Phillies legend Scott Kingery signs with the Chicago Cubs

Philadelphia Phillies legend Scott Kingery is on the move again.

The former franchise savior, the next great homegrown star, the guy the Phillies once fast-tracked straight through the system and handed a $24 million extension before he played a single MLB game, is now a member of the Chicago Cubs.

Cubs sign Phillies Legend Scott Kingery to Minor League Contract

scott kingery is a legend https://t.co/oBxQqnG8gL

— Drew Smith (@drewmsmith) December 3, 2025

In 2015, the Phillies thought they had a future All-Star when they drafted Kingery in the second round out of Arizona. Pac-12 Player of the Year, standout in the Cape Cod League, makeup, athleticism, leadership, the whole thing.

To be fair, the early climb justified every ounce of hype. By Year 3 he was already in Triple-A. By 2018 he was the No. 2 prospect in the organization and on the Opening Day roster.

Scott Kingery had a rough rookie season. OPS+ of 61, lots of “well… he looks good running around out there,” but the potential was still obvious.

In 2019, it finally clicked. Kingery hit .258 with 19 bombs and a 101 OPS+. Solid defender. Energy guy. Legit versatility. It looked like the breakout was happening.

Then 2020 hit. COVID derailed him at the worst possible time. He got sick, missed valuable developmental time, and when he returned, the swing, confidence, and production never came back.

It was like the plug got pulled on what had once looked like a surefire career.

In 2024, the Phillies shipped him to the Angels for Cash Considerations, an all-time “we are begging you to take him” move.

He didn’t stick there either, though he did record one of the funniest highlights of the season when he struck out A’s phenom Nick Kurtz on a 32 MPH pitch.

That was probably the peak of his Angels tenure.

Now 31, Kingery spent almost all of 2025 in Triple-A, slashing .242/.302/.425 with a 70 wRC+. Better than awful, not exactly forcing his way into the lineup. His big-league production since 2019 has been brutal: a .145/.205/.239 slash line and a 19 wRC+.

The Cubs are getting emergency depth. Scott Kingery is a bonafide utility guy who can stand at literally any position without humiliating himself. He’s someone who fills a roster hole if disaster strikes and should always have a circle around his name on the depth chart, paired with thoughts of “what if” in the back of any team’s brain.

Best-case scenario, he taps into whatever magic he used to have and becomes a respectable Triple-A hitter again. Worst-case scenario, he gets called up and Cubs fans start asking why he’s on the roster at all.

There’s one lesson in the Scott Kingery story, though.

When a team offers you life-changing money early in your career, you sign the contract. People mocked that pre-arb extension for years, calling it too team-friendly. Turns out it might’ve been the smartest decision Scott Kingery ever made.

The Cubs get depth. Scott Kingery gets another shot. Phillies fans get to shake their heads, remember the good old days, and question whether or not Jetpax SZN really got the chance he rightfully deserved in red pinstripes.

Good luck, Scotty Jetpax. Phillies legend.

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