When Otto Kemp was promoted from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, there was no one more deserving. The undrafted Phillies prospect hit .313 with a 1.010 OPS at the highest level of the minors. In 58 games, he had racked up 14 homers and 55 RBI.
Kemp deserved a shot at the majors.
Now 31 games into his MLB career, Kemp has kept his head above water. The biggest question was whether or not he could keep up with fastballs at the MLB level. For the most part, he has. But it’s the one thing he works on more than anything else.
“Being on time for heaters has been my biggest thing,” said Kemp. “If you’re late, it’s a little bit more exaggerated here. It’s a little bit more life, a little bit more movement.”
Otto Kemp opens up on life in the bigs
The California native has worked hard with hitting coach Kevin Long to try to get his timing right, although it’s not as easy as it sounds. There’s a balance that needs to be reached.
“Train velo but stay loose while training velo, because the more you tense up, the more you try, the harder it’s going to be to catch up to,” said Kemp. “K Long has been really big with me on just staying balanced and trying to establish the heater.”
There’s one particular mechanic that they have been focusing on. “Getting the foot down has been the biggest thing for me that I’ve been working on,” he explained. The 25-year-old went on to say that the timing mechanism will help him get to fastballs. Everything for a pitcher plays off the fastball. Take that away and the game gets simplier.
The Point Loma Nazarene product seems to be in line for more playing time in the coming days with the injury to Alec Bohm. On Tuesday, Manager Rob Thomson went with Kemp at 3rd base over Edmundo Sosa against a righty on the mound. Thomson wants to see what Kemp can do with the opportunity. “I know where Sosa’s at,” the Phillies’ manager stated. “I want to figure out where Kemp’s at.”
Kemp went 1-3 with a HBP on Tuesday. He’s now hitting .255 with a .706 OPS (league average BA is .245).
For Kemp, he’s ready no matter where Thomson wants him. “It’s been a pretty fluid situation,” said Kemp. “Just showing up to the park and doing wherever my name is on the lineup card.”
This is the world for an MLB rookie, especially one that plays multiple positions. It’s a process for the 25-year-old. “It’s just like keep learning, keep working, and just trying to get better every day,” explained Kemp.
He’s also learned from the veterans around him. One slugger in particular popped in mind for Kemp. “[Kyle Schwarber‘s] big on [saying] it’s a new day, and you get a new opportunity every single day.”
Before Tuesday’s game, Kemp participated in the current promotion for season ticket holders. During batting practice, gold balls with autographs were used while fans got early access to try and catch one.
“I think it’s awesome,” remarked the rookie. “It’s cool that the fans can get rewarded for us hitting homers. We love our fans here. They’re what gives us energy, especially on days where it may be a low-scoring game and we need a little bit of a push. “
Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
