Kingery's surprising power surge will be tested at Lehigh Valley | Bob Brookover

ALLENTOWN — Scott Kingery took a look around at his new home ballpark Monday afternoon and realized he was not in Reading anymore.

"Obviously, just stepping on the field, it looks way different than Reading," the second baseman said before making his triple-A debut with Lehigh Valley. "It looks like you can get one out to left, but it looks real deep to center. My home runs were slowing down a little bit anyway, so I'm turning back into a singles guy."

The Phillies had better hope not.

As nice as the 18 doubles, five triples, 19 stolen bases and double-digit bunt base hits looked on his 69-game resume with double-A Reading this season, it was the 18 home runs that made the Phillies' second-round pick in 2015 such an intriguing prospect.

After hitting just six home runs during his college career at the University of Arizona and eight more in his first 886 professional plate appearances, Kingery connected for 18 long balls in his last 299 plate appearances with Reading this season. He was tied for the league lead when Reading manager Greg Legg informed him Sunday that he'd be moving to Lehigh Valley, where the ballpark is far more challenging to power hitters.

"A hundred percent I caught myself by surprise," Kingery said when asked about his newly discovered power swing. "I didn't think I could do that. I'd say it was the work I put in during the offseason in the weight room. I put on probably 10 pounds during the offseason and also a few tweaks in my swing. That combined with a little bit better approach helps."

Kingery told phillyvoice.com last month that he spent the offseason working out with New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who leads the majors with 26 home runs. Kingery, at 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, is nearly a foot shorter and weighs 100 pounds less than Judge, so nobody is expecting the second baseman to become the National League's premier home run hitter.

The Phillies, however, could use a guy with some pop at his position. It is something they have not consistently had since Chase Utley's knees started betraying him before the start of the 2011 season. The Phillies, of course, could use some pop at a lot of positions. Through Monday's games, they ranked 29th in baseball with 73 home runs. They ranked in the bottom third of baseball in home runs in each of the previous four seasons and have not ranked above 18th since 2010.

That's unfathomable for a club that plays its home games in Citizens Bank Park, one of the friendliest home run venues in baseball.

"I still think my game is going to be driving it in the gaps, running a little bit and just trying to get myself into scoring position for the big guys that can really pop it out of here," Kingery said.

Kingery's power numbers dwindled significantly from May to June. He had 16 home runs through 45 games but just two in his last 24 with the Fightin Phils. Some scouts will tell you not to believe anything you see at Reading, where balls fly out far more frequently than in the Phillies' other minor-league ballparks. In fact, a rival scout said Monday he had heard good things about Kingery, but he was skeptical because of the ballpark factor. Ten of Kingery's 18 home runs with Reading were hit at home.

"I lived through the Reading factor," said Dusty Wathan, who managed the Fightin Phils for five seasons before moving to Lehigh Valley this season. "You always hear everybody talk about the Reading factor, but that probably only adds a couple home runs. Maybe some of those are outs and maybe two of them are doubles or triples. This will be a good ballpark for him. It's built well for a guy like him that can run and has a little bit of power."

Kingery, 23, does a lot of things well, which is why he projects ahead of Cesar Hernandez even though the Phillies second baseman was in the midst of a second straight solid season before landing on the disabled list earlier this month.

In addition to his offensive statistics and 19 stolen bases in 22 attempts with Reading, Kingery also led Eastern League second basemen with a .989 fielding percentage. He flashed his glove work in his triple-A debut, saving a run with a sensational diving catch in the second inning and stealing a base hit with a great play behind the bag at second in the sixth. He also stole his 20th base of the season after being robbed of a base hit in the fifth inning.

Kingery went 1 for 5 in his debut, getting a leadoff single to center field in the first. It was a solid start at the next level for a player who will be at a ballpark near you soon. The Phillies just have to hope he brings some of that power he had at Reading with him.