What It's Like Being the First Base Prospect Blocked by Bryce Harper

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Saturday was Bryce Harper's last day in Phillies camp until potentially March 19 if Team USA makes it all the way to the World Baseball Classic championship as it's favored to do.

The Phillies play 16 Grapefruit League games between now and then, half of them at home, so it's safe to say Harper would have played in at least eight with the Phils during that time.

While he's gone, they will have to rotate others in at first base.

Otto Kemp could play there a bit, although the Phillies are focused most on getting him reps in left field to prepare him for a potential platoon with Brandon Marsh.

Utilityman Dylan Moore will also see time at first base, one of eight positions where he has substantial big-league experience. Moore started at first on Sunday behind Andrew Painter, nearly homering to center in his first AB.

And then there's Keaton Anthony, a 24-year-old, right-handed-hitting first baseman who is not considered a top prospect but who has hit at every level in the Phillies' minor-league system.

Anthony went undrafted out of the University of Iowa because he was caught up in a gambling probe involving more than two dozen student-athletes at the school. He was not accused of betting on baseball, but at the time, the NCAA didn't allow student-athletes to bet on any collegiate sport.

That rule has since changed.

Thanks @NCAA https://t.co/rshEOKeUgS
— Keaton Anthony (@keatonanthony05) October 8, 2025

Raking everywhere

Anthony hit .372 with a 1.162 OPS over two seasons for Iowa but went undrafted because of the situation. The Phillies pounced on the opportunity to sign him as a free agent once the draft ended, signing him for $125,000.

All he's done since is rake. Anthony has hit .379 in Rookie ball, .307 in Single A, .356 at High A, .304 at Double A and .313 at Triple A.

Altogether, he's batted .324/.402/.467 in 199 minor-league games, just without much power.

"When I was really young, I was a contact guy, a put-the-ball-in-play kind've guy," Anthony said this week in the back-right corner of the Phillies' spring training clubhouse reserved for minor-leaguers.

"Then as I grew into my body, I became more of a gap-to-gap guy. Then in college, I think I hit 14 home runs my first year of school. It was my first year that I hit for more power and ever since I've been more gap-to-gap. I never try to hit home runs. Obviously, I take chances sometimes, certain counts, but I just try to have the same approach every time."

Being himself

The Phillies tried to change that approach last spring, as teams often do with prospects at traditional power positions who haven't shown much of it.

Anthony tried it out but eventually decided it wasn't for him.

"Last year, spring training, we were going through a little swing change, trying to put the ball in the air more to the pull side, hit more home runs," he said. "I did it for a few weeks and kind've just told them this doesn't really fit me, it wasn't who I was growing up, this doesn't really feel right. But as I'm learning, it's becoming easier. As time goes and as I grow as a hitter, I think I'll take strides in that direction."

Blocked by the best

There isn't really a path to major-league playing time here for Anthony, barring a scenario nobody wants to think about, an injury to Harper.

It's a weird position for a kid who keeps hitting. He's done enough to put himself on the major-league radar, and he won a Gold Glove in 2024 as the minor leagues' best defensive first baseman, but he's clearly blocked here.

"Definitely prepping this year a little bit differently," he said. "Ultimately, it's my goal to play in the big leagues. It's definitely a little bit of a difference, I guess I'd say I worked harder this offseason, kind've changed my body. But I'm not going into this year with any different mindset. It's the same thing, just do my thing and keep having good at-bats.

"Just try to hit the ball hard. I always say it was a good at-bat if I hit the ball hard. That's my biggest cue."

The path ahead

Anthony turns 25 in late June. He will play this season at Triple A. It must be a mental challenge to know he's so close to the majors but that the opportunity may not come with the Phillies. It seems he will eventually find his way to the majors based on the bat-to-ball skills he's shown at every level, but it may require a trade.

"I don't know if I necessarily set any goals coming into camp, I just want to be myself when I'm here," he said. "I don't really want to try to do too much. Same game plan every day, just try to hit the ball hard and swing at pitches I can hit."