Dylan Cozens and Rhys Hoskins might benefit from staying at double-A Reading

Cozens and Hoskins have seemed to be pushing their way to triple A for the entire season. They both homered twice on Thursday and appear set to pass Darin Ruf's single-season home run mark of 38. Hoskins, a righthanded first baseman, has 33 homers. Cozens, a lefthanded rightfielder, has 32.

Their power numbers say they are ready for a new test. But with a month left in the season, it makes sense to keep Cozens and Hoskins with Reading - owners of the best record in professional baseball - for the playoff push.

The Phillies used the same method last season, keeping Nick Williams and Jake Thompson in Reading despite them likely being ready for triple A. The team said then that they wanted their prospects to learn to win and play meaningful games.

"You can look at it two ways," manager Dusty Wathan said. "If there's an opening in triple A and something happens, it could benefit them to go up there. Let's be honest, that's a good team up there. They're playing well. They're going to be in the middle of the playoff hunt. But, then again, they're doing well here. A lot of times, we let guys finish what they started. We did it last year with Knapp, Stassi, and some guys like that. Right now, with the way both rosters shape up, there's not a lot of room to put anybody. They're trying to force their way there and we talk about it all the time to 'Go do what you can do to force everybody's hands.' They're doing it right now."

Cozens said he would benefit "a lot" from staying in Reading.

"It's always about winning," Cozens said. "To be a part of a winning atmosphere and a good atmosphere is always good. As we continue to play with each other, we just keep getting better. That's a huge part of development, learning how to win, being on a winning team and playing winning baseball."

Cozens and Hoskins are the first Eastern League teammates to each hit 30 homers in a season since 1981. They will likely start next season with an invitation to major-league spring training and then a trip to triple-A Lehigh Valley. It will be interesting to gauge their ability to hit homers as they move away from Reading's hitter friendly FirstEnergy Stadium. They have hit 48 of their 65 homers at home.

But their success this season is not a surprise. Hoskins was one of the organization's best hitters last season as he split the year between single-A Lakewood and high-A Clearwater. Cozens hit just five homers last season in 96 games at Clearwater, but was drafted in 2012's second round with the allure of developing into a power hitter.

"It's the way I feel like I should've been playing all four of my years," Cozens said. "I knew it was coming eventually, I just didn't know when. I would've liked to play like this earlier in my career, but it's fine. Just part of the process. I look forward to doing this and just getting better and better as more years come."