Bryan Rincon’s 2026 breakout has done anything but slow down now that Double-A Reading has reached the Eastern League postseason.
Rincon homered once again on Thursday -- his third dinger in his past three games -- to help Reading toward a 5-4 win over Hartford at Dunkin’ Park. The Phillies’ No. 4 prospect, added last week as MLB Pipeline’s No. 100 prospect overall, jumped on the first pitch he saw in the third inning for a solo home run.
Rincon also walked twice on Thursday, scoring a pair of runs in the victory.
With the win, Reading clinched a trip to face Erie in the Eastern League Championship Series, which begins Sunday. It marks the club’s first finals appearance since 2015. Rincon was paramount to Reading’s efforts, with Thursday’s standout performance joining a two-hit, five-RBI night in Game 1 on Tuesday.
COMPLETE PHILLIES PROSPECT COVERAGE
The 2022 14th-round Draft pick has been excellent in his age-22 season. Rincon leapt into the Top 100 conversation with a .927 OPS and 26 home runs across two levels this season, shattering his previous career-highs of .729 and eight in those categories. The shortstop has always shown strong defensive chops with a 60 grade for both his fielding and arm, but his offense lagged until this season’s breakout.
No. 2 Phillies prospect Aidan Miller (MLB No. 60) also played a key role in Reading’s win as he continues to reacclimate from an extended injury absence. Playing third base, he drove in Rincon with a fifth-inning single, walked three times and stole two bases.