Phillies' unheralded prospect continues raking in Arizona Fall League

With the Philadelphia Phillies' 2024 season now in the books, the wait is now on for the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees to wrap up World Series play, and for the Phillies' offseason agenda to officially begin. With little more than minor league transactions keeping diehard baseball fans satiated at the moment, any news regarding prospects participating in the Arizona Fall League is a welcome sight.

The Phillies have sent 10 prospects to play in the AFL this fall, with top pitching prospect Andrew Painter's progress following his recent return to the mound after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023 currently stealing all of the headlines. And rightfully so. The Phillies' No. 2 prospect has looked impressive and, more importantly, has returned to lighting up radar guns with his fastball occasionally touching 100 mph.

But Painter is not the only Phillies prospect having a strong showing in Arizona. Fellow Glendale Desert Dog teammate Tristan Garnett has shown why MLB Pipeline recently termed the tall southpaw one of the biggest sleepers to watch in the AFL this year.

Now, yet another prospect is starting to generate some well-earned buzz this week after a recent power surge at the plate.

Phillies' unheralded prospect Otto Kemp continues raking in Arizona Fall League

Otto Kemp was signed by the Phillies as an undrafted minor league free agent in 2022 after failing to interest MLB teams on draft night. Like fellow undrafted prospect and Glendale teammate Tristan Garnett, Kemp never let the slight impact his skills on the field. The 25-year-old was a late-season addition to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after posting strong numbers primarily at Double-A Reading. He is currently ranked No. 28 in the Phillies system.

After batting .285 with 16 home runs and 66 RBI, in addition to 20 stolen bases across four minor league levels this season, the Phillies opted to send Kemp for some more development in the AFL this year. All Kemp has done during his time with the Desert Dogs is rake, batting .292 with seven hits, four home runs, and 12 RBI in 24 at-bats ahead of Friday's games.

Kemp's scorching bat stole the show on Thursday when he connected for two home runs: a grand slam with an exit velocity of 109.9 mph that traveled 448 feet in the third inning, and a solo shot in the fifth that put Glendale up 5-0 over the Salt River Rafters. Kemp was simply a one-man wrecking crew in the 9-6 Glendale victory.

Kemp has some versatility in the field that could make him an appealing option for call-up in 2025, having played third base, second base, first base and right field at various points this season. The odds remain long that Kemp will join the Phillies anytime soon with the current roster set in stone, and fellow top prospect Aidan Miller not too far behind in the development pipeline, but Kemp looks the part of a player the Phillies could rely upon if the team faces injuries next season.

Have the Phillies discovered a diamond in the rough with Otto Kemp?

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