Otto Kemp’s strong fall league is a ‘continuation’ of his 2024 season. What’s his outlook with the Phillies in 2025?

Point Loma Nazarene University has produced only two major league baseball players in its 122-year history. Both were pitchers. The small liberal arts school, located in San Diego, is not known for athletic prowess. But you never know where you’ll find talent, and the Phillies have found some in infielder Otto Kemp.

Kemp, who attended Point Loma Nazarene and signed a minor-league contract with the Phillies in 2022, could contribute to the big league club as soon as 2025. He began his 2024 season on a rehab assignment with low-A Clearwater and jumped three more levels to finish his year in triple A at Lehigh Valley. He hit .285/.392/.489 across those four levels with an .881 OPS and 16 home runs.

He averaged a 9.8% walk rate across that span. His 20 stolen bases this season ranked eighth among all prospects in the Phillies’ farm system.

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The 25-year-old infielder has fared even better in the Arizona Fall League. Through 15 games, Kemp has hit .289/.460/.733 with a 1.194 OPS and six home runs. He has spent the bulk of his career at third base but can play all over the diamond.

At this point, Kemp is definitely on the team’s radar. After going undrafted, he sits at No. 28 on the team’s top 30 prospects list, according to MLB.com.

“Honestly, this is a continuation of what he did all year,” said general manager Preston Mattingly. “He has had a tremendous season, across multiple levels. He’s always been a guy who has played really good defense. He’s one of the best baserunners in our organization. He’s one of the best defenders in our organization, and he’s always been one of the better at-bat takers, and he does a great job controlling the zone.

“I think this year, you saw him tap into some power, just like he’s doing in the fall league. So, it’s kind of been a continuation of the year he’s had. He’s always been a guy that’s been extremely talented. He’s a strong, hardworking kid, and it’s kind of all clicking for him. He stayed healthy all year long, and showed the kind of player he can be.”

The power Kemp has shown isn’t a surprise to those who’ve worked with him closely. Jake Elmore, the Phillies’ minor league hitting coordinator, said Kemp’s power was always there; it was just a matter of fine-tuning his approach and making a few slight adjustments.

“We made some changes before this season, and he has continued to keep that as a focus throughout the season and the AFL,” Elmore said. “When we acquired him, he had a late hand climb that we thought may be affecting his barrel accuracy. So, we worked to limit his hand movement and gave him various cues to create stillness.

“Now, the hand movement has cleaned up, and his barrel accuracy has trended in the right direction. Otto is one of the more focused players we have in our organization. Kudos to him for clawing to where he is.”

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Before this change, Kemp had been fouling off a lot of pitches, or missing pitches that he should have been able to drive. Now, he’s connecting on them, and seeing results. In 2023, Kemp hit .243/.360/.376 with seven home runs and a 23.8% strikeout rate. This year, he has improved across the board, while dropping that strikeout rate to 21.2%.

If he gets off to a good start at spring training and triple A next year, he should be in the mix for the big league club.

“I think a guy like [Kemp] complements every lineup,” Mattingly said. “You’re always looking for guys who control the zone and work counts and give you some power.”