As Roman Anthony sat down next to the Portland Sea Dogs dugout at Hadlock Field for an interview with NESN, his friend and teammate, Marcelo Mayer, walked up behind the interviewer and made faces, trying his best to get Anthony to break.

“You see Marcelo making faces there, that’s just Marcelo,” said Anthony, a 20-year-old center fielder.

Mayer, 21, and Anthony formed a close friendship after meeting at spring training in 2023. This season in Portland, they’ve added catcher Kyle Teel, 22, to the mix. Last Saturday, the three amigos represented the Sea Dogs at the MLB Futures Game at Globe Life Field, in Arlington, Texas. Mayer and Teel played in the Futures Game, while Anthony won the Futures Skills Showcase.

“I kind of got to take a back seat in this one and see the boys enjoy their first experience. Obviously it was awesome to see Roman do his thing in the skills challenge,” said Mayer, who also took part in the Futures Game last season in Seattle. “It was my second time, and I’m just super grateful. There’s a lot of players who don’t get to do that once, so for me to get to do it twice, it was a really cool experience.”

Mayer, Anthony and Teel are the undisputed top prospects in Boston’s minor league system. According to MLB Pipeline, the order goes Mayer (7th), Anthony (14th), Teel (21st). Over at SoxProspects.com, it’s Anthony, Mayer, Teel.

Each has spent all season with the Sea Dogs. In Friday’s game against the Reading Fightin Phils, they were at the top of Portland’s lineup once again, with Anthony hitting leadoff and playing center, followed by shortstop Mayer, then Teel catching and hitting third.

A second-round pick in 2022, Anthony carried a .241 average with 10 home runs, 27 RBI, and 38 runs scored into Friday’s game. The fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, Mayer leads Double-A with 26 doubles, to go with a .301 average, seven home runs, 36 RBI and 55 runs. Teel entered the weekend hitting .298 with eight home runs, 49 RBI and 53 runs.

Drafted in the first round by Boston last year, Teel hit a pair of double in the Futures game, while Mayer went 0 for 2.

“It was a great experience being around a lot of talented players,” Teel said. “It was a really cool experience to be there with some of my great friends. It’s really cool how we’re teammates on the field and buddies off the field. It’s a really great dynamic we have going, and life is good.”

The highlight of the event, said Teel and Mayer, was cheering on Anthony in the skills competition, especially after he was in last place following the first two events. The two served as their friend’s caddie, bringing him water.

“I was giving him a pep talk, but I just wanted to let him do his thing. Honestly, I was probably talking more smack than anything. I was like, ‘dude, I’ll be your water boy, no problem,'” Teel said.

Mayer said he intentionally roasted Anthony a little, knowing he would take it in the spirit intended and loosen up for the final round, a home run derby.

“I met him last spring training (in 2023) and we got really close. I see Roman every single day. I live with him. We have a really good friendship. Me, him, Teel, all those guys in there. We’re like a travel ball team. It feels like we’ve known each other our wholes lives,” Mayer said.

While Anthony got bunts down in the first round, he failed to place them in the target. In a game, Anthony’s bunts likely would’ve gone for a sacrifice, and that would have pleased Sea Dogs Manager Chad Epperson. In the skills competition, they were worth no points. Anthony said in the second round, a call-your-shot hitting contest, it took him too long to adjust to the pitching machine and start putting the ball where he had to hit it.

“It was a slow start, for sure. I was in last going into the last round, and I said I can’t come here and get last. Going into that last round, I was like, screw it. I’ve got nothing to lose. Let’s not get last here,” Anthony said, “and I end up getting first.”

Having Mayer and Teel there made the victory sweeter, Anthony said. They all want to move on to Triple-A Worcester, and eventually Boston, and they all want to help the Red Sox win together. When that happens is out of their hands, and for now, they’re happy to push each other in Portland.

“We’re all so close and such good friends, we don’t worry about what we can’t control. We have fun and just continue to build that bond we have,” Anthony said. “It’s not just us three, it’s the whole group. People don’t see outside the lines, but we’re so close as a group, we’ve got an awesome thing going.”

Watching the success enjoyed by the Red Sox over the first half of the season inspires the Sea Dogs, Mayer said.

“I think you’re expected to win. That’s who we want to play for. That’s what’s beautiful about the city of Boston, the fans of Boston,” Mayer said. “They expect excellence, and I think they’re doing a great job. Hopefully they keep it going.”