Phillies prospect Otto Kemp was named International League Player of the Month on Monday. The 24th-ranked prospect in the system has made waves across the minor league landscape and on social media with his impressive start to the season.
In his first full season in Triple-A, Kemp has been one of the best hitters in all of minor league baseball to start the season. The 25-year-old ranks either first or second in the following categories:
HR (8, T-1st)
runs (23, 1st)
SLG% (.711, 1st)
RBI (24, 2nd)
OPS (1.132, 2nd)
Hits (32, T-2nd)
In the team’s most recent series against the Rochester Red Wings (Washington Nationals), Kemp put up video game-like numbers. In six games, he slashed .448/.500/.862 with a 1.362 OPS, hit three homers, and drove in 14 runs.
Otto Kemp
The infielder entered the season with 23 career home runs through his first three seasons as a pro, but has smashed 10 through the first 32 games of the year. His .330 average is also inside the top 10 in the league, good for seventh. Kemp closed out the 2024 campaign with the IronPigs, hitting .200 with no home runs and two RBI in 13 games.
While red-hot at the plate, Kemp has also played four different positions so far this season including his natural position at third base while also getting starts at first base, second base and left field as the Phillies try to maximize his versatility with the struggles of Alec Bohm and Johan Rojas, before his recent hot stretch.
There’s no doubt Kemp is knocking on the door of a big league callup, and if he maintains this type of production in the first two weeks of May, he may be barging the door open and forcing the team’s hands on what to do with him. The one obstacle to getting Kemp on the big league roster is getting him on the 40-man roster.
Alec Bohm has been struggling, but there is essentially no chance the team would send him down to the minors. It would result in losing any and all value for Bohm if they decide to move on from him at the trade deadline.
For now, Kemp will look to keep mashing in the loaded Lehigh Valley lineup.
Photo By: TMB/Icon Sportswire
