Despite his size, Kannon Kemp is a calm presence on the mound for the Lake Elsinore Storm. The San Diego Padres prospect has set goals to earn major league service time and is making his full-season debut now, following shoulder surgery in 2024. 

In 2023, the San Diego Padres selected Kannon Kemp with the team’s eighth-round pick in the MLB Draft.

The 20-year-old Kemp comes from Weatherford, Texas, and is a big presence on the mound at 6-foot-6.

The right-handed pitcher is gentle, calm, and collected on the field and even more reserved in person.

EVT caught up with Kemp last week in Lake Elsinore as he was in between starts and available to discuss his career. The tall pitcher sat right down and answered the first questions with a grin on his face. “It’s awesome. Going from Arizona and all the training. To finally get here, it has been cool,” Kemp said about his arrival in Lake Elsinore. He started the season in the Arizona Complex League, as the Padres needed to ensure his arm was stable after undergoing surgery the previous season.

Kemp came into camp during the 2024 season, and something did not feel right with his throwing shoulder. He worked through some things, but it was frustrating not knowing what was happening while he was attempting to throw the ball. “It was hard. Especially when my shoulder first started hurting. It was an ongoing process, and we couldn’t really figure out what was going on,” Kemp explains. “That was the hardest time. Once we got to the bottom of it and found out what it was, it was easier. It was about getting it fixed and doing the work now. That way, I can get back onto the field.”

His shoulder is not an issue at all, and that is a huge relief for the pitcher. We discussed the mental barriers to returning from an arm injury. It took a little bit, but he has full confidence moving forward. “Not a problem since the surgery. Everything is 100 percent,” Kemp states about his shoulder.

His 2024 season was turned on its head with the discomfort in his arm and resulting surgery. But Kemp used the experience to become a better pitcher. “During the rehab process, I learned a lot. I developed a lot. There were a lot of routines. Like daily stuff. Building strength. Throwing. I learned a lot last year in rehab,” Kemp explains slowly and methodically. The Texan speaks very slowly, and you can tell his words are thought out before leaving his mouth.

Kannon Kemp emphasizes being more detailed in everything related to his arm and prep work. His focus is on improving as we discuss his routine. “It is a lot more detailed. Prior to surgery, I had a great routine, but now it is a lot more detailed. There is more stuff I do to get my body ready for each day,” the young pitcher explains. It was startling not being able to throw. Kemp is familiar with this feeling now and will do everything possible to avoid the injured list again.

The way you treat the game is the way it treats you.

Naturally, this right-handed pitcher is extremely calm. That is just his personality. He takes pride in the fact that he doesn’t get riled up while on the mound. “You will probably never see emotion from me- if I am losing by ten or winning by ten. I am the same way,” Kemp said. This comes from his parents, who encouraged their son to think critically. “I was raised like that. The way you treat the game is the way it treats you. Showing too much emotion can almost come back to hurt you later on. I just try to stay calm through everything.”

His dad played a little bit of baseball in college, and there is no doubt he is excited for his son’s future. The support from his parents has been there from day one, and they continue to root for Kannon Kemp. “They actually came out to see my first appearance here in Low-A. It was awesome,” Kemp said with an excited voice that I had not heard from him. For the first time, his demeanor changed slightly as we discussed his parents. It is evident that they mean a lot to this big Texan.

Lake Elsinore Storm manager Brian Burres is in his first season. Burres is very calm, like Kemp, and the two have bonded in his short time with the manager. “He has been great and has been through a lot. He knows the ins and outs and has a great feel for us players. Teaching us little things is a huge help. Being cool and calm goes a long way for someone like me,” Kemp said about Burres. Kannon Kemp can appreciate that very much about his skipper. “That is the best way to go about life. You can’t control everything, so you stay calm through everything.”

As the conversation turned towards pitching, Kemp’s slow, methodical answers returned. We discussed the little things in the game and the importance of remaining calm when errors occur behind you or bad calls are made behind the plate. “It is going to happen. I think breathing is a big thing for me. Just slowing my heart rate down. Also, using mental notes. Stuff is going to happen. It’s baseball. Just sticking with it and doing what I can do,” Kemp said with confidence.

His goal is major league service time. He has the velocity in his fastball to be a pitcher at that level, but there is a long road ahead. When speaking about motivation, he was quite upfront. “Just the ultimate goal of playing in big leagues. I think no day should be wasted. Each day, I get my work in,” Kemp said about keeping focused and motivated. Rehab instilled a new work ethic in this young pitcher. “I just want to continue improving. Being in rehab last year for the whole year was rough. My main goal is to just be able to go out there and pitch.”

His pitch mix is developing as he begins his professional career. His power fastball is his best pitch and is the reason why he was drafted in the first place. But Kemp throws two pitches that have the ability to be plus selections in time. If he can refine both, his development as a starting pitcher will continue. “I throw a four-seam fastball, a slider, and a circle change. The four-seam fastball is what I have the most confidence in right now. It has been playing well. The change-up is what I am second-most confident in. I feel comfortable throwing it in the zone,” Kemp said.

His third pitch is becoming a weapon as Kemp is getting swings and misses on the tight breaking pitch. “The slider has come a long way. I changed the grip a little bit. A lot more seams on my middle finger. Leo Rosales in Arizona helped me with it.” In the spring, he refined the pitch, and early indications are that it’s getting better results. He is excited about possessing the three-pitch mix.

At 6-foot-6, Kannon Kemp is a big-bodied pitcher. It can be difficult to repeat your delivery consistently at his size. We talked about his mechanics and how he ensures consistency. “A bigger body means a lot more moving parts. I am learning to control my body. The bigger you are, the more you need to control it. I am learning how to control it down the mound,” Kemp said. His mechanics are relatively quiet. For him, it is about concentrating on moving straight to the plate. “I am trying to stay linear and not fly off either way, right or left. Just staying towards the plate and remaining directional. It has helped me a lot. I am throwing a lot more strikes.”

The California League can be rough on some pitchers, especially those debuting after high school. Kemp is essentially doing that after missing the entire 2024 season. “The motivation to get back out on the field kept me going. It kind of flew by, but it was also a long process,” Kemp explains. The excitement of being in Lake Elsinore is over for now for Kannon Kemp. His focus is on being better. “Just learning how to command my pitches early in my career—just trying to throw strikes.”

James Clark

James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.