By Jackson RobertsShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberEvery Major League Baseball teams takes a few fliers on fringy veterans at this time of year, and the Chicago Cubs found themselves some utility depth on Tuesday.
Scott Kingery was once a top prospect for the Philadelphia Phillies, and even signed a pre-arbitration extension worth $24 million in 2018 coming out of spring training. But after eight seasons, 325 major league games in Philadelphia and 19 more with the Los Angeles Angels this season, he still has yet to establish himself as a full-time big-leaguer.
At age 31, it appears Kingery will get at least one more chance to carve out a role for himself with the Cubs, though his odds may not be all that strong.
...According to a report from Bruce Levine of 670 The Score, the Cubs have signed Kingery to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training. It's the first time Kingery has signed a free-agent contract as a professional, as he was outrighted to the minors several times by the Phillies, then traded to the Angels for cash last November.
Kingery came to the Angels this year hoping to build on the solid season he put together a year ago with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, when he blasted 25 home runs and put up an .804 OPS in 125 games. Instead, it was one of his most turbulent years yet, as he was designated for assignment three times and put up just four hits in his 29 major league plate appearances.
Kingery peaked at No. 2 on the Phillies' top prospects list on MLB Pipeline in 2018, and that same year, he was ranked 34th on the site's Top 100 -- ahead of future All-Star pitchers Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, and Brandon Woodruff.
The one obvious plus for the Cubs is that Kingery can play virtually every position except pitcher and catcher, and though the Cubs have a deep roster, there's always room for an all-around utility guy. Chicago had one on its playoff roster, but Willi Castro is now a free agent.
Having made considerably more money than most players with negative-0.2 career wins above replacement, though, Kingery is hoping his story isn't finished being told at the major league level.
More MLB: Blue Jays Predicted to Land Padres All-Star, Address World Series Downfall
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