Staying one step ahead of everyone comes naturally to Anderson Espinoza.

That’s what happens when you’re an 18-year-old pitcher with an unflagging work ethic, cold-eyed confidence and electrifying stuff that’s usually within 28-year-old aces with a couple of Cy Young Awards to their name.

As much as David Price fits the bill as the team’s current ace, the Red Sox’ need for their own young homegrown pitching savior has never been greater.

That’s exactly why Espinoza’s “when, not if” take on his making it to the big leagues is so bracing.

That he can package that confidence with dreams of greatness transforms him into the perfect candidate who arrives with perfect timing.

“They say I’m one of the No. 1 prospects here at camp, and that’s something I’m proud of and it’s humbling to me,” Espinoza said via interpreter Daveson Perez last week in Fort Myers. “My immediate goal is to make it to the major leagues. Once I’m there, my goal is to first of all, work hard. Then, it’s stay healthy and then make enough stats to break some of the records that are out there and one day make it to the Hall of Fame.”

The mention of Espinoza’s name to one veteran scout on the backfields at JetBlue Park last week prompted some bulging eyes and a slow shake of the head.

“That kid,” he said, “he’s got everything.”

The Red Sox have had their eye on the kid who’s got it all since he was 14 years old, when Venezuelan area scout Alex Requena began to track him. Once he turned 16, the Red Sox watched him workout in Venezuela and quickly issued an invitation for him to come to their Dominican academy for another tryout.

And they invited Pedro Martinez.

“I made sure they didn’t let him go that day when I saw him throw,” said Martinez, who needed to see Espinoza toss only a couple of pitches before understanding what he was seeing. “I made the mistake to yell at (Red Sox vice president, international scouting) Eddie Romero, ‘Eddie, don’t let that one go now!’ Problem was (Espinoza’s) agent was sitting right next to me when I said that. I didn’t know. It cost them a little bit more in the end. But I think it was worth it.”

Romero and Requena signed Espinoza for $1.8 million in July 2014, establishing a then-record sum for a Venezuelan pitcher. That Pedro’s overt enthusiasm cost them does not seem to weigh heavily on anybody’s minds, including Martinez, who is equally impressed with Espinoza’s competitiveness as he is with the stuff.

“Oh, believe me, this is a kid that only looks peaceful when he looks at you,” Martinez said. “You get him on the mound, he’s a different animal. He’s got more than I did at that age, at 18. He’s a lot more mature than I was.”

Having met Espinoza’s father, Martinez believes Espinoza might still grow a bit more than his current 6 feet, 195 pounds.

“He’s flexible, he’s got a great arm, he’s developing extremely quick,” Martinez said. “He throws an outstanding changeup and a very good curve along with a 97, 98 (mph) fastball. The ceiling is nowhere near for this kid. God willing he stays healthy. His maturity with his body, that is my biggest concern — he just turned 18. But everything else: It’s right there.”

Espinoza did not hear what Martinez shouted to Romero that day at the academy, but he knew who was watching him.

“I remember it like it was yesterday,” Espinoza said. “Pedro was there, a Hall of Famer. That’s something I’ll never forget. He told me to keep working hard. That really stuck in my memory.”

Espinoza’s work ethic is arguably the most encouraging facet to the youngest player to show up on the latest Top 100 lists of both Baseball America (No. 19) and ESPN’s Keith Law (No. 38).

Espinoza delivered a small but highly intriguing sample of stats in his first professional season last year. He climbed three levels, from the Dominican League, to the Gulf Coast (rookie) League and then one September start at Single-A Greenville, where he was, on average, five years younger than his teammates.

His combined numbers deserve a double-take: 15 games started, with a 1.23 ERA, no home runs allowed and 65 strikeouts and 14 walks in 581⁄3 innings.

Romero related how in January he showed up unannounced at 7 a.m. at the same practice field in Venezuela where he first saw Espinoza. He looked to the outfield and saw Espinoza, all by himself, performing his own running regimen.

Watching Espinoza participate last week in pitcher fielding practice drills on a back field, his focus and effort were unmatched. In between drills Espinoza took it upon himself to practice different grips on the ball, spinning and flipping it in his large hand, or going through shadow deliveries. He chats easily with his teammates, but retains an all-business mode at all times.

Said Red Sox farm director Ben Crockett: “Put his physical abilities aside — what we’ve been really impressed with is his maturity for his age. For a 17, 18-year-old to be able to handle some of the attention he’s been getting and some of the expectations that came along with the significant signing bonus, that has matched the polish we see on the mound and the raw stuff.”

Espinoza looks destined to start the 2016 season in Greenville. To be sure, the Red Sox will carefully monitor his workload, especially in the next couple of years. It’s unrealistic to expect him to be mentioned as a possibility for the big league club in a starting capacity before the 2018 season. Espinoza’s next two seasons in the minors will teach us all a great deal more about we already know about the single most exciting and promising pitching prospect in the Sox system.

“When you come here, you have to work hard,” said Espinoza, who speaks with a deep voice and direct, no-nonsense tone. “The plan here is you come here, you try to get to next level and then the next, then hopefully get to major leagues and sustain that. Working hard is a huge part of that. I want to make sure my hard work brings me to where I hope to be, which is the major leagues.”

And which is where Espinoza hopes to deliver the greatness he is already dreaming about.

Archer: Let’s celebrate

Tampa Bay’s Chris Archer is on board with the younger generation’s willingness to show exuberance on the baseball diamond, as recently addressed by Bryce Harper.

“In every other aspect of life, it’s OK to show emotion,” Archer said. “The analogy I like to use is when a businessman closes a big deal, he probably gets excited and probably high-fives his co-workers, maybe runs down the hall and fist pumps, you know? Why is it wrong for us in the right situation? We work hard. When we get a positive result in a big situation, it’s a validation of our hard work and it feels good.”

Archer did not always feel this way. His former Rays teammate Price often took issue with the antics of styling sluggers such as David Ortiz and Jose Bautista. Archer heard and saw everything.

“In the past, I’ve taken it personally when other people have done that and that was my mistake,” Archer said. “I was taking it personally and being defensive — trying to defend my teammates. Now I realize it’s not personal. That man worked hard. Hitting that home run is an accomplishment. It doesn’t happen everyday but that’s why he wakes up early, trains hard, takes hundreds of swings a day, visualizes his success.”

The unwritten code still exists, but the code is changing.

“I respect the code,” Archer said. “But the game has evolved. For sure, it’s definitely evolved. I get excited in certain situations. I’ve never really held back, not really. So there was always that double standard. I wanted one thing but did another. After I thought about it I was like, ‘That guy feels just like I do. He’s not flexing his muscles at me, he’s happy for himself.’ We can all grow.”

Travis part of drill team

Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval are not the only infielders receiving extra attention daily from infield coach Brian Butterfield this spring. Another Butterfield pupil is first baseman prospect Sam Travis. Known for his offense, Travis is seeking to elevate his defense. In one drill, he kept nodding at the “attaboys” he was receiving from Butterfield and Pawtucket coach Bruce Crabbe. As he anticipated each groundball, he held his glove about 9-12 inches in front of him rather than in close to his body where he would have less time to react and be more prone to have balls gobble him up. The adjustment clicked.

“I’m just trying to get better in all aspects of my game — Butter and Crabby are putting me through some work that I absolutely love,” Travis said. “I have to take it serious. I’m trying to get better. Everything they’ve taught me so far has helped me so much, I just have to keep going. Just the repetition over time. It’s going to become muscle memory. They do what they do for a reason. I have to listen to them.”

Travis is not paying lip service to the defensive work. Veterans such as Ramirez and Sandoval would not be asked to devote extra time on their defense if the Red Sox did not demand an uptick in their performance.

“Ever since I got into pro ball, I knew I was going to have to work on my defense if I wanted to be where I wanted to be in my life,” said Travis, 22, the club’s second-round draft pick in 2014. “It’s something I’ve taken very seriously and I’ve felt since I got drafted I’ve made a huge progression. At the same time I know I still need to learn a lot and get better.”

It’s Papi love for Sano

Minnesota slugger Miguel Sano has enough power to make a legitimate run at the American League home run crown this season. His arrival last season coincided with the surprising run the Twins mounted in the second half last season. That he could be the Twins’ greatest power source since his countryman Ortiz was let go way too early is not lost on him. Ortiz, 40, is from another generation, but Sano, 22, holds him in high esteem even if he barely knows his fellow Dominican Republic countryman.

“The first time I ever spoke with David was back in ’13 when I played at JetBlue Park for the Twins,” Sano said. “I knew him from following him on Instagram. I always watch when he plays. He’s a great player and person — all that stuff, a great guy.”