2. Rhys Hoskins, 1B (R)
Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins is on the mend from his left elbow injury and should be ready to go come Opening Day on April 1, home against the Atlanta Braves. Earlier this offseason, Hoskins shared on social media of him swinging in the batting cage. “Progress! I appreciate everyone for the love, it didn’t go unnoticed,” he said. “I am on track for spring training and I miss it like crazy.”
Hoskins and the Phillies recently avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $4.8 million deal. If he plays up to his full potential in 2021, the salary will be well worth it for the team’s president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and general manager Sam Fuld.
Similar to Andrew McCutchen, the four-year veteran in Hoskins is known to work counts and get on base. He led the National League in 2019 with 116 walks. This past season, Hoskins recorded the 20th-most walks in the league (29), despite only playing 41 games due to the injury.
Hoskins has a .346 career on-base percentage while batting second in the order, drawing 105 walks across 161 games. He has also produced 37 doubles at the lineup spot, along with 35 home runs and 95 RBI.
If anything was learned from the 2020 season, it is that the Phillies need Hoskins in their lineup. During the 17 final games, the team went just 5-12 without him and finished only one game out of qualifying for the postseason for the first time since 2011.