 10.5% of college seniors and less than 1% of high school athletes get to find out – what are the next steps after being drafted into Major League Baseball?
Draft Day
Anthony, now 19, sat in his West Palm Beach home with his parents and two older siblings on draft day last July. He had no interest in throwing a party; he simply wanted to spend the moment surrounded by his family. As round one came and went, Anthony acknowledged that it was a little bit stressful watching name after name disappear from the TV screen. The star outfielder maintained his composure as he had throughout the entire process, understanding that he was in a win-win situation no matter the outcome.
“I didn’t let the whole draft thing take over my life,” Anthony said, further mentioning that he was genuinely looking forward to college if he did not land the offer he felt he deserved. “If my worst-case scenario is playing in the SEC, I’ll be just fine.”
Around pick No. 55, Anthony’s phone started buzzing with text messages from his agency and members of the Red Sox organization expressing interest in making him their next draft choice. With the 79th pick in the second round, it became official.
“It was super relieving knowing that I was gonna be able to play for such a winning organization that develops players really well,” Anthony said. He felt that he had built a great relationship with their scouts and front office members leading up to the draft. Knowing that he could train close to home in Fort Myers and play in an iconic baseball town made the decision a no-brainer. “Who doesn’t want to play at Fenway?”
Decker, who is also 19, had to wait a bit longer. The UCF signee had already been on campus since June 28 for freshman baseball orientation, two summer classes and work with the Knights’ strength coach. Instead of spending the moment with his family like Anthony, Decker received the news while surrounded by three roommates in his dorm.
“I don’t think it hit me right away,” Decker admitted. His family saw his name appear on the draft tracker before he had the chance to tell them over the phone. “When I got the call I was still kind of just, I don’t know, not really living in the moment. I think later on throughout the night, that’s when it really kicked in…talking to parents and friends and all that so it was awesome.”
At this point, there was still no guarantee that either player would sign. Anthony took time with his family and agent to discuss what they felt was a fair number to pull him away from a full ride at Ole Miss – $2.5 million, which is well over the $820,400 slot value for the 79th pick. The Red Sox ultimately agreed that Anthony’s potential was worth the steep investment.
As for Decker, being an 18th-round pick came with some extra hurdles. The Dodgers made it clear that they wanted him but the organization needed to figure out what they could offer. When earlier draft picks sign over their slot value or decide not to sign, it affects how much pool money is available in the later rounds. Some teams will strategically take players with smaller price tags early on so they have better odds of convincing promising high school prospects to sign later in the draft.
The Dodgers flew Decker out to their spring training complex in Arizona nine days after being selected so he could get a feel for the environment and hopefully make his decision easier. One day later, Decker put pen to paper after being offered a $187,500 signing bonus, according to Jim Callis of MLB.com, but only $62,500 counted against the Dodgers’ draft pool. Decker knew if he waited a few years, there was a chance he could be drafted much earlier and sign for more money.
“I’ve heard from very many people that the Dodgers are different when it comes to development,” Decker said confidently. Seeing the way they operated in person only confirmed that for him, making it worth the gamble in his mind. “There’s no guarantees in baseball and you’re not guaranteed to get drafted in three years. If I work at it, in three years I could be in Double-A or something like that.”
His father flew from Indiana down to Orlando, brought all of his stuff from college out to Arizona, and Decker got right to work in his new colors — Dodger blue and white.
“It was a lot quicker of a turnaround than I thought”
Once the draft ended, Anthony initially expected to have some time off before being asked to report. Soon after, he found out that would not be the case.
“Honestly, it was a lot quicker of a turnaround than I thought,” Anthony said with a slight chuckle. A few days after signing, he flew out to Boston to undergo a physical, took batting practice on the field at Fenway and enjoyed a game with some other members of the draft class. Anthony “had a blast” hanging out with Boston’s newest additions and quickly formed close bonds with Mikey Romero, Cutter Coffey and Dalton Rogers. Right after that, they all flew back down to Florida and reported to the Red Sox training facility in Fort Myers.
The Florida and Arizona Complex Leagues are the first destination for minor leaguers. There is a two-week “ramp up” period for players before they see game action. This includes lifting, practicing team defense and hitting. Once that ended, a typical FCL game day for Anthony would include arriving at the complex by 7 a.m., eating breakfast at 7:30 and completing pre-game work on the field before first pitch at noon. The ACL schedule was slightly different for Decker, as almost all of his games began at night, so the workday began with lunch. All of the opposing fields are located within 30 minutes of each other and teams play every day but Wednesday and Sunday.
“As 18-year-old kids coming in, they expect you to fail and they expect you to learn,” Anthony said. “You adjust, you get used to it every day and you get to a point where it’s like, ‘OK, I can really do this.’”
Offseason into Spring Training
By the time first-year players get acclimated to their new surroundings, the season ends in the blink of an eye. Anthony played just 10 games in “rookie ball” and finished with another 10 with Low-A Salem in Year 1. Decker’s season ended after four games due to suffering a concussion in a freak weight room incident in which an unsecured barbell fell on his head while he was on a foam roller.
Both the Red Sox and Dodgers kept in close contact during the offseason, checking in on Anthony and Decker’s progress back home while setting specific individual goals for them to reach. Anthony was told to continue working on becoming faster and more explosive so the Red Sox could keep him in center field long-term. He also hit the ball on the ground quite a bit to end the year, but the Red Sox were not too concerned since it was such a small sample size. Decker sent videos to the Dodgers’ hitting coaches for feedback on his swing. He also needed to add 10 pounds of muscle by spring training, so the team created a specific program for his body.
Conveniently for Decker, Dodgers’ performance coach Tyler Norton lived nearby and owned a gym close to his hometown, so he was able to lift and take swings there all winter. Decker also trained at the PRP Baseball facility in Indianapolis and got to face live pitching against three arms that made their MLB debuts in 2022 or 2023 – Guardians lefty Tim Herrin, Angels righty Sam Bachman and Mets reliever Bryce Montes de Oca, who Decker described as throwing 102 mph sinkers with 20 inches of horizontal ride. Facing that type of talent indoors where it is more difficult to see the ball helped Decker feel more prepared for spring.
“Once I got outside and saw the white ball, it made it look pretty slow,” Decker said. “When I truly settled in was spring training this year. I took the offseason very seriously and knew what I needed to do to get better, and I think it really showed during spring.”
Reporting to spring training is a true “welcome to the show” type of moment. Like the rest of minor league prospects, Anthony and Decker arrived to their team’s respective facilities just a couple of weeks after the big leaguers showed up. They approached the fields hearing the crack of bats, the rhythmic thuds of baseballs hitting gloves, and the voices of all the names they grew up watching on television.
Anthony described it as super motivating seeing guys like David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia and current game planning coordinator Jason Varitek there among others helping out. Decker found it equally rewarding watching how Triple-A guys prepare, along with other top prospects in the system. He has also had the chance to talk with retired five-time All-Star Adrián González, who shared tips on how to approach different types of pitchers. González continued to be a presence for some of the Dodgers’ lower-level affiliates after the season began.
Spring training is a constant grind – no days off, early mornings and long hours. But the competition is great. Once extended spring was over, both players got to report to Low-A.
A new season begins
“It was nice to actually play in front of fans,” Decker said, noting that games in the Complex League are mostly attended by front office members and maybe a family or two. He was promoted to the Quakes, playing in the mountains of Rancho Cucamonga, California. “Definitely different playing a six-game series where you play the same team six times in a row. I’ve never done that in my life. To say, ‘I’ve seen this guy hit 10 times already, I know what he’s gonna do,’ is pretty different.”
Decker also had to adjust to multiple new positions. Initially drafted as a shortstop, the Dodgers felt the best way to get his bat consistently in the lineup was to move him around as a utility player. Whether it was first base, third base or outfield, Decker embraced the challenge. He put in a lot of early work learning how to read the ball off the bat, master the footwork to put his body in the right position to make plays and communicate with other outfielders when it is difficult to see in the hazy California sky. The Quakes were thin in the outfield, so that naturally became his spot.
After finishing 2022 with Low-A Red Sox in quiet Salem, Virginia, Anthony knew what to expect in Year 2. He learned a ton from new Red Sox hitting director Jason Ochart and his staff, who broke down advanced metrics as detailed as how hard his swing should be at his body weight. He adjusted to living far from home in as a teenager in a new town, leaning on his teammates who made the same sacrifices for the same dream. The Red Sox went “above and beyond” to ensure the players ate well, were comfortable in their hotels and on bus rides.
Anthony slashed .228/.376/.317 with a 1:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio during the first 42 games, showing a very disciplined approach. Salem’s ballpark is historically considered pitcher-friendly due to its dimensions, but the second-rounder knew he was playing strong defense and putting together good at-bats, despite the power numbers not being apparent at first glance. During the end of the last game of a two-week road trip, Anthony was pulled aside by the coaches, letting him know that he was promoted to High-A Greenville.
“When you look at a baseball card, the stats might not be eye-popping but I hit the ball really hard and they took note of it,” Anthony said. He added that it was relieving for him to be rewarded for the work he put in, feeling lucky to be part of an organization that sees that. On short notice, Anthony packed up his belongings and joined his new teammates in Greenville, South Carolina.
Anthony was now the youngest player in the league surrounded by a more experienced roster. “Obviously, it’s a whole different group, so it takes a bit of adjusting but these guys welcomed me with open arms,” he said. The on-field pace was a bit quicker than Low-A, but according to Anthony, it was still the same game.
Through 13 games with the Greenville Drive, Anthony is hitting a productive .313/.441/.729 with five homers, five doubles and 11 walks. He is lifting the ball in the air consistently and leans on the knowledge of his teammates, who he described as being great for his development. Anthony is now ranked as the No. 9 prospect in the Red Sox system, according to MLB Pipeline.
Advice for the 2023 MLB Draft class
Currently rehabbing in Arizona from a stress fracture in his left hand’s metacarpal bone, Decker took some time to reflect on his experience as a first-year pro. He once felt down on himself after going 1-for-12 at the plate to start his pro career. The .400 average he always had growing up was simply not sustainable at the next level. He even found out the hard way that if you do not consistently drink water in Arizona’s desert climate, you can get lightheaded pretty quickly.
Every day is a learning experience in pro baseball. It forces players like Decker and Anthony to grow up fast, adapting to being on their own and taking care of themselves. Whether they find themselves in a slump at the plate or are simply missing home, there are always other guys on the team dealing with the same thing that are willing to help.
“This game isn’t about being perfect. Trust that you’re there for a reason,” Decker said. He knows late-round picks can put extra pressure on themselves to perform, feeling that it could be easier for teams to move on from them compared to bigger financial investments. “You gotta block it out the best you can because if you think about that stuff too much, it’s going to eat you up.”
Decker has experienced just about all the emotions minor league baseball has to offer. The former shortstop learned to play outfield on the fly while competing against the toughest competition of his life. He overcame he mental hurdles of an early slump, finding a rhythm at the plate by hitting three doubles and three triples, which raised his batting average from .083 up over .200 before his hand fracture. Now, he is a couple of weeks away from moving past the second injury of his professional career.
He has leaned on his roommate, Logan Wagner, a sixth-round pick from last year. Like any other 19-year-olds, they enjoy watching TV shows and playing the popular video game Fortnite together during their free time. But the majority of the time, they are all business. The two Dodgers prospects have developed a routine of doing red light therapy in the mornings, which Decker believes has made a difference in muscle recovery.
Anthony, who is already turning heads within the Red Sox fan base 12 months after being drafted, is enjoying every moment. He loves playing in the lively city of Greenville where there are plenty of places to explore and passionate fans. The travel and everyday competition of minor league baseball can be exhausting, so Anthony prefers to take advantage of resting whenever he can. However, sometimes he finds it beneficial on off days to hit the golf course, grab a bite to eat with a buddy or go for a walk to take his mind off the game for a few hours.
Soon, those that sign from the 2023 MLB draft class will begin walking the same path that these two are on. Whether they are selected on the first day, second day or third day, there will inevitably be teammates and coaches eager to help.
“Try to learn as much as you can. Don’t worry about the results,” Anthony advises to the upcoming draft class, adding that their first-year performance does not matter in the long run. “All of these guys are gonna fail more than they’re used to…I’ve failed more than I ever have. Just take care of your body, really ask questions to your coordinators and see what you can improve on.”