Skip to content
Phillies
Link copied to clipboard

Phillies promote Andrew Pullin to triple A. What about Scott Kingery?

Joe Jordan, the Phillies director of player development, says Kingery will be promoted "pretty soon."

Andrew Pullin hits against Akron on April 19, 2017.
Andrew Pullin hits against Akron on April 19, 2017.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer

The Phillies promoted Andrew Pullin to triple A on Thursday morning, but what about Scott Kingery?

"I think it's fair to say that you can expect that pretty soon," said Joe Jordan, the team's director of player development.

Kingery entered Thursday batting .306 this season with 18 homers and a .375 on-base percentage in 65 games at double A. Including last season, Kingery has 421 at-bats at double A. The 23-year-old second baseman is certainly ready for triple A. General manager Matt Klentak said last week that a promotion was coming " in the pretty near future ." That promotion could come Monday when the IronPigs return from a seven-game road trip and Reading departs on a five-game road trip.

"He's been really good," Klentak said. "He's taking steps forward in a lot of key areas and, for that reason, his move to Lehigh will come relatively soon."

Pullin's promotion was expedited because the IronPigs lost outfielder Cameron Perkins, who joined the Phillies after Michael Saunders was designated for assignment. Pullin, a 23-year-old leftfielder, batted .308 at Reading with 14 homers and a .368 on-base percentage in 67 games. He will join Dylan Cozens and Nick Williams in the IronPigs outfield.

"He's been arguably the best and most consistent offensive player in our system for close to 450 to 500 at-bats at double A," Jordan said. "I just see a consistent threat every night. He's been phenomenal and he's evolved throughout the course of the season."

Rios sidelined

Yacksiel Rios, a hardthrowing righthanded reliever, has been sidelined since May 31 with biceps tendinitis.

Rios has a high-90s fastball with a devastating slider. The 23-year-old had a 2.18 ERA with 40 strikeouts and just seven walks in 33 innings before being injured. Jordan said Rios has resumed throwing and is nearing a return.

"He's getting really close to being ready," Jordan said. "The first part of next week, he could possibly be ready to return and pitch for that club. It was just something that flared up. Nothing major."