Skip to main content

Reading's Cozens displays impressive offense

Dylan Cozens, image- Jay Floyd

Following a three homer effort in which he also added a triple on Wednesday, slugging outfielder Dylan Cozens launched a pair of long balls and another triple to help the Double-A Reading Fightins notch their third straight win with a 12-8 victory over Bowie on Thursday.


The remarkable effort was capped off by Cozens' go-ahead grand slam in the 8th inning. It gave the 22-year-old 12 RBI in the two games and 101 RBI on the season.

As if the power numbers weren't enough, the two triples were hits that many other players might have only gotten two bases on and he even stole a base on Wednesday, giving him 18 in 19 attempts this year.

"It was some of the best two days of my life," Cozens said via text message.

The six-foot-six 235-pound lefty batter was the Phillies' 2nd round draft selection in 2012.

Cozens' teammate first baseman Rhys Hoskins kept pace with two homers of his own on Thursday, his 32nd and 33rd to stay one big fly in front of Cozens for the Eastern League lead.

With a month left in the regular season, Cozens and Hoskins have a solid shot at reaching Darin Ruf's Reading team single-season home run record of 38, which Ruf did in 2012.

According to Cozens, he and Hoskins are not actively egging one another on over the record chase. They're just enjoying the team's winning ways and having fun with their teammates.

For those fans calling for an immediate promotion to the next level or higher for Cozens, it's worth noting that his splits against righties and lefties aren't very balanced (.312/.395/.688 vs righties, .204/.286/.387 vs lefties) and the Phils' brass is likely looking for improvements against left-handers before they are convinced the strapping prospect has mastered the Eastern League.

Remarkably, Cozens and Hoskins weren't the only Reading players to mash two home runs in the team's most recent win. Outfielder Andrew Pullin, who was featured on Phillies Nation in recent days, also went deep twice to give him seven round-trippers since earning a promotion to Double-A.

Third baseman Mitch Walding also hit a homer for Reading in his Reading debut. Walding, who was the Florida State League All-Star Home Run Derby champion, batted .280 with 10 homers and 53 RBI in 100 games for Class A Advanced Clearwater this season.

Thursday's win took Reading's record to 74-37, which is best in professional baseball.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Prospect Nation 2012: #1 RHP Trevor May

With a massively impressive campaign in 2011 for the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers, right-handed starting pitcher Trevor May locked down his spot as Philadelphia's top prospect and is on the fast track toward the big leagues. He is the reigning Paul Owens Award winner, given to the top pitcher and player in the Phillies' developmental system each year. In 27 starts with the Threshers in 2011, May posted a 10-8 record with a 3.63 ERA, while striking out a Florida State League leading 208 batters in 151 1/3 innings. He also held opposing hitters to a .221 average. The Phillies' 4th round draft pick from 2008, May earned the win in the 50th annual Florida State League All-Star Game at Bright House Field last year. He also was twice named FSL Pitcher of the Week and earned Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Month honors for June. After signing with Philadelphia, May helped lead the rookie level Gulf Coast League Phillies to a championship in 2008. In 5 regular

PhoulBallz Interview: RHP Ben Brown talks TJ recovery, O'Hoppe, cancelled season

Image- MiLB.com Out of action since last May when it was determined he required Tommy John surgery, righty pitching prospect Ben Brown is using the downtime of the pandemic hiatus to continue his physical recovery.  A 33rd round draft selection of the Phillies back in 2017, Brown made his professional debut that same year, posting a 2.57 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP in 10 appearances in the rookie level Gulf Coast League.  The following season, Brown began to make a name for himself in the GCL, striking out 16 batters in one July appearance.  He would post a 3.12 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 10 games (eight starts) before earning a promotion and finishing the season with a pair of outings with Class A short-season Williamsport. Brown, a Long Island, NY native, opened last year with Class A Lakewood.  In four appearances with the BlueClaws, he struck out 20, walked four and allowed no runs in 13 2/3 innings and looked well on his way to making an impact on betting odds and available promo codes

Who is Your Favorite Willie 'Mays' Hayes?

PhoulBallz.com is wondering which individual who has portrayed Willie "Mays" Hayes is the favorite of the public. Hayes, of course, is the character made famous in the Major League motion picture series. In Major League , Willie "Mays" Hayes was portrayed by budding Hollywood actor Wesley Snipes, who would go on to action movie superstardom. Snipes has starred in major motion pictures like the Blade trilogy, Passenger 57 , Undisputed and many more. Snipes remains an impact Hollywood actor, despite legal troubles related to income tax evasion. Snipes was replaced for the sequel, Major League II when his busy career, and possibly the film's budget, would not allow him to return, by Omar Epps. Another budding actor, Epps had previously worked with director David S. Ward, on the film The Program , and landed the role of Hayes, who had become a Hollywood action star over the off-season that occured between the two films. Epps' career portraying athletes rolle