Phillies are calling up Rhys Hoskins

It’s finally happening.

Reports indicate the Phillies are promoting Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs star Rhys Hoskins to the Majors. The move has not been officially announced by the team, and a corresponding roster move will need to be made once it is.

***UPDATE***

In their midseason rankings, Baseball America ranks Hoskins as the team’s No. 4 prospect (No. 69 overall), and MLB Pipeline has him as the team’s No. 6 prospect, (No. 71 overall).

Hoskins has been one of the best power hitters in the minors over the last two seasons. In 475 plate appearances with Lehigh Valley this year, he batted .284/.385/.581 with 29 home runs and 91 RBIs. Both figures lead the International League, as does his OPS of .966.

Here is his final home run for the Pigs, hit just last night.

Hoskins burst onto the scene last year with AA Reading, hitting .281/.377/.566 with 38 homers and 116 RBIs. Amazingly, he decreased his strikeout rate from last season (21.2% to 15.8%) and increased his walk rate (12.1% to 13.5%), all without losing his power in a tougher ballpark in which to hit for power.

Hoskins has been ready for this call-up for weeks, but has been blocked at first base by Tommy Joseph. Joseph has had stretches of productivity in his year-plus at the Major League level, but his overall numbers for 2017 are less-than-stellar. Through Wednesday he was batting .244/.302/.431 with 16 HRs and 54 RBIs, tied for the worst fWAR among qualified first basemen in baseball (-0.6).

Nevertheless, Hoskins has spent the past three games in Lehigh Valley playing left field, with the Phillies looking to find a way to get him to the big leagues. With Aaron Altherr out with an injury, a spot there is available. Despite having never played left field in the minors, Hoskins handled every opportunity well in those three games.

And now, he’s finally gotten his long-awaited shot in the Major Leagues.

***UPDATE***

Hoskins is in the lineup for the series opener against the New York Mets, batting 7th.

Celebrate Rhys Hoskins’ call-up to the Majors by getting his T-shirt in the Felske Files TeePublic store!