Portland, ME - The Eastern League of Professional Baseball is pleased to announce that Reading Fightin Phils first baseman Rhys Hoskins has been selected as the 2016 Eastern League Rookie of the Year. Hoskins made his Double-A debut with Reading this season after combining to hit .319 with 17 home runs and 90 RBIs in 135 games between the Clearwater Threshers of the Florida State League and the Lakewood BlueClaws of the South Atlantic League in 2015. The 23-year old built on that success to post career best numbers in multiple categories with Reading this season, batting .281 (140-for-498) with 26 doubles, one triple, 38 home runs, 116 RBI, 95 runs scored, eight steals, a .377 on-base percentage and a .566 slugging percentage in 135 games while helping to lead the Fightins to a first place finish in the Eastern Division standings.

Hoskins, who is a native of Sacramento, California, led the Eastern League in OPS (.943) and also finished the season ranked among the league leaders in RBIs (116-2nd), home runs (38-2nd), slugging percentage (.566-2nd), total bases (282-2nd), extra-base hits (65-2nd), runs scored (95-2nd), walks (71-2nd), on-base percentage (.377-4th) and hits (140-5th).

The 6'4", 225 lb. slugger was especially impressive during the month of June when he was named the Eastern League Player of the Month after hitting .351 (39-for-111) with nine doubles, 13 home runs, 33 RBIs and 26 runs scored in 27 games during the month. He was also named the first baseman on Eastern League All-Star Team, was the Eastern League Player of the Week for the period of June 6th-12th and was a member of the Eastern Division roster for the Eastern League All-Star Game in Akron.

Rhys, who is rated by MLB.com as the 13th best prospect in the Philadelphia organization, was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth round of the 2014 draft after hitting .319 with 12 homers and 53 RBIs in 59 games during his junior season at Sacramento State.

Trenton Thunder outfielder Dustin Fowler finished second in the voting for the Rookie of the Year Award and Reading Fightin Phils outfielder Dylan Cozens finished in third place. This award was voted on by Eastern League managers and coaches and members of the media.