The Boston Red Sox have stumbled out of the gate, posting a disappointing 12-19 record through the first month of the season. While the entire roster has struggled to find consistency, one player's slow start has stood out above the rest: top prospect Roman Anthony.

The highly-touted young slugger entered the weekend with a slash line of just .209/.339/.232—numbers that fall far short of the sky-high expectations placed on him. After missing several games with lower back tightness, Anthony returned to the lineup in Baltimore, moving from the leadoff spot to the third hole in the order. So far, though, the results haven't changed.

"I'm not hitting," Anthony said bluntly. "It's early, but it's obvious, right? It's no secret. I'm just not where I want to be. But I'm feeling better every day, so... new month, time to just reset."

For those who have followed Anthony's career, this kind of struggle isn't entirely new. When he was first called up to the big leagues last June, he posted a .637 OPS through his first 21 games in Boston. He sees clear parallels between that rough patch and his current slump.

"(This is) similar," Anthony said, comparing the two funks. "I've always started slow, everywhere I've been. I'm not worried about it. It's not something that keeps me up at night. I know I've put in the work, I'm doing what I need to do, and I'm going to be alright."

One encouraging sign: even when he's struggling at the plate, Anthony continues to draw walks. His .339 on-base percentage shows he's still finding ways to reach base, even when the hits aren't falling. Interim manager Chad Tracy sees this as a promising foundation.

"When Roman is bad, he's still OK because he still finds his way to first," Tracy said. "He always walks because he has a pretty good understanding of the strike zone. For me, when he gets pitches to drive, (it's important) that he's through the ball and it's in the air and it starts to be in the middle of the field, or opposite side. When you start to see that happening, that's when we're gaining on it."

For Red Sox fans and fantasy owners alike, the message is clear: Anthony's struggles are real, but his track record suggests better days are ahead. As the calendar flips to a new month, all eyes will be on the young slugger to see if he can turn things around and live up to the hype that made him one of the most anticipated prospects in baseball.