The Philadelphia Phillies’ minor league system boasts intriguing talent at every level, with perhaps the most impressive group located about 70 miles northwest of Citizens Bank Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs feature a deep roster filled with players who could be promoted in case of injuries, along with prospects who are closing in on their MLB debut.
Fans in the Delaware Valley might recognize names like Justin Crawford, Garrett Stubbs, and Gabriel Rincones Jr. Another player making noise in Lehigh Valley is Otto Kemp, who has been gaining attention recently.
Otto Kemp is turning into a surprising source of home run power for the Phillies in Triple-A
Kemp, a right-handed infielder from California, joined the Phillies on a minor league deal in August 2022. His first two seasons in the organization were largely unremarkable — he hit just seven home runs and struck out 125 times over 125 games. However, he did stand out on the basepaths.
In 2024, Kemp had a breakout season, hitting .285/.392/.489 with 16 home runs, 66 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases while playing across four minor league levels. The spike in power was especially notable, given that his MLB.com scouting report previously gave him a below-average power grade of 40.
Kemp carried his momentum into the offseason, launching six home runs in just 15 games in the Arizona Fall League. He continued to show promise in spring training before the 2025 season, hitting .350 over 20 at-bats — even though the home run power didn’t show up in those games.
Now into the 2025 minor league season, Kemp is staying hot at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Through 13 games, he’s slashing .269/.361/.577 and has already belted four homers, including a 429-foot blast with an exit velocity of 110.8 mph. He’s homered three times in his last four games, including one last Tuesday night.
Although Kemp isn’t ranked among the Phillies’ top 10 prospects — he sits at No. 24 according to MLB Pipeline — he’s made notable strides since signing as an undrafted free agent. If he keeps hitting at this level, he could be a candidate for a call-up if the big league roster suffers an injury.
He’s not currently on the Phillies’ 40-man roster, so others may get the nod before him, but continued production could push the front office to take notice. Regardless of when or if he makes the leap, Kemp’s emergence is a positive sign for the Phillies’ organizational depth.