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| Scott Kingery, image- Jay Floyd |
Kingery, who was a walk-on as a freshman at Arizona, was named Pac-12 Player of the Year in 2015, in his junior season. That year, he posted a .392/.423/.561 slash line while driving in 36 runs and stealing 11 bases in 54 games as a member of the Wildcats.
In three college seasons, the right-handed batting Kingery sported a .351 batting average while driving in 80 runs and stealing 38 bases in 149 games.
Making his pro debut following the draft, the five-foot-10 180-pounder joined the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. In 66 games he tallied a .250/.314/.337 slash line while swiping 11 bags in 12 opportunities.
In 2016 Kingery opened the season with the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers. In 94 games in the Florida State League, the 22-year-old posted a .293 average with 29 doubles, three triples, three homers, 28 RBI, 60 runs scored and 26 stolen bases. He would be honored as an All-Star.
Promoted to Double-A Reading in late July, Kingery batted .250 with two homers, 18 RBI four steals in 37 contests.
Also, he played in the prestigious Arizona Fall League over the off-season where he was once again honored as an All-Star. In 20 games, Kingery batted .234 with three doubles, a home run, six RBI and five stolen bases.
Phillies fans will certainly love Kingery's style of play, as he is a very exciting young player with all the right tools to become an offensive catalyst at the highest levels of the sport. He plays the game smartly and is a gritty, blue collar type of guy.
Coaches in the Phils' system have been impressed with the Arizona native's preparation, standing out with his game preparation and work ethic. He's also praised for being very coachable.
Very capable with the bat, Kingery projects to be a very good hitting second baseman that has some consistent pop and can spray the ball to all fields. He is a player that can set the table for his team at the top of the lineup, a spark plug that puts together great at bats.
Speed is a key weapon for him. Very quick-footed, Kingery should be a steady stolen base threat, even against the toughest batteries.
A great defender, Kingery features excellent range and quick hands. He's an exemplary second baseman with a strong arm that can lay out on batted balls in the hole and can turn double plays with the best of them.
The Arizona native lists Chase Utley and Ian Kinsler among players that he admired and wished to emulate in his younger days.
In big league camp early in spring training, Kingery will get some valuable experience and some well-deserved exposure. Look for him to open the 2017 campaign back in Reading, but with some solid numbers, he could see a promotion to Triple-A by mid-season.
You can follow along with this year’s Phillies prospects countdown by clicking this link.
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