With Bryce Harper away from Phillies camp until at least March 19 assuming Team USA advances to the World Baseball Classic final first base reps are opening up in Clearwater.
The Phillies will play 16 Grapefruit League games in that stretch, and Harper likely would have appeared in roughly half of them. His temporary absence creates opportunities for others to step in.
Otto Kemp may see limited time at first, though the organization is prioritizing his development in left field as he prepares for a possible platoon role with Brandon Marsh. Veteran utilityman Dylan Moore is also factoring into the mix. Moore, who has logged significant major-league experience at eight different positions, started at first base Sunday behind Andrew Painter and nearly launched a home run to center in his first at-bat.
The 24-year-old right-handed hitter isn’t ranked among the Phillies’ top prospects, but he has done one thing consistently throughout his minor-league career: hit.
Anthony went undrafted out of the University of Iowa due to his involvement in a gambling investigation that included more than two dozen student-athletes. He was not accused of wagering on baseball, but at the time, NCAA rules prohibited betting on any collegiate sport. Those regulations have since been revised.
Despite hitting .372 with a 1.162 OPS over two college seasons, the controversy cost him draft status. The Phillies quickly signed him as a free agent for $125,000 after the draft concluded a move that has paid dividends.
Since entering pro ball, Anthony has raked at every stop. He hit .379 in Rookie ball, .307 in Single A, .356 in High A, .304 in Double A, and .313 in Triple A. Across 199 minor-league games, he owns a .324/.402/.467 slash line. The one thing missing? Significant power.
“When I was younger, I was strictly a contact guy,” he explained. “As I got stronger, I started driving the ball more gap-to-gap. In college, I hit 14 home runs one season, and that was really the first time power showed up. But I’ve never gone to the plate trying to hit home runs. I stick with the same approach every time.”
Last spring, the Phillies encouraged him to adjust that approach something teams often do with first basemen expected to produce power numbers. They worked on lifting the ball more and pulling it with authority. Anthony gave it an honest try but eventually felt it didn’t suit his identity as a hitter.
He’s still developing, though, and believes incremental growth could naturally add more power over time.
Barring injury, there’s no clear route to regular major-league at-bats at first base in Philadelphia. That reality makes for a complicated situation. Anthony won a minor-league Gold Glove in 2024 as the top defensive first baseman and continues to prove his bat belongs in the conversation. Still, opportunity is limited.
He admits this offseason felt different. With the majors within reach, he pushed himself harder physically and refined his preparation. But mentally, his approach hasn’t changed.
“My goal is still to play in the big leagues,” he said. “But I’m not trying to do anything different. Just keep having quality at-bats. If I hit the ball hard, that’s a good at-bat to me.”
Anthony turns 25 in June and is expected to spend the season at Triple A. Given his consistent bat-to-ball skills, it seems likely he’ll eventually reach the majors though it may take a trade to make it happen.
