Eli Whitney | May 1, 2025
Mickey Moniak’s baseball journey has been a rollercoaster of sky-high promise, humbling setbacks, and a hard-earned resurgence that’s turning heads early in 2025. Born in Encinitas, California, Moniak was the first overall pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016, a somewhat surprising selection that placed mountainous pressure on Moniak. Now, with the Rockies, he’s showing signs of unlocking his potential.
Mickey’s love for baseball was nurtured early, rooted in family tradition. His grandfather, Bill Moniak, played six seasons in the Boston Red Sox system, passing down a passion for the game. Growing up in the San Diego area, Mickey dominated at La Costa Canyon High School. As a sophomore, he hit .461 with 27 RBI. His junior year in 2015 saw a .426 average and a 1.062 OPS. By his senior season in 2016, he was a force, batting .476 with a .961 slugging percentage, 12 triples (a San Diego record), seven home runs, and 46 RBI in just 29 games.
The accolades flowed in. Baseball America named him National High School Player of the Year, Gatorade dubbed him California’s best, and he earned a gold medal with the U.S. National Team at the 2015 U-18 World Cup in Japan. Committed to UCLA, Moniak instead signed with the Phillies for a $6.1 million bonus after being selected first overall in the 2016 MLB Draft. At 18, the baseball world was his to conquer.
Moniak to the Pros
Moniak’s professional debut in the Gulf Coast League in 2016 was promising: a .284/.340/.409 slash line, 10 stolen bases, and a top-20 prospect ranking from Baseball America. But the road to the majors was bumpier than expected. In 2017, with Single-A Lakewood, he hit just .236 with a .284 OBP as his aggressive approach at the plate led to a high strikeout rate.
The next few years showed glimmers of his potential—28 doubles in 2018 with High-A Clearwater, and 13 triples in 2019 at Double-A Reading—but consistency eluded him. A palatable though still high 24.7% strikeout rate at Triple-A in 2021 underscored his struggles with plate discipline and contact.
Moniak’s MLB debut came on September 16, 2020, as a pinch runner for the Phillies. Two days later, he notched his first hit against the Toronto Blue Jays. His first home run, a 2021 blast off San Francisco’s Kevin Gausman, was a milestone, but injuries and limited playing time stalled his progress. A broken hand in 2022 was a low point, and by August, the Phillies traded him to the Los Angeles Angels for pitcher Noah Syndergaard. For a 24-year-old former top pick, the trade felt like a reset button, tinged with uncertainty.
The move to Anaheim proved transformative. In 2023, Moniak started at Triple-A Salt Lake, hitting .308 with 8 home runs and 23 RBI in 33 games. Recalled on his 25th birthday, he found another oppertunity to make his mark in the MLB.
An 18-game hit streak from July 2-18, during which he batted .368, was the longest by an Angel since Shohei Ohtani in 2022. By season’s end, Moniak posted a .280/.307/.490 slash line, 14 homers, 45 RBIs, and six stolen bases in 85 games, with a 114 OPS+ (14% above league average). Moniak looked primed to finally establish himself as a former first overall pick.
His 2023 success, though, came with caveats. A .397 BABIP suggested good fortune played a role, as balls in play found gaps at an unsustainable rate. His 35% strikeout rate and 2.8% walk rate revealed a swing-first mentality that left little margin for error. Still, Moniak’s speed, power, and quality center-field defense—worth 3 outs above average in a limited sample—hinted at a bright future. The Angels had found a gem, or so it seemed.
If 2023 was Moniak’s breakout, 2024 was a reality check. Playing a career-high 124 games, he struggled to a .219/.266/.380 line, with 14 home runs, 49 RBI, and eight stolen bases. His OPS+ plummeted to 81, 19% below league average, and his BABIP dropped to .272, reflecting a correction from 2023’s fluky highs.
Early in the season, he hit just .161/.196/.234 through June 4, testing the patience of Angels’ decision makers. August offered a lifeline as he batted .359 with a 1.116 OPS, including his first multi-homer game and a walk-off homer that electrified Angel Stadium. By year’s end, Moniak was a player at a crossroads, his potential undeniable but his future output was uncertain.
On March 25, 2025, the Los Angeles Angels made the surprising decision to release Moniak, despite going through the arbitration process just weeks prior. The move came after a disappointing Spring Training where Moniak hit just .173/.224/.346 over 21 games.
The very next day, the Rockies seized the opportunity, signing Moniak to a one-year, $1.25 million contract, a low-risk gamble for a player with untapped potential. This rapid transition set the stage for Moniak’s early contributions in the 2025 season, as he’s quickly integrated into the Rockies’ roster and delivered notable moments.
Moniak’s arrival in Colorado was a whirlwind. Signed just before Opening Day, he joined the Rockies’ roster on March 27 and flew directly to Tampa, Florida, for the season opener against the Rays on March 28, without ever stepping foot in Colorado as a Rockie. His first significant moment came on March 30, 2025, when he etched his name in Rockies history.
Moniak made waves quickly after joining the Rockies, called on to pinch-hit in the seventh inning against the Rays, Moniak launched a solo home run in his first at-bat. The moment underscored Moniak’s power potential and provided an immediate spark for a Rockies team looking for outfield depth.
Moniak’s performance through the first few weeks of the 2025 season reflects a player capable of high-impact games but still working toward consistency. He’s shown that his power and speed can make him a valuable entity for a Rockies team looking for any light at the end of the tunnel in the midst of the worst start in franchise history. He’s tied for the team lead with 3 HRs and leads the entire league in triples with 3.
Moniak’s early resurgence isn’t without hurdles. His platoon splits—he rarely faces left-handed pitchers— currently cap his ceiling as an everyday player. His power, while promising, hasn’t consistently translated, and his stolen base totals lag behind his speed. Further, while Moniak’s offensive numbers look solid, his underlying 40.5 chase% and 35.6 whiff% suggest some unsustainability to his early season performance.
2025 will be career-defining for Moniak. A strong season might earn him a multi-year deal or a trade to a contender needing outfield depth. A slip, however, could see him begin a journeyman stint.
Mickey Moniak’s career is a testament to resilience. From a high school prodigy to a struggling prospect, he’s faced the game’s highs and lows with a level head that has allowed him to maximize his Rockies opportunity thus far. His 2023 breakout showed his ceiling, 2024 tested his resolve, and 2025 is revealing a player learning to harness his gifts—speed, power, and defensive flair—while taming his weaknesses. As he carves out a role with the Rockies, Moniak reminds us that in baseball, the journey is as compelling as the destination. With every gapper at Coors Field, he’s writing a new chapter, one that’s worth watching.
Written by Eli Whitney.
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