Portland, ME - The Eastern League of Professional Baseball is pleased to announce that Reading Fightin Phils outfielder Dylan Cozens has been selected as the winner of the 2016 Eastern League Most Valuable Player Award. Cozens hit .276 (144-for-521) with 38 doubles, three triples, 40 home runs, 125 RBIs, 106 runs scored, 21 stolen bases, a .591 slugging percentage and a .350 on-base percentage in 134 games this season while helping lead Reading to a first place finish in the Eastern Division standings. The 22-year old led all of Minor League Baseball in home runs and RBIs and his 40 home runs and 125 RBIs are also new Reading franchise records. Dylan is the first Eastern League player to reach the 40 home run mark since Ron Kittle for the 1981 Glens Falls White Sox. He is also the first Eastern League player to top 100 RBIs and 100 runs scored in a single season since 1961 when George Banks and Charles Keller both did so for the Binghamton Triplets. Cozens combined with his teammate Rhys Hoskins, who hit 38 home runs, to break the league record for most total home runs by a pair of teammates. Their total of 78 homers broke the record of 75 set by Rick Lancellotti and Tony Pena for the Buffalo Bisons in 1979.

The 6'6", 235 lb. slugger led all Eastern League hitters in runs scored (106), extra-base hits (81), total bases (308), doubles (38), home runs (40), RBIs (125) and slugging percentage (.591). He also finished ranked among the league leaders in OPS (.941-2nd), hits (144-4th) and walks (61-5th).

Cozens, who is a native of Scottsdale, Arizona, was selected as an outfielder on the Eastern League All-Star Team and was a member of the Eastern Division roster for the Eastern League All-Star Game in Akron. He was also the Eastern League Player of the Week for the periods of June 27th-July 3rd and August 1st-August 7th and was chosen as the Eastern League Player of the Month in May.

Dylan, who is rated by MLB.com as the seventh best prospect in the Philadelphia organization, was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the second round of the 2012 draft out of Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Reading Fightin Phils first baseman Rhys Hoskins finished second in the voting for the MVP Award and Trenton Thunder outfielder Dustin Fowler finished in third place. This award was voted on by Eastern League managers and coaches and members of the media.