Mickey Moniak: Prospect Profile for No. 1 Pick of 2016 MLB Draft by Phillies

Player: Mickey Moniak

Position: OF

DOB: May 13, 1998 (18 years old)

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 190 lbs

Bats/Throws: L/R

School: La Costa Canyon High School (California)

College Commitment: UCLA

 

Background

At the start of the spring, most considered Chaminade Prep’s Blake Rutherford to be the top bat among the California high school crop.

While Rutherford is still one of the top prep hitters in this year’s class and a potential star-caliber player in his own right, Mickey Moniak has passed him in the eyes of most scouts for the title of top prospect in the Golden State.

Moniak further confirmed that sentiment when he took home California Gatorade Player of the Year honors at the conclusion of a standout senior season at La Costa Canyon High School.

According to USA Today, Moniak was hitting .471 this spring with six home runs, 12 triples, 44 RBI and a .921 slugging percentage when he received the accolade. 

Moniak already possesses a plus hit tool and has a chance to be a perennial .300 hitter and 40-double threat in the majors.

The fact he should have no problem sticking in center field long term and has above-average speed only furthers his standing as one of this year’s elite prospects. Moniak told Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish:

I think balance is huge. Being the guy to get on base whether or its a base hit, a double, a triple or whatever it may be. Having that speed is a huge advantage on the basepaths, getting in scoring position, stealing bases, scoring runs. That’s a huge plus. On the defensive side of things, it’s a huge thing to cover ground and to not let any ball drop out there. My speed really helps with that.

If there’s one below-average weapon in his toolbox right now, it’s his power, but that could change as his 6’2″ frame continues to fill out. 

“Obviously, the big knock is my power. That will come, I’ve been growing into my body,” Moniak told Cotillo. “I’m continuing to grow, continuing to go to the weight room to try to put on muscle and add strength. That’s definitely been talked about; it’s something that I definitely think will come. I don’t think it’s too much of a weak point.”

Moniak also has some baseball bloodlines.

His grandfather, William Moniak, played six seasons in the Boston Red Sox organization and his father, Matt, played at San Diego State.

 

Pick Analysis

There’s a lot to like about Moniak, who could be a five-tool contributor if he takes a step forward in the power department.

Here’s what MLB.com had to say while ranking him as the No. 5 prospect in this year’s class:

At the start of the summer, Moniak was thought of as a decent high school prospect from Southern California. By the time the showcase circuit was over, the outfielder had emerged as one of the best high school bats in the nation. He cemented that reputation by continuing to rake all spring.

Moniak makes consistent hard contact against high levels of competition. He has a good approach at the plate and can spray line drives to all fields. Moniak has more doubles power now, but there’s room in his frame to add strength.

His above-average speed works on both sides of the ball, and some see a future Gold Glove caliber center fielder. Moniak gets high marks for his baseball instincts and effort.

That’s about as positive of a scouting report as you’ll see on a high school hitter. There are no glaring weaknesses for Moniak, and he even draws praise for his intangibles.

 

Pro Comparison: Christian Yelich

Moniak weighed in on who he feels is a suitable pro comparison in the aforementioned interview with Cotillo.

“I’ve heard, and I agree with this—Jacoby Ellsbury. He can hit for power, hit for average, steal bases and stick in center field.”

That’s not a bad comparison at all, but Christian Yelich might be a better fit.

Despite being a plus athlete with good speed, Moniak will probably never be a threat to steal 35-plus bases, and that’s something Ellsbury has done five times in his career.

Yelich isn’t the flashiest player in the league, but he does a little bit of everything well.

The 24-year-old plays left field for the Miami Marlins, but he’d be a center fielder on a lot of teams, and he’s one of the game’s best defensive outfielders.

Don’t read into this comparison as a suggestion that Moniak will need to move to left field. It’s meant to be nothing but complimentary from a defensive standpoint.

As for the offensive side of things, Yelich is in the midst of a breakout season in which he was hitting .328/.419/.511 entering play Monday.

He’s put up those numbers with just five home runs, so he’s not a slugger by any means. But he still has an OPS north of .900 thanks to a strong on-base percentage and a healthy number of doubles (16).

That’s exactly the type of offensive impact Moniak could make if he continues on his current developmental path, and just like with Yelich, there is also potential for more.

 

Projection: Starting center fielder, potential leadoff hitter or No. 3 hitter depending on power development

 

Major League ETA: early 2021

 

Chances of Signing: 95 percent

Moniak committed to UCLA as a freshman in high school, but there’s no reason to think he won’t sign with the Phillies.

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Predicting the Outcome of Growing Jimmy Rollins vs. Ryne Sandberg Phillies Feud

The Philadelphia Phillies have committed to a number of veterans over the past few years, opting to retain their in-house talent in hopes of making one last run at contention, rather than blowing things up and rebuilding like some believe they should.

Among those retained veterans was shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who signed a three-year, $33 million extension prior to the 2012 season that includes an $11 million vesting option for 2015.

Now, it appears that the 35-year-old Rollins is butting heads with manager Ryne Sandberg this spring. Could this be the beginning of the end for the long-time Phillies star?

The former NL MVP was out of the lineup on Tuesday and Wednesday and is not listed among the Phillies starters for a televised home game against the New York Yankees on Thursday, according to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.

As the article notes, Rollins was among a number of Phillies in camp dealing with a stomach bug, but when asked if anything was wrong with him on Wednesday Sandberg claimed he was fine.

The most telling quote of the day had to do with Rollins’ backup Freddy Galvis, when Sandberg was asked if he could push Rollins for the starting job:

Freddy’s a guy that will get playing time at various positions. He’s a guy that I like in the lineup. I felt good about what he brings to the table. The biggest thing I like is his energy and his positive influence, his positive influence on everyone around him.

After that, Sandberg was asked how he feels about Rollins in the same regard and he responded with a short and sweet “no comment,” raising more than a few eyebrows.

Rollins responded to this, and it sounds like the tension is not going away anytime soon (h/t to Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News):

Neither player has been impressive so far this spring and this could simply be a matter of Sandberg trying to light a fire under Rollins.

On the other hand, getting the 24-year-old Galvis into the everyday lineup would certainly bring some much-needed youth.

This could simply be a matter of a single quote being over-analyzed, but it at least begs the question if there could be something bigger at play here. Could the team look to move on from Rollins after 14 seasons?

Rollins saw his name come up in trade rumors this offseason and the club was reportedly “very willing” to listen to offers on him, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.

Those rumors were at least somewhat put to rest when Rollins indicated he would likely be unwilling to waive his 10-5 rights, according to another article from Salisbury back in February:

I’m not planning on waiving my no-trade clause. My plan is to bring a championship back here, to be honest. So until something else happens and the situation presents itself where it may help the team, then I’ll think about it. But until then there’s nothing to think about.

Could a trip to Sandberg’s doghouse be exactly the situation Rollins needs to consider waiving his no-trade rights? Time will tell, but this is certainly something worth keeping an eye on over the next couple weeks as we push ever closer to Opening Day.

There would certainly be some teams interested in acquiring Rollins if he were made available and was willing to move.

He is not the superstar player he once was, but he was still a productive option last year, hitting .252/.318/.348 with 36 doubles, six home runs and 22 stolen bases.

On top of those numbers, he is also still a solid defensive option, though not with the same range he once had, and a good clubhouse guy.

The New York Mets immediately come to mind as a team that is in serious need of a shortstop upgrade, but it’s hard to imagine the Phillies making a move in-division.

The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers could use infield depth, but would Rollins accept a diminished role for a chance to be a piece of one of those contenders? It’s all hypotheticals and questions at this point, but it’s an interesting storyline this spring nonetheless.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

5 Free Agents the Philadelphia Phillies Might Steal at the Last Minute

The Philadelphia Phillies have a solid track record of coming out of nowhere to make a big splash in the offseason.

From their acquisitions of Roy Halladay via trade and Cliff Lee via free agency, to their at least somewhat unexpected signing of Jonathan Papelbon to a big contract to close last offseason, their major offseason moves always seem to be swift and without warning.

With needs in the outfield, bullpen and perhaps rotation, there are a number of guys the team could emerge and sign this offseason. Here is a look at five guys who the team could steal at the last minute.

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Roy Halladay Injury: 6 Potential Replacements in Phillies Rotation

With the news that Phillies ace Roy Halladay will miss 6-8 weeks with a right latissimus dorsi strain, the Phillies will need to address his rotation spot moving forward if they hope to compete in 2012.

Vance Worley is already on the disabled list and his rotation spot is currently being filled by swingman Kyle Kendrick, so for the time being the Phillies will need a stop gap option.

Long-term, however, they will need to decide if Kendrick is the answer for two months or if they will look to fill Halladay’s rotation spot with someone else.

They’re unlikely make a blockbuster move, with the team already struggling due to so many other injuries and the farm system somewhat depleted after trading for Roy Oswalt and Hunter Pence the past two seasons.

However, they have some decent in-house options and some low-cost veterans on the trade market that they could look to pursue. Here is a look at some of the possible replacements.

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NLCS 2010: Why Phillies Are Among Best Teams of All-Time

The MLB playoffs are in full swing, and we have already seen our fair share of memorable moments in the respective Division Series games. However, the Phillies have been the talk of October thus far, thanks to Roy Halladay’s no-hitter, and their dominant sweep of the Cincinnati Reds.

The Phillies are coming off of their fourth straight NL East title, and have been to the World Series in each of the past two seasons. In this day and age of free agency, a three peat in the World Series is a legitimate dynasty, and the Phillies seem to have all the components to do just that.

So here is a look at what makes the Phillies great, and the reason that this group could very well go down as one of the best teams in the history of the National League when all is said and done, and if they take home the championship as many feel they will.

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