Reading Fightin Phils

• Location: Reading, PA
• League: Eastern League 2013-2019; Double-A Northeast 2021; Eastern League 2022-
• Affiliation: Philadelphia Phillies 2013-present
• Ballpark: FirstEnergy Stadium 2013-present

Team History

The Reading Fightin Phils, formerly of the Eastern League and briefly in Double-A Northeast, generated a short-lived controversy with their October 2012 announcement of a nickname change. The Philadelphia Phillies farmhands play their home games at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading, PA.

The Fightins are now owned by their parent, the big Phils having bought the R-Phils in 2008.

The controversy was grounded in both tradition and being baseball's version of a favorite son. After years of being buffeted by affiliation and franchise changes, Reading - which is in the Phils' protected territory - joined Philly's farm system in 1967. Thus, a Phillies team in the Phillies' backyard that had gone by "Reading Phillies" with an aka of "R-Phils" for nearly a half a century had said: "We're changing brands." With many fans assuming "Phillies" was being abandoned, controversy was no surprise and might even have been the publicity-generating goal. It was quickly quelled by the November 4th reveal: "Fightin Phils" - a throwback to the 1950s Phillies "Whiz Kids".

The Fightins play Copa de la Diversión Hispanic engagement campaign games as Luchadores de Reading (Reading Wrestlers). Given the mascot on their logo is an ostrich (of course?), the ballpark features Matt Jackson, a hot dog vendor who rides an ostrich. It makes perfect sense.

Year-by-Year Record

Year	Record	Finish	Manager	Playoffs	Hitting coach	Pitching coach	Coach
2013	62-80	12th	Dusty Wathan		Frank Cacciatore	David Lundquist
2014	66-76	9th(t)	Dusty Wathan		Rob Ducey	David Lundquist
2015	80-61	1st	Dusty Wathan	Lost League Finals	Mickey Morandini / Frank Cacciatore	David Lundquist
2016	89-52	1st	Dusty Wathan	Lost in 1st round	Frank Cacciatore	Steve Schrenk
2017	72-68	4th (t)	Greg Legg		John Mizerock	Steve Schrenk	Greg Brodzinski
2018	64-73	8th	Greg Legg		Kevin Riggs	Steve Schrenk	Greg Brodzinski Rico Brogna
2019	80-59	1st	Shawn Williams	Lost in 1st round	Kevin Riggs	Aaron Fultz	Nelson Prada
2020	Season cancelled
2021	48-65	10th	Shawn Williams		Tyler Henson	Brad Bergesen	Nerluis Martinez
2022	61-77	9th	Shawn Williams		Tyler Henson	Matt Hockenberry	Mycal Jones
2023	59-77	10th (t)	Al Pedrique		Tyler Henson	Brad Bergesen	Ray Ricker
2024	59-78	11th	Al Pedrique		Brock Stassi	Phil Cundari, Riley McCauley	Karl Ellison
2025	55-81	12th	Al Pedrique		Tom Slater	Brad Bergesen, Riley McCauley	Mycal Jones, Karl Ellison
2026			Al Pedrique		Jeff Livesey	Brad Bergesen	Marty Malloy, Alex Harter, Nerluis Martinez

Further Reading

• Benjamin Hill: "Meet the Minor League hot dog vendor who ... rides an ostrich?!", mlb.com, June 16, 2025. [1]