Philadelphia Phillies: Double-A second baseman Scott Kingery is crushing
In light of a breakout season, Philadelphia Phillies second base prospect Scott Kingery may be deserving of a promotion to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
The Phillies major league squad isn’t having much success right now, but the farm system is continuing to develop. One of the most pleasant surprises has been Double-A Reading Phillies second baseman Scott Kingery. A second round pick in the 2015 draft, Kingery has been steadily improving each season.
When he was drafted, Kingery had the profile of a high contact/speed player whose power would come in the form of doubles. Last season, he embodied that to a tee. In 531 at-bats between High-A and Double-A, Kingery hit .281/.335/.388 with 36 doubles and 30 stolen bases. He hit five home runs, and walked only 38 times. This year, things are quite a bit different. The contact and speed are still there, but now the power has shown up.
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His quick swing and line drive-tailored bat path have provided big numbers thus far in 2017. In 245 at-bats in Double-A, Kingery is batting .306/.375/.604 with 18 homers, 17 doubles, and 19 stolen bases. He already has 26 walks to his name, and has been caught stealing just three times all season. Reading is a hitter-friendly environment, but it’s clear that Kingery’s approach at the plate has changed.
Where to put him
A promotion to the majors would be jumping the gun, as Kingery has less than two full professional seasons under his belt. However, he may be deserving of a spot on the Triple-A Ironpigs roster. Jesmuel Valentin put on a good showing during Spring Training (.366 BA in 41 ABs), but his season was cut short by shoulder surgery. Shortstop Jorge Flores was called up to take his place, but he’s not exactly “on the radar”.
Oh, and did I mention that Kingery is leading all of the Minor Leagues in home runs?
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It may take another month or so, but Kingery is deserving of a promotion. His flash of power is impressive, but the true test of Kingery’s power will lie in his ability to continue hitting home runs at Triple-A. Following Chase Utley‘s departure in 2015, Phillies fans knew it could be a long time before another slugging second baseman came along. At 23 years old, Kingery has a chance to be that slugging second baseman.