Phillies' soaring prospect could soon disrupt the roster

The Philadelphia Phillies are already well on their way to posting another winning season. 

In 2024, Philadelphia claimed the NL East crown for the first time since 2011, but despite its strength in the division this year, it is still lingering in the shadow of the rival New York Mets.

Since gracing the Fall Classic as the NL champs in 2022, the Phillies have been losing ground every year, falling in the NLCS in 2023, then again in the NLDS in 2024. The fact remains that if the Phillies are going to rise above the heavyweights in the NL, changes will need to be made. Luckily, the Phillies farm system may already have the perfect solution.

Phillies No. 24 prospect Otto Kemp is one of the top producers in the minor leagues this season. The 25-year-old utility man is hitting .327/.433/.628 with an MiLB-leading 10 home runs (four-way tie) in 156 at-bats with the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

Thus far, his numbers are on pace to trounce the projections scouts have set for him, grading his hit and power capabilities at 50 and 40, respectively, on the 20-80 grading scale, according to MLB Pipeline. 

Kemp broke out last season, posting a .285/.392/.489 slash line with 16 home runs in 442 at-bats, rising through four minor league levels to Triple-A. Now, it appears he is on the cusp of making his MLB debut, though his strikeout rate (50 strikeouts this season) is a flaw to keep an eye on.

Kemp has experience at first base and in the outfield, but has spent most of his time in the minors at second and third base. If given the chance, and should his minor league success seamlessly translate to the majors, he may be able to force one of the Phillies' slumping veterans out of the lineup. This year, Philadelphia has two players whose performance at the plate has been questionable.

Having dealt with a hamstring injury this season, center fielder Brandon Marsh is hitting just .185 with one home run on the season. However, in the past seven games, Marsh is hitting .316, which is an encouraging sign that he is regaining form. Still, it’s only fair to note that this is just a sample size.

Like Marsh, left fielder Max Kepler is also struggling to garner hits. Kepler has hit five home runs to the tune of a .223 average this season, a figure that seems to be heading in the wrong direction. The veteran outfielder hit for a .160 average in the past 15 games (.083 in the past seven).

Another everyday starter to keep an eye on is Bryson Stott. Stott’s numbers have been declining since a hot streak in April, but his performance hasn’t yet reached a high level of concern. He is hitting .258 with three home runs on the season.

At his current pace, Kemp will almost certainly get his chance to hold down a roster spot this year. If Marsh or Kepler should continue to underperform, Kemp may have a shot at displacing either outfielder (or even Stott, for that matter), provided his whiffs aren’t too much of a problem.