Phillies trade former top prospect Scott Kingery to the Angels
Kingery, who signed a $24 million contract in 2018 before he even played a game with the Phillies, has not appeared in a major league game since 2022.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/ISATFPACNBD3XLWMRF5GEHSLJA.jpg)
The Scott Kingery era has officially ended in Philadelphia.
The Phillies traded Kingery to the Los Angeles Angels for cash considerations, the team announced Friday. Kingery, 30, is a former top prospect who never panned out with the Phillies.
The writing was on the wall a year ago, when the Phillies declined the $13 million club option on Kingery’s contract for the 2024 season. But he remained in the organization after his contract reverted to the minor league deal Kingery had signed after being drafted in the second round in 2015. Kingery spent the 2024 season in triple A, where he hit .268 with 25 home runs and was named the IronPigs’ hitter of the year.
» READ MORE: John Middleton expects the Phillies to spend more in 2025. And they have options beyond Juan Soto.
Kingery was so highly touted as a prospect that he signed a $24 million contract in 2018 before his first major league game. He made the opening day roster that year, and spent time at six positions as a utility player. But prolonged struggles at the plate led to his being designated for assignment in 2021.
Kingery has not appeared in a major league game since 2022. He batted .229/.280/.387 with 62 doubles, 30 homers, 96 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, and 320 strikeouts in 1,127 plate appearances in 325 major league games.
New investors
Three new investors have joined the Phillies’ ownership group, managing partner and CEO John Middleton announced Friday.
Mitchell L. Morgan, Guntram J. Weissenberger Jr., and a third anonymous investor were added to the limited partnership. Morgan is founder, chairman, and CEO of real estate investment management firm Morgan Properties, a company based in Conshohocken. Morgan also serves as chairman of the board of trustees at Temple and is a limited partner in the NFL’s Washington Commanders.
Weissenberger is president of Westover Companies, a property management company based in King of Prussia.
» READ MORE: Murphy: Four offseason names to know for the Phillies — and one big philosophical point
“We are fortunate to have three new investors, all of whom have lifelong, multigenerational ties to the Philadelphia region and its business, academic and charitable communities,” Middleton said in a release. “Their significant investment is a vote of confidence in our baseball operations, and the financial resources they are providing will allow us to pursue our strategic growth opportunities and long-term goals. Additionally, their strong commitment to Philadelphia and their philanthropic leadership perfectly aligns with the Phillies, making them the ideal partners to continue to grow our franchise.”
The Middleton and Middleman families will also be “contributing additional funds,” according to the release.
The addition of the three investors will not change the Phillies’ management, as Middleton will continue to be the club’s managing partner, CEO, and MLB control person.