We’ve heard from the Phillies stars. The ever-elite Bryce Harper has been discussed ad nauseam, and Kyle Schwarber’s new deal is the talk of the town. Aaron Nola seems poised for a bounce-back, and J.T. Realmuto’s spring offers some promise.
But with the World Baseball Classic underway, many of these Philly fixtures have given way to a younger crop of hungry hitters. There are 26 men on this roster, and at some point this season, they will all be called on to participate.
My bold claim? Otto Kemp will have a much bigger role and general success than any of us expect. Just imagine Matt Stairs with a cooler mustache.
Kemp never carried the prospect hype of players like Andrew Painter or Justin Crawford. In fact, it wasn’t until last season that he finally cracked the Phillies Top 30 (23rd overall) in the midst of a season that featured 16 Lehigh Valley home runs and a massive .987 OPS. Those are impressive numbers for someone many would deem a "late bloomer."
In 2025, he quietly became a fixture on a roster missing Harper for an extended time. While he spent 79% of his time between first and third base, he dipped his toe in the outfield and even second base.
I wouldn’t fight you if you told me Kemp wasn't a pure third baseman—his .969 fielding percentage was below replacement level, largely driven by five errors at the hot corner—but his utility is his calling card.
The loss of Harper and others to the WBC has seen Kemp's playing time balloon. While it's hard to take much from spring correlations, his super-utility nature makes him hard to keep on the bench. This Spring, only Crawford has seen more at-bats (29) than Kemp. Kemp is currently tied for the most doubles and home runs among Phillies hitters, though he notably also wears the crown for second-most K’s in camp.
The strikeouts remain the hurdle; he finished 2025 with a 30.7% major-league strikeout rate. However, his three walks this spring (a 9.6% walk rate) would be a welcome change from his 5.5% last season.
Despite the whiffs, he is behind only the hot-hitting Bryson Stott for most runs created this spring at 4.8. The hope is that the game slows down around him; regular playing time is certainly the cure for that ailment.
So where does he fit? According to manager Rob Thomson, the Phillies will "concentrate him most in left field" over the final weeks of spring training. This opens a clear door as a righty platoon to Brandon Marsh.
Kemp’s outlook for 2026 remains fully dependent on two factors:
With Adolis García—who has posted a shaky .538 OPS this spring—far from a sure thing, Kemp’s ability to play the outfield responsibly could be his ticket to a permanent stay.
The best-case scenario is a Zach McKinstry-style breakout, perhaps with a little less speed and a little more power. If Kemp can close 2026 with 15+ homers and an OPS in the low .800s, the Phillies will have a reliable 100-game contributor on their hands.
If I'm really being bold, I think we see over 20 homers from Kemp this season. He's healthy, he can play all over, and he has the power. Let's check back in come July.
