Phillies prospect Scott Kingery now best second-base prospect in baseball
By John Town
With the graduation of other prospects, Phillies second-base prospect Scott Kingery is now the best prospect at his position.
With Ozzie Albies and Yoan Moncada now graduated to the major-leagues, someone has to take over the mantle as the best second-base prospect in baseball. That prospect is the Phillies‘ own Scott Kingery, who is now the No. 1 second-base prospect according to MLB.com.
Kingery is also Philadelphia’s third-best prospect and the No. 53 prospect overall according to MLB.com.
According to Baseball America’s midseason update, the only second baseman ahead of Kingery is San Diego’s Luis Urias, who is still considered a shortstop/second-base hybrid according to MLB.com. Urias doesn’t hit for much power but he is an on-base machine, posting an OBP just under .400 this season in Double-A.
More from Phillies Prospects
- Prospect Andrew Baker could help Phillies bullpen in 2023
- Phillies manager suggests Andrew Painter could make Opening Day roster
- Phillies No. 1-ranked prospect Andrew Painter receives national accolade
- Phillies top prospect Andrew Painter continues to dominate
- Philadelphia Phillies prospects thriving is a positive sign for the future
However, Kingery had a strong season of his own this year. He started off the season in Double-A Reading in impressive fashion, hitting 18 home runs with a .987 OPS in 69 games. His .313 batting average, .608 slugging percentage, and 166 wRC+ all led Eastern League hitters this year with 300 or more plate appearances.
Kingery went on to have a solid finish in Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
In 63 games, he hit eight home runs, drove in 21 runs, and posted a .294/.337/.449 line. His plate discipline wasn’t as strong as he had a 4.5 percent walk rate and 20.3 percent strikeout rate.
Thanks to his strong season, Kingery was named the recipient of the Paul Owens Award along with Thomas Eshelmnan. The award is for the top hitting and pitching prospects in Philadelphia’s farm system.
More from That Balls Outta Here
- Philadelphia Phillies bullpen could still struggle greatly in 2023 season
- Philadelphia Phillies: Most impactful transactions in 2022
- How will Rob Thomson manage the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen in 2023?
- How Phillies’ Ranger Suárez is set to build on 2022 postseason dominance
- What can Philadelphia Phillies expect from Bryson Stott in 2023?
Next season, Kingery could make his way to the major-league infield. The problem is that there really isn’t any room for Kingery as the team is struggling just to get J.P. Crawford some playing time.
In addition, Kingery is not yet eligible for the Rule 5 draft because he was drafted in 2015, so there is no rush to add him to the 40-man roster. This would allow Philadelphia to let Kingery work out the kinks in his game in Triple-A until they either clear up some room for him in the majors or determine that he is major-league ready.
Next: Could J.P. Crawford follow in Bregman's footsteps?
Until he does graduate, it appears Kingery will sit atop the list of the top second-base prospects in baseball.