“We can’t put guys in the seats, can we now?”
Miami Marlins’ manager Don Mattingly …
on defending against Rhys Hoskins.
Phillies’ rookie Rhys Hoskins is the RH Factor in the middle of the Philadelphia line-up – putting up a .310-17-37 stat line since his MLB debut on August 10. In yesterday’s contest – an 8-1 Phillies win over the Marlins in Philadelphia – the 6’5”, 24-year-old 1B/OF went two-for-two, with two runs scored and three RBI. He notched a two-run home run, a run-scoring sacrifice fly, a single and drew a walk in four plate appearances. The home run was his 17th of the season and, like most of his long balls, carried a little history over the fence. Coming in just his 33rd MLB game, it made Hoskins the fastest player to reach 17 career round trippers. And, it wasn’t even close – the next quickest to 17 career long balls in the big leagues was Boston Brave Wally Berger at 42 games in 1930. Then again, Hoskins seems to be getting to all the long-ball marks at breakneck speed. As the chart below shows, he has been the fastest to reach every career home run mark from nine to 17 (with more to come). Side Note: In other news … only Zeke Bonura, Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams got to 37 career RBI in as few games as Hoskins. Not bad company.)
RHYS HOSKINS IS THE FASTEST PLAYER TO REACH …
Nine Home Runs … 16 games
Ten Home Runs … 17 games
Eleven Home Runs … 18 games
Twelve Home Runs …24 games
Thirteen Home Runs … 29 games
Fourteen Home Runs … 30 games
Fifteen Home Runs … 32 games
Sixteen Home Runs … 32 games
Seventeen Home Runs … 33 games
So, where did the rookie “phenom” come from? Let’s take a look. (Oh, and just so you don’t think BBRT climbed aboard the Hoskins’ bandwagon a little late, the RH Factor was featured in a September 1 post – the August Wrap Up.)
First, I think it’s fair to say, the scouts didn’t see this coming – and that goes for pro and college scouts. In 2011, when Hoskins graduated from Jesuit High School in Carmichael, California – where he played baseball, football and basketball – he apparently wasn’t on anyone’s radar. (In his senior season, he hit .304, with three home runs and 22 RBI.) Not only did Hoskins go undrafted by the pros, he received only one college scholarship offer – California State University at Sacramento.
Coming out of high school, Rhys Hoskins wasn’t on the scouts’ radar.
Hoskins made the most of his three years as a Sacramento State Hornet: First Team Freshman All-American (Baseball America & Louisville Slugger) and Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year (.353-10-53); a .283-3-37 sophomore season; Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year as a Junior (.319-12-53). That performance earned him $349,700 as the Phillies’ selection in the fifth round (142nd overall) of the 2014 MLB Draft. Note: Hoskins was also a three-time Academic All-WAC honoree.
Hoskins began his professional career with the short-season (New York-Penn League), Williamsport Crosscutters, where hit just .237, but showed budding power with nine home runs and 40 RBI in 70 games. In 2015, Hoskins hit a combined .319-17-90 at Class A and High-A. In 2016, he really broke out – earning Eastern League (Double A) Rookie of the Year honors with a .281-38-111 season (135 games) for the Reading Fightin’ Phils. That $350,000 investment was looking pretty good by then.
2017 – THE YEAR OF THE RH FACTOR
Then came 2017, and Hoskins’ blazing start with the Triple A Lehigh Valley IronPigs – .284-29-91 line in 115 games (International League MVP and Rookie of the Year). Just as important, he showed solid plate discipline, drawing 64 walks (versus 75 strikeouts). That earned Hoskins an August call up to the big club – where the burn did not exactly continue (at least nor right away).
In his first major league at bat (August 10), Hoskins struck out looking versus the Mets’ Jacob deGrom. His next trip to the plate, he hit into a 4-6-3 double play. And in his final plate appearance of the day, he drew a six-pitch walk. After four games, things did not look much better. Hoskins was one-for-sixteen (.077), with one run scored and one RBI.
In Hoskins’ fifth game (August 14), things began to get interesting, as he went two-for-four with a pair of home runs. Since that time (29 games between August 14 and September 13), Hoskins has hit .340, with 17 home runs, 36 RBI and 30 runs scored. He also put up nearly identical numbers for walks (21) and strikeouts (22) over those 29 games. (He has 24 walks and 26 strikeouts overall.) That combination of power and patience is why so many are convinced Hoskins is the real deal.
In a clutch situation. a walk may be the best way to “de-fence” Rhys Hoskins.
And, just to top it off his hot start at the plate, young Mr. Hoskins – on August 27 – made a sliding, shoestring catch to start a 7-4-3 triple play.
CAN RHYS HOSKINS WIN THE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD?
Can a player who debuts in August capture the Rookie of the Year Award? There is a (close) precedent. In 1959, San Francisco Giants’ rookie first baseman Willie McCovey made his MLB debut on July 30. The future Hall of Famer captured NL rookie of the year honors despite playing in only 52 games. McCovey put a .354-13-38 stat line that season. Hoskins, who made his MLB debut on August 10, should surpass McCovey in all offensive categories except average. He’s could win this thing. His biggest obstacle may be another 1B/OF – Dodgers’ rookie Cody Bellinger , .272-37-86 through 116 games, who looks to break the NL rookie season home run record this campaign. Still, Hoskins should pick up his share of votes.
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