Phillies Promote 22-Year-Old Phenom Orion Kerkering to Big Leagues

A player never forgets their Major League Baseball call-up and the Philadelphia Phillies gave Orion Kerkering that chance. The 22-year-old was called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Friday.

Who is Orion Kerkering?

Orion Kerkering is a star on the rise.

Starting this season with Single-A Clearwater, the righty holds a 1.51 ERA and 0.89 WHIP through 53.2 total innings in the minors.

He was a fifth-round selection of the Phils just last year and quickly started his professional career, making one appearance in the Complex League and five in Single-A.

Kerkering was the #25 ranked baseball prospect by Baseball America.  His slider was top among breaking balls in the minors. His aggressive nature will be a useful asset for the Phillies.

The young pitcher blasted his way through four levels of Minor League Baseball, going through Single-A, High-A, Double-A and Triple-A this season. During his wild ride, Kerkering posted a 1.51 earned run average, 38% strikeout rate, and 5.8% walk rate.

An Opportunity of a Lifetime

Philadelphia will see Orion Kerkering in the bullpen with his promotion.

He’s on the 40-man roster, so the club will need to make a corresponding move to find a place for him. One option is to use him as an injury replacement for the injured Rhys Hoskins. Hoskins is not likely to play in October.

If he performs well in the final games of the regular season, there’s a chance there’s a postseason spot with his name on it.