Best friends Otto Kemp, Caleb Ricketts thrive through Phillies’ organization together

Otto Kemp watched his best friend, Caleb Ricketts, from the stands as the catcher starred on the field.

Following his first full professional season in 2023, Ricketts appeared in the Arizona Fall League with the Scottsdale Scorpions. Kemp didn’t receive the invite to play, but drove from his home in California to watch Ricketts.

Then-Phillies’ Administrator of Minor League Operations Edwin Soto turned around in the stands and saw Kemp — who went undrafted the same year Ricketts was selected in the seventh round — watching just as any ordinary fan. Soto told Kemp he could possibly play in the AFL in the future.

“For me, that was like, ‘I want to do this next year.’ It was motivation,” Kemp said.

Kemp went on to follow Ricketts's footsteps in 2024, playing 15 games for the Glendale Desert Dogs. He then rocketed through Philadelphia’s system and is now contributing in the Major Leagues.

Ricketts hopes to one day join Kemp as he’s currently Double-A Reading’s starting catcher. The two have grown a bond since the summer of 2021 as roommates in the Northwoods League. Now, both are chasing their dreams together again.

Kemp’s AFL visit in 2023 was simply the act of a good friend. The two hung out for the weekend, grabbing dinner and catching up in the offseason. Soto said Kemp was one of a small conglomerate of fans at the games, as many attendees are scouts braving the heat of the desert. At first, Soto figured Kemp must be from nearby. He then checked the organization’s contact information sheet, which revealed Kemp’s multiple-hour drive.

Kemp and Ricketts are both 25 now. Kemp went to Troy High School in Fullerton. Ricketts attended Orange Lutheran High School in Orange, less than eight miles away. Kemp stayed close to home at Division II Point Loma Nazarene. Ricketts, again, was a few miles away at the University of San Diego.

Despite their age and proximity, Kemp and Ricketts didn’t know each other until the summer after their junior years of college, when the two were paired as roommates in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

“Otto and I got close living together that summer,” Ricketts said. “...We were able to connect through (California) and just have fun competing together.”

“That was an instant connection,” Kemp added. “Because it's a little bit more comfort when you don't know anybody over there.”

Playing for the St.Cloud Rox was an opportunity for both to showcase their talents to professional scouts. Kemp fell under the radar due to his D-II status. Their teammate, Andrew Pinckney, said he didn’t know what to expect because he had never heard of the school. Both entered with a lot to prove.

Kemp remembers being told his roommate was from San Diego before they got to St.Cloud. The two connected briefly over the phone but became close once they met in person. Pinckney thought of them as “the guys from San Diego” and always fetched a ride from the duo to work out on off days or grab a bite to eat.

Easton Waterman, Kemp’s teammate at Point Loma Nazarene and with the Rox, said he joined the team later in the summer but quickly saw how close the two were. Kemp introduced Waterman and Ricketts right away.

“Within those two months, you would think those guys knew each other their entire lives,” Waterman said. “With the background of where they grew up and sharing the same goals and aspirations of playing professional baseball, I think they were able to create a pretty strong bond.”

As the pair found a groove off the field, they also helped St. Cloud to one of its best seasons in recent memory. Pinckney led off with current Houston Astros’ No. 1 prospect Brice Matthews batting second. Kemp batted third and Ricketts was in the clean-up spot.

In the first round of the playoffs at Mankato, Waterman said Kemp and Ricketts were at the center, literally, of the pregame excitement. Ricketts began to blast house music in the middle of the locker room as Kemp stood in the corner flicking the light switch. The flicking created a strobe effect and the locker room broke out into a dance party to get amped for the postseason matchup.

The Rox made the championship game, beating out the gauntlet of the 24-team league. They fell to Traverse City in the finals, ending the summer on a low note. Though as their relationship blossomed, both made an impact on the league. Kemp won the All-Star Game MVP. Ricketts joins Colorado Rockies’ 2024 third overall pick Charlie Condon as the players displayed on the outside of the team bus.

While their summer together was over, their friendship was just beginning. Kemp and Ricketts stayed in contact through their senior seasons, and as the draft approached, both were steps away from their dreams.

Ricketts didn’t need to wait too long to hear his name called. The Phillies selected him in the seventh round. Kemp, however, never heard his name called. He went undrafted and signed with Philadelphia. While the result for Kemp could’ve been a somber moment, the ability to reunite with Ricketts made the moment special.

Waterman said the team’s texting group chat ignited with congratulatory messages. Everyone realized the pair would be teaming up yet again.

“When I signed, it was cool to be like, ‘Hey, we're back at it,’” Kemp said.

“When I saw that the Phillies signed him, I was pumped, because we get to play together again,” Ricketts added.

Just as they did in Minnesota, when Kemp and Ricketts reached Clearwater they roomed together. Within another big change of scenery, they were by each other’s side to settle in and find their way on the field. Kemp felt it was full circle.

The life of a professional baseball player can be a grind, full of ebbs and flows. It can also be lonely. Yet, the two had a shared experience as they drove through the Minor Leagues together. They teamed up across the Florida State League and High-A Jersey Shore before playing with the Fightin Phils for parts of the 2024 season. Kemp then made the jump to Triple-A and now MLB while Ricketts has fell into injury trouble.

In their time back in California in the offseason, Kemp and Ricketts workout together. They bounce ideas off each other. What works. What doesn’t. They hit together a few days a week and get defense in too. They both pull from each other to move forward.

When Kemp received the call to the Major Leagues in early June, Ricketts knew he needed to be there. He traveled to Philadelphia to see Kemp’s first MLB game at Citizens Bank Park. Ricketts caught up with Kemp’s father, Rob, and wife, Lily. Alongside a few old teammates, Ricketts watched from the stands.

Ricketts was once Kemp’s motivation. Now, Kemp is Ricketts’s as he works to join his best friend at the highest level.