Phillies: Revisiting our bold spring training predictions

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FORT MYERS, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 27: Scott Kingery #4 of the Philadelphia Phillies in action against the Boston Red Sox during a Grapefruit League spring training game at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on February 27, 2020 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

Scott Kingery will start the season at 3B.

Scott Kingery and Jean Segura have each started seven games this spring, Jean has been slotted in at 3B all seven games while Kingery has been slotted at 2B. It was reported that the Phillies ‘strongly prefer’ Jean at 3B and Kingery at 2B and that report turned out to be accurate as we are seeing the defensive alignments throughout the spring games.

Many believe Scott Kingery is a gold glove waiting to happen at the 2B position. Buster Olney in 2018 reported that one scout even praised him saying,

"“He’s Dustin Pedroia, but with more talent.”"

Those comparisons don’t get thrown out there very often. Maybe that is what Girardi is thinking, he has a gold glove level 2B waiting to happen on his roster and he doesn’t want to play him anywhere else. Kingery ended the 2019 season with a total OAA (outs above average) of +3, placing him at his natural position would most likely boost his productivity.

We have to think, if top prospect Alec Bohm does get a call up early this season what is Girardi going to do with the lineup? Joe G has a few options: 1). move Haseley to the bench, Kingery to CF and Jean to 2B as Bohm slots into 3B. 2) He could also keep it simple and place Segura on the bench while Bohm takes his place.

We don’t know what is going to happen but offensive and defensive production to that point of the season could be what determines those moves.

Up to this point Segura doesn’t look bad on the hot corner, he has made a few great plays and stopped some hot shots but also has had a few blunders. That has to be expected when putting somebody at a position they have never played but it seems that he is getting more comfortable.

You should take spring training stats with a grain of salt but sometimes it is good to get a sense of how a player is doing. Segura is currently slashing .333/.429/.444 in 18 at-bats this spring while Kingery is slashing .136/.259/.318 in 22 at-bats. Bohm is slashing .429/.458/.429 in 21 at-bats.