Mickey Moniak

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #21 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Moniak, the 2016 No. 1 overall pick, spent the 2020 summer at the alternate training site before making his major league debut in mid September. He added muscle to his frame during the following offseason and stood out to manager Joe Girardi in 2021 spring training, but struggled between the majors and Triple-A, hitting .238 with 15 home runs in 99 games at Lehigh Valley. He was scheduled to appear in the Arizona Fall League, but pulled out due to an injury.
  
  Scouting Report: Moniak added 10 pounds of muscle to his frame during the offseason and it resulted in the most consistent hard contact of his career, with exit velocities topping out between 110 and 113 mph as he showed average power to all fields. Moniak worked during 2020 to cut down on his free-swinging approach, but posted the highest strikeout rate (24.7%) of his career at Triple-A in 2021. He improved his bat speed and showed solid bat-to-ball skills, but doesn’t reach base enough to be anything more than an extra outfielder. Moniak is a good athlete, a solid defender at all three outfield positions, an average runner and has an average arm.
  
  The Future: Moniak’s lack of an above-average tool prevents him from being an MLB regular. He’ll likely spend the 2022 season between the majors and Triple-A.
  
• 
  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #13 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: The 2016 BA High School Player of the Year and No. 1 overall pick in the draft followed his best season as a professional in 2019--52 extra-base hits as a 21-year-old at Double-A Reading while showing increased strength--by earning a spot at the alternate training site in 2020. He impressed the Phillies with his play and earned his first major league callup at the end of the season, posting three hits in 14 at-bats.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A lack of above-average tools across the board leads evaluators to believe Moniak will be a fourth or fifth outfielder. He provides solid defense at all three outfield spots and could stick in center, where his arm is average. The lefthanded hitter does a good job getting the barrel on the ball and has worked on cutting down his free-swinging approach, taking pitches early in the count and increasing his bat speed. Moniak still has some projection left, but his bat and power will likely top out at slightly below average and he's drawn just 94 walks in over 1,500 at-bats. He has average speed.
  
  THE FUTURE: Moniak has a chance to make the team as a reserve in 2021. His approach and hit tool must improve in order for him to earn a starting spot.
• 
  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #9 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Moniak was the BA High School Player of the Year in 2016. In a class with no clear top prospect, the Phillies chose Moniak first overall. He has yet to live up to the lofty expectations that come with being the top pick, but 2019 was his best pro season. He led the Eastern League with 13 triples.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Scouts regularly note that if you forget that Moniak went first overall, he's perfectly fine as a potential fourth outfielder. It's just that the expectations at No. 1 overall go far beyond being a useful role player. Moniak provides a reasonably well-rounded tool set, although there are no plus tools. He has gotten strong enough to project fringe-average power. He has some ability to put barrel on ball with a pull-heavy approach that suits his swing and his power, but he doesn't draw walks and it's hard to see him posting even league-average on-base percentages. Opinions on his defense differ widely, with some scouts saying he has no hope to play center and others saying he's perfectly fine there. He's an average runner.
  
  THE FUTURE: Moniak should be a major leaguer, but he still has a long way to go to be a regular. He most likely ends up as a backup outfielder who can play all three spots. His improved power gives him a chance to be more than that, but he'll have to start being more selective as well.
• 
  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #10 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Moniak won Baseball America's High School Player of the Year award in 2016. The Phillies drafted Moniak that year with the No. 1 overall pick, but his stock has been on a decline since then. Moniak struggled in his first full season in 2017 and did so again last year, though he did rebound in the second half, batting .297/.347/.470 in 53 games from July through the end of the season.
  
  Scouting Report: When the Phillies drafted Moniak, they considered him the best hitter in the country, a potential middle-of-the-order hitter who could play Gold Glove defense in center field. Moniak still has a smooth, sound lefthanded swing, but his pure hitting ability isn't as advanced as initially expected. Moniak can barrel fastballs, but he struggles with pitch recognition and has to take a more selective hitting approach. Moniak's final two months provided the most encouraging signs for his future since he turned pro, with better plate discipline during that time. Moniak hit the ball harder in the second half, and has the potential to hit 10-15 home runs. An average runner with an above-average arm, Moniak played better defense in 2018, and grades out as a fringe-average fielder.
  
  The Future: While a lot of clubs have Moniak as a future fourth outfielder, his finish to the 2018 season offers some hope he could still develop into an everyday player.
• 
  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #9 prospect in 2018
  Moniak was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft and signed for $6.1 million. His first full season in pro ball was a disappointment, however. He held his own at low Class A Lakewood the first two months before going into a tailspin the rest of the year. Moniak is a tricky player to project given his struggles. He still earns praise from scouts for his easy, simple swing that is direct to the ball with a good bat path. He got himself into trouble by getting away from a selective hitting approach and instead rolled over a lot of easy ground balls to the right side of the infield. Moniak will need to get stronger, both to handle the rigors of a full season and to add to his power, which for now is mostly limited to the gaps. An above-average runner, he drew mixed reviews for his defense in center field. He at times made good plays with a gliding stride and an above-average arm, though other scouts questioned his reads and routes. Moniak's development will require more patience than originally anticipated, but his underlying talent suggests he can be an above-average big leaguer. There's just considerably higher risk of him tapping into that potential, so 2018 will be key for him to show that his full-season debut was more fluke than anything.
• 
  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #2 prospect in 2017
  Moniak was the center fielder and two-hole hitter for the U.S. team that won the 18U World Cup in Japan in 2015. A strong high school senior season propelled him to the top of the 2016 draft, with the Phillies signing him for a club-record $6.1 million as the No. 1 overall pick. Moniak is a premium position prospect who does a lot of things well with few glaring weaknesses. He has an easy lefthanded swing that's short, quick and fluid. His barrel awareness and pitch recognition allow him to consistently square up good fastballs and adjust to put the bat on breaking balls. He's a disciplined hitter who goes with where the ball is pitched and uses the whole field. He's still skinny with mostly gap power now, but he should hit 10-15 home runs one day with strength gains, and he added about 20 pounds in the fall after a three-week strength and conditioning camp at the Phillies' Clearwater complex. Moniak is an above-average runner with a quick first step in center field, where his good instincts and above-average arm make him a plus fielder. Moniak's balance of tools and skills on both sides of the ball make him a high-upside prospect without any major risk factors, aside from inexperience. He will make his full-season debut at low Class A Lakewood in 2017.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #5 prospect in 2016 draft
  Moniak starred for USA Baseball's 18U national team last summer, helping the team win a gold medal while teaming with fellow Southern Californian Blake Rutherford in the American outfield. The two players regularly are compared to each other, with Moniak having a strong spring and moving up draft boards, with many ranking him ahead of Rutherford. He's a hitter with feel for the barrel that evokes comparisons to Christian Yelich, a fellow SoCal prep outfield product, and solid power to the gaps. Moniak runs above-average underway but explodes around the basepaths and earns plus defensive grades in center field, capable of highlight reel catches as he turned in during the 2016 Area Code Games. He's committed to UCLA.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #17 prospect in 2017
  Scouts had a hard time figuring out what to think of Moniak, which is understandable after the top pick in the 2016 draft hit .236/.284/.341, ranking him among the least-productive hitters in the league. That's a concern because Moniak's hit tool is vital to his potential, because he is less physical with less power projection than most top picks. Scouts generally graded his future power potential as either a 30 or 40 on the 20-80 scouting scale with his narrow shoulders likely limiting his ability to get significantly bigger and stronger. Moniak is a plus runner who should be able to stay in center field with a lot of work, but the consistency of his reads needs to improve. Despite his lofty defensive reputation as an amateur, some pro evaluators graded him as a below-average defender. But Moniak's biggest improvement will have to come at the plate. Scouts like his swing and his quick hands, but he rarely drove the ball this year and hit a large number of easy-out ground balls. Scouts still see Moniak as a future big leaguer, but there's much less confidence in him being an impact player.
• 
  Ranked Florida Complex League #1 prospect in 2016
  Moniak was the No. 1 overall pick in June and signed for $6.1 million. After a stellar start to his pro career, his numbers tailed off in August when he looked tired at the end of the season. He showed the advanced combination of tools and skills in the GCL that made him the top pick. Moniak has a short, fluid swing with excellent ability to manipulate the barrel, showing he can hit good fastballs and offspeed pitches. He has good strike-zone judgment and a sound hitting approach, going with where the ball is pitched and using the whole field. He's skinny, so his power is mostly to the gaps at this point, but he has the room to fill out and grow into at least 10-15 home runs. An above-average runner, Moniak is a smooth defender with good instincts and a quick first step in center field.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #17 prospect in 2017

• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 40/Medium
  
  Midseason Update: Moniak looked as if he turned a corner in spring training with quicker bat speed that was leading to a significant increase in his max exit velocity up to 114 mph, but he was sidelined with a broken right hand. He returned to excel at Triple-A Lehigh Valley before a promotion to the big leagues on June 26.
  
  Track Record: Moniak, the 2016 No. 1 overall pick, spent the 2020 summer at the alternate training site before making his major league debut in mid September. He added muscle to his frame during the following offseason and stood out to manager Joe Girardi in 2021 spring training, but struggled between the majors and Triple-A, hitting .238 with 15 home runs in 99 games at Lehigh Valley. He was scheduled to appear in the Arizona Fall League, but pulled out due to an injury.
  
  Scouting Report: Moniak added 10 pounds of muscle to his frame during the offseason and it resulted in the most consistent hard contact of his career, with exit velocities topping out between 110 and 113 mph as he showed average power to all fields. Moniak worked during 2020 to cut down on his free-swinging approach, but posted the highest strikeout rate (24.7%) of his career at Triple-A in 2021. He improved his bat speed and showed solid bat-to-ball skills, but doesn&#39t reach base enough to be anything more than an extra outfielder. Moniak is a good athlete, a solid defender at all three outfield positions, an average runner and has an average arm.
  
  The Future: Moniak&#39s lack of an above-average tool prevents him from being an MLB regular. He&#39ll likely spend the 2022 season between the majors and Triple-A.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Moniak, the 2016 No. 1 overall pick, spent the 2020 summer at the alternate training site before making his major league debut in mid September. He added muscle to his frame during the following offseason and stood out to manager Joe Girardi in 2021 spring training, but struggled between the majors and Triple-A, hitting .238 with 15 home runs in 99 games at Lehigh Valley. He was scheduled to appear in the Arizona Fall League, but pulled out due to an injury.
  
  Scouting Report: Moniak added 10 pounds of muscle to his frame during the offseason and it resulted in the most consistent hard contact of his career, with exit velocities topping out between 110 and 113 mph as he showed average power to all fields. Moniak worked during 2020 to cut down on his free-swinging approach, but posted the highest strikeout rate (24.7%) of his career at Triple-A in 2021. He improved his bat speed and showed solid bat-to-ball skills, but doesn’t reach base enough to be anything more than an extra outfielder. Moniak is a good athlete, a solid defender at all three outfield positions, an average runner and has an average arm.
  
  The Future: Moniak’s lack of an above-average tool prevents him from being an MLB regular. He’ll likely spend the 2022 season between the majors and Triple-A.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The 2016 BA High School Player of the Year and No. 1 overall pick in the draft followed his best season as a professional in 2019--52 extra-base hits as a 21-year-old at Double-A Reading while showing increased strength--by earning a spot at the alternate training site in 2020. He impressed the Phillies with his play and earned his first major league callup at the end of the season, posting three hits in 14 at-bats.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A lack of above-average tools across the board leads evaluators to believe Moniak will be a fourth or fifth outfielder. He provides solid defense at all three outfield spots and could stick in center, where his arm is average. The lefthanded hitter does a good job getting the barrel on the ball and has worked on cutting down his free-swinging approach, taking pitches early in the count and increasing his bat speed. Moniak still has some projection left, but his bat and power will likely top out at slightly below average and he's drawn just 94 walks in over 1,500 at-bats. He has average speed.
  
  THE FUTURE: Moniak has a chance to make the team as a reserve in 2021. His approach and hit tool must improve in order for him to earn a starting spot.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The 2016 BA High School Player of the Year and No. 1 overall pick in the draft followed his best season as a professional in 2019--52 extra-base hits as a 21-year-old at Double-A Reading while showing increased strength--by earning a spot at the alternate training site in 2020. He impressed the Phillies with his play and earned his first major league callup at the end of the season, posting three hits in 14 at-bats.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A lack of above-average tools across the board leads evaluators to believe Moniak will be a fourth or fifth outfielder. He provides solid defense at all three outfield spots and could stick in center, where his arm is average. The lefthanded hitter does a good job getting the barrel on the ball and has worked on cutting down his free-swinging approach, taking pitches early in the count and increasing his bat speed. Moniak still has some projection left, but his bat and power will likely top out at slightly below average and he's drawn just 94 walks in over 1,500 at-bats. He has average speed.
  
  THE FUTURE: Moniak has a chance to make the team as a reserve in 2021. His approach and hit tool must improve in order for him to earn a starting spot.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The 2016 BA High School Player of the Year and No. 1 overall pick in the draft followed his best season as a professional in 2019--52 extra-base hits as a 21-year-old at Double-A Reading while showing increased strength--by earning a spot at the alternate training site in 2020. He impressed the Phillies with his play and earned his first major league callup at the end of the season, posting three hits in 14 at-bats.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A lack of above-average tools across the board leads evaluators to believe Moniak will be a fourth or fifth outfielder. He provides solid defense at all three outfield spots and could stick in center, where his arm is average. The lefthanded hitter does a good job getting the barrel on the ball and has worked on cutting down his free-swinging approach, taking pitches early in the count and increasing his bat speed. Moniak still has some projection left, but his bat and power will likely top out at slightly below average and he's drawn just 94 walks in over 1,500 at-bats. He has average speed.
  
  THE FUTURE: Moniak has a chance to make the team as a reserve in 2021. His approach and hit tool must improve in order for him to earn a starting spot.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Moniak was the BA High School Player of the Year in 2016. In a class with no clear top prospect, the Phillies chose Moniak first overall. He has yet to live up to the lofty expectations that come with being the top pick, but 2019 was his best pro season. He led the Eastern League with 13 triples.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Scouts regularly note that if you forget that Moniak went first overall, he’s perfectly fine as a potential fourth outfielder. It’s just that the expectations at No. 1 overall go far beyond being a useful role player. Moniak provides a reasonably well-rounded tool set, although there are no plus tools. He has gotten strong enough to project fringe-average power. He has some ability to put barrel on ball with a pull-heavy approach that suits his swing and his power, but he doesn’t draw walks and it’s hard to see him posting even league-average on-base percentages. Opinions on his defense differ widely, with some scouts saying he has no hope to play center and others saying he’s perfectly fine there. He’s an average runner.
  
  THE FUTURE: Moniak should be a major leaguer, but he still has a long way to go to be a regular. He most likely ends up as a backup outfielder who can play all three spots. His improved power gives him a chance to be more than that, but he’ll have to start being more selective as well.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Moniak was the BA High School Player of the Year in 2016. In a class with no clear top prospect, the Phillies chose Moniak first overall. He has yet to live up to the lofty expectations that come with being the top pick, but 2019 was his best pro season. He led the Eastern League with 13 triples.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Scouts regularly note that if you forget that Moniak went first overall, he's perfectly fine as a potential fourth outfielder. It's just that the expectations at No. 1 overall go far beyond being a useful role player. Moniak provides a reasonably well-rounded tool set, although there are no plus tools. He has gotten strong enough to project fringe-average power. He has some ability to put barrel on ball with a pull-heavy approach that suits his swing and his power, but he doesn't draw walks and it's hard to see him posting even league-average on-base percentages. Opinions on his defense differ widely, with some scouts saying he has no hope to play center and others saying he's perfectly fine there. He's an average runner.
  
  THE FUTURE: Moniak should be a major leaguer, but he still has a long way to go to be a regular. He most likely ends up as a backup outfielder who can play all three spots. His improved power gives him a chance to be more than that, but he'll have to start being more selective as well.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Moniak was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft and signed for $6.1 million. His first full season in pro ball was a disappointment, however. Moniak held his own at low Class A Lakewood the first two months before going into a tailspin the rest of the year. Scouting Report: Moniak is a tricky player to project given his struggles. He still earns praise from scouts for his easy, simple swing that is direct to the ball. He got himself into trouble by getting away from a selective hitting approach and instead rolled over a lot of easy ground balls to the right side. Moniak will need to get stronger, both to handle the rigors of a full season and to add to his power, which for now is mostly limited to the gaps. An above-average runner, he drew mixed reviews for his defense in center field. He at times made good plays with a gliding stride and an above-average arm, though other scouts questioned his reads. The Future: Moniak's development will require more patience than originally anticipated, but his underlying talent suggests he can be an above-average big leaguer. Now 2018 will be key for him to show that his full-season debut was more fluke than anything.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Moniak was the center fielder and two-hole hitter for the U.S. team that won the 18U World Cup in Japan in 2015. A strong season as a high school senior propelled him to the top of the 2016 draft, with the Phillies signing him for a club-record $6.1 million as the No. 1 overall pick. Scouting Report: Moniak is a premium position prospect who does a lot of things well with few glaring weaknesses. He draws comparisons with Christian Yelich and Steve Finley. Moniak has an easy lefthanded swing that's short, quick and fluid. His barrel awareness and pitch recognition allow him to consistently square up good fastballs and adjust to put the bat on breaking balls. He's a disciplined hitter who goes with where the ball is pitched and uses the whole field. He's still skinny with mostly gap power now, but he should hit 10-15 home runs one day with strength gains, and he added about 20 pounds in the fall after a three-week strength and conditioning camp at the Phillies' Clearwater complex. Moniak is an above-average runner with a quick first step in center field, where his good instincts and above-average arm make him a plus fielder.
  
  The Future: Moniak's balance of tools and skills on both sides of the ball make him a high-upside prospect without any major risk factors, aside from his inexperience. He will make his full-season debut at low Class A Lakewood in 2017.