In the fall semester of his senior year of college, Otto Kemp landed an internship with a wealth management firm in San Diego.
Just in case a career in pro baseball didn’t work out.
“That was definitely the reality of it,” Kemp said on a recent episode of Phillies Extra, the baseball interview show from The Inquirer. “Nothing was guaranteed, and I didn’t know that I was going to get an opportunity to play pro ball. But obviously it was my dream. It was what I wanted to happen, but I knew that if that didn’t happen, I needed to set myself up for something different.”
Nearly four years later, after going undrafted and climbing through the Phillies’ farm system, Kemp just marked the one-month anniversary of his major league debut. He sat down to discuss his unique path to fulfilling his dream.
Here’s an excerpt from our conversation, which has been edited for clarity and brevity. Watch the full interview below and subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Q: Can you put into words what the last few weeks have felt like?
A: Yeah, the first couple of weeks were definitely a whirlwind. We got the knock on our [hotel room] door at like 11:30 [p.m. on June 6]. Just played a game, and the Phillies were playing at 4 o’clock the next day and we were a couple states over. So, it was like ‘All right, well we’re going to have to figure out how to get there.’ And we’re not really sure what comes after that, but we know that we’ll be there for a couple of days. So we eventually made it to Pittsburgh.
I feel like the dust started to settle after our first homestand at home. We were able to get into Philly and just experience the ballpark, kind of get to know where everything was, get to see the stadium for the first time and spend a couple of days there. So it definitely took about two weeks for the dust to settle a little bit. And even then, it’s a little bit different getting used to this schedule. So me and my wife, we’re figuring it out as we go. You kind of take it one stand at a time, one away series or one homestand at a time.
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Q: You had to get from Charlotte to Pittsburgh. And I know you had your dog with you and your wife came, and your parents and your brother flew out from California. It’s just got to be a flurry of phone calls at that point.
A: Yeah, I think we’re on the phone until like 2:30 [a.m.]. I told them I was like, ‘Hey, here’s what’s going to happen. I’ve got a lot of people to call. So, if you guys want to come, by all means, but I can’t really help with that. I’ve got to figure out my own stuff.’ So, they were on a plane two hours later because that was the only plane that they could take. They took a red-eye. So they eventually made it out, which was awesome.
Q: How many mementos are you collecting along the way?
A: I think for the debut it’ll be the lineup cards, the official lineup cards, the jersey, and then I think the first ball that was the first pitch that was used that day. I might put the first hit in that stash as well, and then I’ll keep the first home run. And other than that, I think that’s it. But I think we’ll continue to collect as we go. I’m playing baseball with a lot of future Hall of Famers and very well-renowned players right now, guys that have just had crazy successful careers. So for me, collecting some of that stuff is going to be important for me, too. Just to remember the first team that I was on.
Q: What have you noticed as the difference between triple-A pitching and the major leagues?
A: I would just say it takes a second to calibrate to the velocity up here. I think in the International League at least, most of the guys that you’re facing as starters are 90, 94 [mph]. You’ll get a couple guys out of the ‘pen that are [96-98], but here it’s like religiously everybody is 95-plus. So, even your starters are 95 to 99, 95 to 100. It takes a second to calibrate to that. I think that was the biggest thing for me … When you get up to the big leagues, everybody’s telling you to slow down as much as you can because the game’s going to speed you up. But then you feel like when you’re facing guys that are throwing 100, you’re like, ‘I’ve got to speed up. I’ve got to try a little bit harder.’ So, it just takes a little bit to find the calibration. …
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Nothing [else] is really different. It’s just a little bit quicker. So, I would say it’s just kind of learning how to calibrate to that really. And it does take a little bit. Like, for me, as I’ve gone up through the levels, it has taken me a little bit. When I get to a new place, it takes me a second to kind of get my feet under me to get comfortable. But I would say it’s just a tick quicker. That’s really all that I feel. I don’t feel like the stuff is any different. The ball’s not moving more, but it’s just a little bit faster. And a little bit more of a crisp game.
Q: In the fall of your senior year in college at Point Loma Nazarene in San Diego, you had a four-month internship at Shusterman Wealth Management. And it certainly seems like that’s something you do if you’re hedging in case pro baseball doesn’t work out. Was that the case?
A: Yeah, for sure. That was definitely the reality of it is nothing was guaranteed and I didn’t know that I was going to get an opportunity to play pro ball. But obviously it was my dream. It was what I wanted to happen, but I knew that if that didn’t happen, I needed to set myself up for something different. So that was probably the route that I was going to go down.
Q: You’re from Southern California and went to college in San Diego. What’s going to be the size of the Otto Kemp section at Petco Park this week when you play the Padres?
A: I think we’re definitely at least looking at a couple hundred. There will be a good amount. I think it’s a very full-circle moment where a lot of people are happy to come out and support and catch a game. So it sounds like there’s going to be kind of people from all over. I grew up about two hours north of there, so Anaheim would be the closest one for where I grew up. But San Diego is the closest [this season], and I got people from Little League, I got people from high school and college. All different destinations along the journey will be there so it will be a really fun weekend.
Q: You’re a natural infielder. What is the biggest challenge in adjusting to left field?
A: I think the biggest adjustment is just going to be getting enough reads on a ball off the bat. Same thing on the infield. First step is so important [in deciding] what you commit to. So, same thing in the outfield. Learning where the ball starts, how hard the ball’s hit, the sound of the ball, kind of all of it. Just trying to get better at the balls off the bat and making sure my first step is allowing me to create a good route to the ball. I think that’s going to be the biggest thing in left. Other than that, just go catch the ball. If you catch the ball nobody’s going to say anything to you, so I think that that’ll be the biggest thing. … There’s a lot of guys who have a lot of experience in left. Nobody’s been trying to hide information from me or anything so I feel like I’ve got a really good support staff for picking up left field.
Q: What’s the scouting report on Justin Crawford, as someone who’s played with him now for a couple of years? And what advice do you have for him when he does eventually get to the big leagues?
A: Yeah, I think for him, he’s just a gamer. He plays the game the right way. He hustles at all times. His speed plays. His bat-to-ball plays. He knows that it doesn’t have to look pretty. If you get the job done, you get the job done. He’s the guy that, one, knows how to compete everyday, knows how to show up everyday. But he’s also incredibly humble, too. So, [the] scouting report on him is just put the ball in play.
Honestly, he’s a guy that, he puts the ball in play and runs. It’s pretty game-changing speed. He’s getting better at running the base paths. He’s getting better at patrolling center field, too. So, I’m excited to see him get a little bit stronger, put a little bit more pop in his bat. He’s a special kid, so I’m excited to see how he develops. He’s going to be a really good player coming up. He’s a game-changer. He’s a grinder.