9:54am: Hoskins and the Guardians are finalizing a minor league deal, according to Meisel. Meisel goes on to report that the Boras Corporation client will receive a $1.5MM salary if he makes Cleveland’s MLB roster.
9:38am: Veteran first baseman Rhys Hoskins is in the Guardians’ clubhouse today, as first reported by Zack Meisel of The Athletic. Hoskins is in Guardians gear and MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins adds that he also has a locker in the clubhouse. While a deal between the sides has not yet been officially reported, those appear to be strong indications that Hoskins is joining the organization.
Hoskins, 33 next month, spent six seasons in Philadelphia as one of the more reliably above-average corner bats in the game. He managed to make up for low batting averages by consistently flashing 30-homer pop and keeping his walk rate above 10%. After a 2022 campaign where he slashed .246/.332/.462 with 30 homers in 156 games, Hoskins figured to be a key figure in the Phillies’ lineup headed into 2023 when those plans were abruptly scuttled by an ACL tear that wiped out his entire season. That lost season led Hoskins to reach free agency as something of an unknown quantity, but he ultimately found a two-year deal with the Brewers that afforded him the opportunity to opt out after the 2024 season.
The veteran appeared in 131 games for Milwaukee during that first season but didn’t hit at his typical levels, with a slash line of just .214/.303/.419 and a wRC+ of 101. While he was still good for 26 home runs, a career-high 28.8% strikeout rate sapped much of the value Hoskins had offered during his days in Philadelphia. That down season was enough to convince Hoskins to remain in Milwaukee for 2025, but he was limited to just 90 games this past season due to a sprained thumb. The good news is that when he was on the field, his production ticked back up to be more substantially above league average. In 328 trips to the plate last year, Hoskins slashed .237/.332/.416 with a wRC+ of 109. While Hoskins’s power numbers were the weakest of his career, his strikeout rate ticked down to 27.7% while his walk rate crept up to 11.6%, his highest level since 2020.
More to come.
