Boston Red Sox icon David Ortiz recently offered a candid and humorous perspective on how today’s MLB players compare to those from his era. During a spring training appearance on MLB Network Radio, the Hall of Famer praised the size, strength, and athleticism of the modern game while reflecting on how dramatically the sport has evolved.
Ortiz, a three-time World Series champion with the Red Sox and a 2022 Hall of Fame inductee, noted that the physical profile of today’s players stands out immediately. Reflecting on his era, he explained that there were fewer towering, sculpted athletes dominating clubhouses across the league. Now, he sees a generation defined by imposing builds, year-round conditioning, and explosive movement that continues to raise the sport’s physical standard.
MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM shared audio from the conversation on X, formerly Twitter, highlighting Ortiz’s candid take on the athletes he encountered in camp.
“These guys’ bodies nowadays, it's very impressive. I mean, in our day, you could count the tall guys on one hand. It wasn’t many tall guys, very well built. Nowadays, everybody’s very well built. The athleticism you see from these guys now is very impressive.”
Are modern baseball players making Big Papi feel SMALL?🤣
The Hall of Famer breaks down how impressed he is with the athleticism of players at Spring Training:#RedSox | @RedSox
🔗 https://t.co/WG5zyiVTKm pic.twitter.com/Mc5YidQ33a— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) February 26, 2026
During the same segment, host Eduardo Perez asked whether the 2026 version of the everyday MLB player ever makes Ortiz feel “short” by comparison. The seven-time Silver Slugger laughed before delivering the line that quickly made the rounds across baseball fans on social media.
“Hahaha, kinda, sometimes yes. We’ve got this kid right here, 19 years old, he’s 6-foot-7, I think 270, nothing but muscle. I went to say hi to him — you know how we hug and everything — I thought I was hugging a refrigerator.”
The exchange underscored just how much the sport has changed. For Red Sox fans, hearing Ortiz marvel at the next generation reinforces how advancements in training, nutrition, and development have reshaped Major League Baseball. Even a Boston legend can admit the new wave looks built differently.
