Hoskins Named I.L. MVP And Rookie Of The Year

First baseman Rhys Hoskins , who set the franchise single-season record with 29 home runs prior to having his contract selected by the Phillies earlier this month, was named the International League's Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year, as announced by the league office on Wednesday. In addition, he was named to the IL postseason All-Star team along with IronPigs reliever Pedro Beato. Postseason awards/honor are selected by the circuit's managers, coaches, media, and club representatives. 

Hoskins, 24, batted .284 (114-for-401) with 29 home runs and 91 RBI in 115 games prior to his first call up to the majors on Aug. 10. At the time of his promotion, the Sacramento native was leading the league in HR (29), RBI (91), runs scored (78), slugging percentage (.581) and OPS (.966) while ranking tied for first in BB (64), fourth in on-base percentage (.385) and tied for sixth in hits (114). Even though he has missed the last 19 games while with Philadelphia, the IL midseason All-Star continues to lead the IL in RBI, runs scored, slugging percentage and OPS while ranking third in both HR and on-base percentage.
On Aug. 5, Hoskins clubbed his 27th HR of the season to pass Andy Tracy (2009) and set the single-season record. When he hit his final round-tripper in his last game with the IronPigs on Aug. 9, the Sacramento State product became the first Phillies' Triple-A player to reach 29 homers since 1971 -- when Mike Andersonand Greg Luzinski both tallied 36 for the Eugene Emeralds. Hoskins also recorded five RBI in that final game at Norfolk, pulling his total of 91 to second in single-season ranks behind Tracy's 96 in 2009.
The durable Hoskins also set a franchise record with 88 consecutive starts to begin the season. In fact, the only two games he did not start during the 117-game span he was a member of the IronPigs came when he traveled to participate in the MLB Futures Game in Miami from July 8-9. He also recorded a 23-game, on-base streak from April 8 to May 2 that fell one game shy of tying the franchise record of 24 held by Domonic Brown  (2010-11) and César Hernández  (2013).
Hoskins becomes the first IronPig to win either IL MVP or Rookie of the Year -- and the 16th player in IL history to claim both awards in the same season, and first since Syracuse's Steven Souza, Jr. in 2014. He is also the first Phillies' Triple-A farmhand to win the IL MVP since Shane Victorino  in 2005 with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and the fourth all-time, joining Buffalo's Pancho Herrera (1959) and Ted Savage (1961). He also joins IL Most Valuable Pitchers RHP Tyler Cloyd  (2012) and RHP Jake Thompson  (2016) as the only IronPigs players to win IL postseason awards. Last season, he was selected as the 2016 Eastern League Rookie of the Year with Reading (AA).
Since his departure from the IL, Hoskins has gone on to become the fastest player to record 11 home runs in Major League Baseball history by doing so in his first 18 games with Philadelphia.
RHP Pedro Beato , who leads all of Minor League Baseball with 29 saves, was also named to the postseason All-Star team today. On July 18, the 30-year-old earned a save on the third consecutive day to pass RHP Scott Mathieson  '10 (26) and set the single-season save record. His 29 saves are ten more than any of the IL's other closers and are tied for the most in the IL since Jonathan Albaladejo  of SWB set the record with 43 in 2010.
In fact, the IL midseason All-Star has converted an impressive 29-of-31 (93.5%) save opportunities for the season -- including his last nine chances -- while boasting a 2.81 ERA in 48 appearances.
Beato has pitched scoreless baseball in 15 of his last 16 appearances in the IL, going 1-0 with a 1.07 ERA and seven saves since June 29. If you remove one outing on June 16 (L, 0.0 IP, 7 ER), the Santo Domingo, D.R, native holds a 1.58 ERA in his other 47 games this season.
In addition to being selected to his first career postseason All-Star team, Beato also becomes the first IronPigs reliever to be receive postseason IL honors.
Single-game tickets for all remaining IronPigs home games, including the Governors' Cup playoffs, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Coca-Cola Park Ticket Office, online at www.ironpigsbaseball.com/tickets or by calling (610) 841-PIGS (7447).
 
The 2017 IronPigs season is presented by Capital BlueCross.