The Chicago Cubs have signed free agent infielder Scott Kingery and before you get your panties in a bunch it’s only a minor league contract. Kingery, now 31-years-old and long removed from his days as a top prospect for the Philadelphia Phillies, will get an invite to spring training in 2026 with the Cubs.
The right-handed hitting utility infielder has only played in 19 MLB games in the past four years, so he’ll be motivated to earn a bench spot coming out of Arizona next March.
Kingery was a consensus top-40 prospect going into the 2018 season with the Phillies and at the time he signed a jaw-dropping six-year contract. The guaranteed money wasn’t crazy or anything as the deal was worth $24 million, but it became somewhat controversial as the Phillies agreed to that contract before Kingery played a single game in MLB.
He struggled in his rookie season, slashing .226/.267/.338, with eight home runs and a 61 wRC+ in 484 plate appearances. It was a rough first year for the then 24-year-old, who put up a -0.7 fWAR in 147 games, but his numbers did improve in 2019, when Kingery hit 19 home runs and posted a 2.1 fWAR. However, that was during the juiced ball era and his .788 OPS translated to a league average 100 wRC+.
The 2020 season was the beginning of the end for Kingery being a permanent member of the Phillies in the majors. He suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic, only played in 36 games and hit a lackluster .159/.228/.283, in 124 plate appearances. He played in a total of 15 games the following year before the Phillies designated Kingery for assignment and then outrighted him to the minor leagues after he went unclaimed on waivers.
Kingery has primarily been stuck at Triple-A since the middle of the 2021 season. That was until last year, when the Phillies traded their once star prospect to the Los Angeles Angels for cash considerations. The infielder played most of the 2025 season at Triple-A in the Angels’ minor league system, but he did manage to appear in 19 games in the big leagues for Los Angeles.
It wasn’t much of a sample size as Kingery was given a total of 29 plate appearances. He went 4-for-27, with 11 strikeouts and two walks. During his time at Triple-A in 2025, the right-handed hitter recorded a .727 OPS in 64 games.
Kingery has a career slash line of .227/.278/.382, with 30 home runs in 343 MLB games. He’s played second, third and shortstop as well as all three outfield positions.
In a sense, Kingery will be competing for an Opening Day roster spot with the Cubs in spring training, but the reality is he’s just another body in camp and if he sticks around he’ll be down at Triple-A with the Iowa Cubs as a veteran to help mentor prospects coming up in Chicago’s minor league system.
You don’t have to get too mad about this signing. It’ll be all right, Cubs fans.
