Rhys Hoskins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rhys Hoskins |
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Hoskins with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2018
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| Milwaukee Brewers – No. 12 | |||
| First baseman | |||
| Born: March 17, 1993 Sacramento, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 10, 2017, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) |
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| Batting average | .238 | ||
| Home runs | 174 | ||
| Runs batted in | 487 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Rhys Dean Hoskins (born March 17, 1993) is an American professional baseball player. He plays as a first baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers in Major League Baseball (MLB). Before joining the Brewers, he played for the Philadelphia Phillies. Rhys was picked by the Phillies in the 2014 MLB draft after playing college baseball for the Sacramento State Hornets. He started playing in the MLB in 2017. He was a key player for the Phillies when they reached the 2022 World Series in 2022. Sadly, he missed the entire 2023 season due to an injury. Rhys then signed with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2024.
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Early Life and High School
Rhys Hoskins was born on March 17, 1993, in Sacramento, California. His parents, Paul and Cathy Hoskins, were both lawyers. Rhys was a very competitive child. He loved to win at card games, board games, and even backyard sports.
When Rhys was young, his mother became very sick. She passed away in 2009, just before his 16th birthday. After this, Rhys grew closer to his younger sister, Meloria. Rhys was always a big fan of the San Francisco Giants baseball team. He looked up to players like J. T. Snow and Paul Goldschmidt.
Rhys played many sports at Jesuit High School in Carmichael, California. He played baseball, basketball, and football. He also kept excellent grades, with a 4.0 grade-point average. His parents encouraged him to try different activities instead of focusing on just one sport. Rhys graduated from high school in 2011. He had a career batting average of .421 and 28 runs batted in (RBIs).
College Baseball Career
Rhys chose to play college baseball to improve his mental game. He went to California State University, Sacramento, which was the only college that offered him a scholarship. He played for the Sacramento State Hornets.
In his first year, he was excellent. He batted .353 and hit 10 home runs with 53 RBIs. He earned many awards, including Freshman of the Year for his conference. In 2013, he played summer baseball for the Falmouth Commodores. He was named an all-star in that league.
As a junior, Rhys hit 12 home runs and had 53 RBIs. He batted .319. He was named Player of the Year for his conference. He also received several All-American honors.
Professional Baseball Journey
Starting in the Minor Leagues
The Philadelphia Phillies picked Rhys Hoskins in the fifth round of the 2014 MLB Draft. He signed with the team for a $349,700 bonus. Rhys started his professional career in 2014 with the Williamsport Crosscutters. He hit nine home runs in 70 games. After this, he worked on his batting style, developing his unique left leg kick.
In 2015, Rhys played for the Lakewood BlueClaws. He had a great May, batting .342 with 23 RBIs. He was named the Phillies' Minor League Player of the Month. He also played in the All-Star Game for his league. Later that year, he moved up to the Clearwater Threshers. Overall in 2015, Rhys batted .319 with 17 home runs and 90 RBIs. After the season, he played in Australia for the Sydney Blue Sox to keep improving.
In 2016, Rhys joined the Reading Fightin Phils. He and his teammate, Dylan Cozens, were a powerful duo. They hit many home runs together, exciting fans in Reading. Rhys finished the season batting .281 with 38 home runs and 116 RBIs. He was named the Eastern League Rookie of the Year. He also received the Paul Owens Award as one of the top players in the Phillies' minor league system.
Rhys started the 2017 season with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. He continued to play very well. He led his league in RBIs (91) and home runs (29). He was named the International League's Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Rookie of the Year. He was also selected for the All-Star Futures Game.
Playing for the Philadelphia Phillies
2017: A Record-Breaking Start
Rhys was called up to the Phillies on August 10, 2017. He made his MLB debut that same day. A few days later, he got his first major league hit and RBI. On August 14, Rhys hit his first two major league home runs in the same game. This was a special moment, as it hadn't happened for a Phillies player since 1996.
Rhys quickly broke many rookie records. On August 26, he hit his 10th career home run in just 17 games. This made him the fastest player in MLB history to reach 10 home runs. His 11th home run came the next day, in only 64 at-bats. This broke previous records for speed. He also hit a home run in five straight games, a rare feat. In one game, he even made a triple play from the outfield, which was the first for a Phillies player in 53 years!
Rhys's amazing streak continued. On August 28, in his 19th game, he got his 25th RBI. He was the second-fastest player to do this since 1920. His 11 home runs in August were the most by a Phillies rookie in one month. He was named the National League Rookie of the Month for August.
By September 14, Rhys had hit 18 home runs in just 34 games. He was the fastest player in MLB history to reach that many home runs. He also became the fastest player to reach 45 career RBIs. For the 2017 season, Rhys batted .259 with 18 home runs and 48 RBIs in only 170 at-bats. He finished 4th in voting for the National League Rookie of the Year award.
2018: Home Run Derby and More Records
On June 27, 2018, Rhys became the fastest Phillies player to hit 30 career home runs, doing so in 120 games. On July 3, he became the fastest Phillie to reach 100 career RBIs.
Even though he wasn't an All-Star, Rhys was invited to the MLB Home Run Derby. He surprised many by beating the top seed in the first round. In the second round, he hit 20 home runs, but he was narrowly defeated.
Rhys continued to set records for the Phillies. On August 5, he became the fastest Phillie to reach 100 walks. On September 18, he hit his 50th career home run in his 192nd game. Only a few players in MLB history reached 50 home runs faster than him.
For the 2018 season, Rhys batted .246 with 34 home runs and 96 RBIs. He was among the league leaders in home runs, doubles, and walks. He was known for hitting many fly balls.
2019: Leading the League in Walks
In 2019, Rhys played 160 games. He batted .226 with 29 home runs and 85 RBIs. He led the National League with 116 walks, showing his patience at the plate. He also moved to playing first base full-time, where he played 158 games.
2020-2022: Injuries and World Series Run
In the shorter 2020 season, Rhys batted .245 with 10 home runs and 26 RBIs in 41 games. After the season, he had surgery on his left elbow.
In 2021, Rhys dealt with an abdominal injury and a groin strain. These injuries caused him to miss the rest of the season. Before his season ended, he was leading the Phillies with 27 home runs and 71 RBIs.
In the 2022 season, Rhys batted .246 with 30 home runs and 79 RBIs. He was a key part of the Phillies team that reached the 2022 World Series. Although the Houston Astros won the series, Rhys played an important role in the team's success.
2023: Missing the Season
On January 13, 2023, Rhys signed a one-year contract with the Phillies. However, during a spring training game on March 23, he suffered a serious injury. He tore a ligament in his knee and needed surgery. This injury caused him to miss the entire 2023 season. After the season, the Phillies decided not to re-sign Rhys, and he became a free agent.
Joining the Milwaukee Brewers
On January 26, 2024, Rhys Hoskins signed a two-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. The contract was worth $34 million.
On June 3, 2024, Rhys returned to Philadelphia to play against his former team. He received a huge standing ovation from the fans before his first time at bat. He then hit a home run in that very first game back in Philadelphia.
Personal Life
Rhys Hoskins married his longtime girlfriend, Jayme Bermudez, on November 9, 2019. His Phillies teammate Scott Kingery was one of his groomsmen. Together, Rhys and Jayme have helped raise over $1 million for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
