The Brewers could improve in this important area
The Milwaukee Brewers enter the new season with Rhys Hoskins set to take on primary duties at first base again. Will he be able to improve on his first season in Milwaukee?
Hoskins had an impressive run with the Phillies, but last year was a drastic dip from his usual run of form. Hoskins boasted an OPS of at least .794 every single season of his career up until last year when he put up a .722 mark. While the Brewers probably hoped for more, that certainly wasn’t an abysmal performance.
The right-handed slugger hit 26 home runs last year and had a double-digit walk rate. That’s a great foundation for a notable output, but is there more to come? He is still one of the best in the game at barreling up the ball, ranking in the 86th percentile last year. He doesn’t chase too often, but his quality of contact was worse last year in significant areas, such as a lower max exit velocity, lower expected batting average, and a slight downtick in hard-hit rate. Hoskins is still capable of being one of the premier power suppliers on the team and could still return to some of his early career form in his second season in Milwaukee.
Is there any danger to Hoskins’ role on the team if he doesn’t find quick offensive success? He’s one of the worst defenders on a team that gets wide acclaim for its defense. Tyler Black remains one of the team’s top prospects and will likely fit best at first base. At 24 years old, is there a world where Hoskins’ is forced into a limited role if Black continues his rise?
Rhys Hoskins’ strikeout rate jumped to a career-high 28.8%. How much of that was due to missing an entire year? Will his approach at the plate lead to the success he saw in Philadelphia now that’s back and accustomed to the full season? If his plate skills erode, his pursuit for another 30-home run season might fall short.
Hoskins might not be in the long-term plans for the Brewers, but if he contributes to the team’s offense with his typical power and patience approach, he’ll be a key part in the Brewers’ race for another division title in 2025.
All stats courtesy of FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.