Angels acquire Scott Kingery from the Phillies

The Angels have acquired an infielder Scott Kingery from the Phillies in exchange for cash considerations, according to announcements from both clubs. Kingery was not on Philadelphia’s 40-man roster and does not have to take a spot with the Angels.

Kingery, 31 in April, was once a very popular prospect. The Phils had enough faith in his future that they signed him to a long-term extension before he even made his major league debut. In March 2018, the Phils gave Kingery a $24MM guarantee covering the 2018-2023 seasons, with three club options.

Unfortunately, Kingery was unable to live up to his prospect billing or that contract. He can steal a few bases and play defense all over the diamond, but he simply hasn’t hit enough to be a useful big leaguer. He currently has a batting line of just .229/.280/.387 in 1,127 plate appearances in the majors.

The Phils removed him outright from their roster in both 2021 and 2022, with no club willing to pick up the remainder of the contract on waivers. He had exceeded three years of service and was entitled to elect free agency instead of accepting these outright assignments. But since he was under the five-year service mark, walking away would have involved leaving the remainder of his contract on the table. Naturally, he reported to the minors and continued to play out the rest of his deal. The Phils declined his ’24 club option, but he remained in the organization at that time as well.

Although the contract was a bust, Kingery just finished a solid season in the minors. He made 505 plate appearances for the IronPigs and hit 25 home runs. The offensive environment in the International League was quite strong this year, so his robust line of .268/.316/.488 was only marginally above league average, which equates to a wRC+ of 104.

Kingery stole 25 bases and continued to bounce around the diamond this year, playing second base, shortstop and center field. He has previous experience at third base and in the outfield corners.

With these traits, he could perhaps be a useful player even with a semi-competent offense. He hasn’t been able to do that in his big league career so far, but it’s a low-risk move for the Angels since Kingery doesn’t even occupy a roster spot for now.

The Angels have a few question marks in their position player mix. Luis Rengifo projects as the top second baseman, but his 2024 was ended by wrist surgery. Even if he comes back healthy, he may have to jump to other positions. Third baseman Anthony Rendon has been extremely vulnerable in recent years and Rengifo has often had to cover the hot corner. Mike Trout has also missed significant time in center field recently and may be moved to a corner or to the designated hitter with more frequency going forward.

Kingery can give them some extra minor league depth all over the diamond. He will try to earn a roster spot and the possibility of a post-hype breakout.