Brewers sign 2 former Phillies to minor-league deals

A pair of former Philadelphia Phillies have signed with the Milwaukee Brewers on minor-league deals.

Milwaukee announced Thursday that it added reliever Hoby Milner and outfielder Dylan Cozens. The two received invitations to major-league spring training.

Both players were drafted by Philadelphia in 2012 and later made their debuts for the team. Milner pitched for the Phillies in 2017 and 2018, while Cozens played for them in 2018 and 2019.

The left-handed Milner was effective in his first year in the majors, pitching to a 2.01 ERA in 37 appearances as a rookie. He struggled in 10 appearances with the Phillies in 2018, but had some notable outings in limited time.

Milner was the pitcher first-year manager Gabe Kapler brought in to relieve starter Aaron Nola after only 68 pitches in the first game of the 2018 season. The lefty immediately surrendered a two-run home run to Freddie Freeman, as the Phillies lost a game they led 5-0.

Kapler later defended his decision to bring in Milner in an interview on SportsRadio 94WIP with Angelo Cataldi.

“… Hoby Milner is nasty, brother,” the manager told Cataldi. “It’s a very uncomfortable look against left-handed hitters. He’s dirty.”

Two games later, Milner was called in to pitch by Kapler without being warmed up in the bullpen. That move was perhaps Kapler’s most criticized in his time as Phillies manager.

Milner was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays that July. He pitched for the Los Angeles Angels this past season.

A former second-round pick, the power-hitting Cozens hit 40 home runs for Double-A Reading in 2016 and 27 in Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2017. He then played in short stints for the Phillies across two seasons.

Cozens has a .154 career batting average with one home run in 45 major-league plate appearances.

The Phillies released Cozens in August of 2019. He then signed with the Rays, and was in their organization the past two seasons.

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