The Angels have acquired infielder Scott Kingery from the Phillies in exchange for cash considerations, according to announcements from both clubs. Kingery wasn’t on Philadelphia’s 40-man roster and won’t need to take a spot with the Angels.
Kingery, 31 in April, was once a highly-touted prospect. The Phils had enough confidence in his future that they signed him to a long-term extension before he had even made his major league debut. In March of 2018, the Phils gave Kingery a $24MM guarantee covering the 2018-2023 seasons, with three club options as well.
Unfortunately, Kingery wasn’t able to live up to his prospect billing or that contract. He can steal a few bases and 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 outrighted him off their roster in both 2021 and 2022, with no club willing to grab the remainder of the contract off waivers. He had surpassed three years of service time and had the right to elect free agency instead of accepting those outright assignments. However, 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 playing out the rest of his deal. The Phils turned down his ’24 club option but he stayed in the organization at that point as well.
Though the contract was a bust, Kingery just wrapped up a solid season in the minors. He took 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, translating to a wRC+ of 104.
Kingery stole 25 bases and continued bouncing around the diamond this year, playing second base, shortstop and center field. He has past experience at third base and in the outfield corners.
With those traits, he could perhaps be a useful player even with some semi-competent offense. He hasn’t been able to do that in his major league career so far but it’s a low-risk move for the Angels as Kingery isn’t even taking up a roster spot for now.
The Angels have a few question marks in their position player mix. Luis Rengifo projects as the top second base option but his 2024 was ended by wrist surgery. Even if he comes back healthy, he might need to bounce to other positions. Third baseman Anthony Rendon has been extremely injury-prone 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 might get moved to a corner or into the designated hitter spot 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 opportunity for a post-hype breakout.
Lmao
So the Angels want to be a salary dumpster this offseason? Got it…
he got paid 1mil last year so not really a salary dump
Anyone want to explain this to me. Team option 2025 for 14 million.
He’s not worth the league minimum.
This still doesn’t explain why they’d want him, but there may still be a year or two of team control even if they decline the option.
Infield depth they can stash in AAA.
He’s not even on the 40 man roster. No way they are picking up any more than 1 mil of his salary. He’s at a good age with a high prospect pedigree. So I like the move.
Great low pressure spot for soler too ! He could be a great trade candidate for a contender down the road while getting prospect value by eating his salary
Buy 50 lotto tix and you’ll get a few winners
@Halo11Fan He got paid before his debut a couple years ago
There is no reason in the head of Minasian.
@halosheaven is money coming back. Says cash considerations doesn’t say which way.
Kingery was a good example of the downside of trying to save money by offering a prospect a contract before their major league debut.
Hes not on that contract anymore. The Phillies declined the option last year, then retained him under the original player contract he signed out of the draft. Either he agreed to it, or didn’t have the service to force free agency. Either way, he’s not a 15MM guy this year. He gets paid whatever any other non 40 man AAA guy gets
@rogue ok got it, but what’s the cash considerations if he’s on a vet minimum deal.
They bought him from Philly. Could be any amount. Could have given Philly a dollar. Amounts over 1MM have to be approved by the Commissioners office. It doesn’t sound like the angels paid that kind of money here.
@rogue I don’t hate the move then. So it’s essentially signing Cole tucker to possibly be a backup.
Basically. It’s really more about Philly giving Kingery a chance a fresh start with a new club, than anything else. I doubt the Angels gave up much of anything. And guys on the uniform player contract don’t even get the MLB minimum if they are not on the 40 man. It’s a low risk move we’ll all probably forget about by May 1st
@rogue yeah it’s like guillorme,dozier, tucker, Lopez and I probably missed 5 other players or blocked it out.
Kingery signed his contract before his MLB debut. This years club option (which was denied by the Phillies) would’ve been an arbitration year for Kingery had he not signed a deal. This means instead of electing free agency after your club option is denied you can stay with the organization and go through arbitration for your annual deal. Kingery elected to stay with the organization (Philly). Philly trades Kingery to Angels for cash. Kingery is not required to be on the 40 man and if contract is selected it will most likely be league minimum for the Angels. I love this kids abilities so I like the move. Hope this clears up your concerns.
@scott brewer. Thank you. I definitely don’t mind the move. Gives him a good chance to make the team, because as of now they need infield depth. It’s also nice that he play the outfield. I’m wondering if this is a sign ward is on the move?
Just cause it’s legal in California doesn’t mean you should be smoking it while making trades.
Great comment.
Wonder what Johnny Cash records they got.
Hopefully they held out for “ring of fire”, one of his best songs.
Pretty sure they got bootleg recordings. I’m not sure what Perry was thinking with this move…
I remember when the Phils signed him to that deal before he debuted. Wasn’t a lot of dough but certainly a swing and a miss.
14 mil is a tremendous cap hit
$24 million
Angels going all in!!1!
The Angels new David Fletcher
Fletcher was better.
I like Kingery. The Philly front office and coaching staff destroyed him. He used to be a pure contact hitter with some pop. Great line drive hitter. The hitting coaches attempted to make him into a swing and miss power hitter. Since he already got paid, he had no reason to decline what they were forcing him to do. He could of been a Christian Yelich lite.
I can agree that the Phillies front office/coaching staff did him no favors. Moved him around way too much and swing was tinkered with. But he had multiple amount of times to figure it out. That was on him.
They promoted him too soon. He had a 58/13 K/W in AAA at age 23. That’s pretty weak. But I’m guessing that, since he was already signed, they felt like they had to promote him to make it look better.
But the 58/13 in AAA, unsurprisingly, turned into a 126/24 in the pros. There is a chance that he was never going to work out, but promoting a AAA player with very poor K/W’s usually assures that it won’t work out.
This is a brutally bad take on so many levels, but that’s why there’s a comments section.
Kingery had every opportunity to be successful regardless of the approach and he couldn’t do it. Say what you want about the Phillies coaches, but a player has to put it together.
It makes sense to reunite Kingery with Mickey Moniak. Oh wait, no, no it doesn’t!
Good deal for the Angels – getting a top prospect making league minimum when they don’t expect to win for a few years… Oh wait, it’s not 2017, my bad!
Angels going all in this season!!
That extension turned out terrible like every Six Feet Under album does.
This is getting embarrassing
ANGELS ARE GOING FOR IT
Forgot this guy is still in MLB. Angels are collecting a dumpster fire of talent.
You think all teams dont have a Scott Kingery?
Perry Minasian channeling his inner Trader Jerry
None of you could make the Angels roster
Kingery was the biggest “What if” in recent Phillies history. He had the chance to be a very good MLB player but was destroyed both by his desire to be a home run hitter AND the Phillies insistence on turning him into Ben Zobrist. Had they both just left it alone, he’d likely have been a very productive, all-around second baseman.
The Angels 2025 Cole Tucker replacement.
When you don’t have AAA depth of your own you have to claim guys and hope a couple work out.
I believe his full title is Can’t Miss Scott Kingery.
The Angels doing Angles things. Their front office consists of Perry an IT guy and four billboard employees. Not a lot of baseball minds working together. Arte sold the idea of having an active offseason to get fans excited for the next bobble head night. God forbid he improves an old ballpark or assemble a pitching staff.
Some of the commenters on the Soler trade suggest that the Angels are trying to assemble a pitching staff via an addition by subtraction move of Canning.
@Nashville that’s what it was. They have plenty #5 starters. They also had one of the worse outputs from dh soler solves that. This move is just a guy off the bench, and they definitely need a guy that can play the infield.
@Rexhudler86: Yep. Totally get the Angel’s (and Braves) side of this. Be surprised if the Braves even tender Canning a contract. I expect a non tender and possible re-signing on a cheaper deal than the $5.1M that Canning is projected to get in arbitration.
Calm down. This is akin to signing a player to a minor league deal with an invitation to ST. Kingery is not even on the 40 man roster, isn’t blocking any prospects, and could possibly make the Angels as a utility player. If not, then it’s a nothing deal. This is merely a depth move.
Every year teams sign or trade for a bunch of these players who have struggled or otherwise not performed to expectations. Every season fans get angsty about these signings and how the GM is ruining the team. 90-95% of these players either end up cut in ST or filling out AAA rosters.
LOLAngels
A low-risk move, except for the fear that they treat Kingery like Sano & Hicks and decide to give him more playing time than some younger kids.
@joe hopefully not. Kingery hasn’t played in the mlb in three years. Maybe he won’t care if he plays once a week.
Can’t believe they paid anything for him. Probably could have gotten him for free unless they were worried the White Sox would take him.
Iron pigs legend
I can’t be the only one who was surprised to see that Kingery is already almost 31 years old. Seems like yesterday he was a top prospect.
Angels looking to get offseason shopping done before free agency begins.
@ybc I’m not anticipating many moves maybe a second baseman, and a bullpen piece. Most likely one year deals, and a bunch of minor league deals