| Mickey Moniak | |||||||||||||||
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.jpg) Moniak with theLos Angeles Angels in 2024 | |||||||||||||||
| Colorado Rockies – No. 22 | |||||||||||||||
| Center fielder | |||||||||||||||
| Born: (1998-05-13)May 13, 1998 (age 27) Encinitas, California, U.S. | |||||||||||||||
Bats: Left Throws: Right | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| September 16, 2020, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .243 | ||||||||||||||
| Home runs | 56 | ||||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 173 | ||||||||||||||
| Stats atBaseball Reference | |||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
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Medals
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McKenzie Matthew Moniak (born May 13, 1998) is an American professionalbaseballcenter fielder for theColorado Rockies ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for thePhiladelphia Phillies andLos Angeles Angels. The Phillies selected Moniak with thefirst overall pick of the2016 MLB draft.
Moniak attendedLa Costa Canyon High School inCarlsbad, California, and playedcenter field for the baseball team.[1] As a sophomore, hebatted .461 with twohome runs, and 27runs batted in (RBI).[2] As a junior, in 2015, Moniak hit .426 with a 1.062on-base plus slugging (OPS).[3] That August, he played in the Perfect Game All-American Classic atPetco Park.[4][5]
In 2016, as a senior, Moniak batted .476 with a .961slugging percentage and 40runs, 12triples (a San Diego Section record), seven home runs, and 46 RBI, in 29 games.[6][7][8] He was namedBaseball America High School Player of the Year,Gatorade California Baseball Player of the Year, and San Diego Section Player of the Year.[9][7][8] Moniak committed to attend theUniversity of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to playcollege baseball for theUCLA Bruins.[10]
The Philadelphia Phillies selected Moniak with thefirst overall pick of the2016 MLB draft.[8] On June 20, 2016, he signed with the Phillies after agreeing to a $6.1 millionsigning bonus.[11]
Moniak made his professional debut with the Rookie-levelGulf Coast League Phillies in 2016.[12] He spent all of his first professional season there, batting .284/.340/.409 with 27 runs (10th in theGulf Coast League), 11doubles (tied for 9th), four triples (tied for 8th), one home run, 28 RBI (9th), and 10stolen bases (9th), in 176 at bats.[13]Baseball America ranked Moniak the Number 17 prospect in baseball, and MLB.com ranked him Number 19.[14]
Moniak spent 2017 with theClass ALakewood BlueClaws, with whom he batted .236/.284/.341 with six triples (tied for 5th in theSouth Atlantic League), five home runs, 44 RBI, 11 stolen bases, and seven sacrifice flies (tied for 2nd) in 466 at bats in 123 games.[15]Baseball America named him the best defensive player of his draft class, the second-best pure hitter (behindNick Senzel), the second-best high school player (behindBo Bichette), and the high school player closest to making his major league debut.[16][17] Moniak spent the 2018 season with theClass A-AdvancedClearwater Threshers. He hit .270/.304/.383 with 28 doubles (second in theFlorida State League), five home runs, 55 RBI, six stolen bases, and sevensacrifice flies (tied for 5th) in 433 at bats in 114 games.[13]
In 2019, Moniak received an invitation to Phillies Major League spring training camp.[18] He played the 2019 season with theReading Fightin Phils of theClass AAEastern League, batting .252/.303/.439 with 63 runs (9th in the league), 28 doubles (6th), 13 triples (leading the league), 11 home runs, 67 RBI (tied for 4th), 111 strikeouts (10th), and 15 stolen bases in 18 attempts in 465 at bats.[19][20] Moniak was selected to play in the Eastern League All-Star Game midway through the season.[21] He was chosen to play in theArizona Fall League for theScottsdale Scorpions following the season.[22]
On September 16, 2020, Moniak was added to the Phillies' 40-man roster, and was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[23] That night, he made his MLB debut against theNew York Mets as a ninth-inningpinch runner forAlec Bohm, atCitizens Bank Park.[24] On September 18, 2020, Moniak roped a line drive into right field, asingle, for his first big league hit, in the second game of adoubleheader against theToronto Blue Jays.[25]
On April 21, 2021, Moniak hit his first major league home run in the 2nd inning againstAnthony DeSclafani of theSan Francisco Giants.
After a strongspring training in 2022, it was announced that Moniak had made the Phillies'Opening Day roster. However, Moniak suffered a right hand fracture in the final exhibition game against theTampa Bay Rays on aRyan Yarbrough hit-by-pitch. He was instead placed on theinjured list to begin the season, and was given a recovery timetable of six weeks.[26]
On August 2, 2022, Moniak was traded alongside prospect Jadiel Sanchez to theLos Angeles Angels for starting pitcherNoah Syndergaard.[27] He made his Angels debut the next day, going 0-for-2 against theOakland Athletics. In his first week with the Angels, Moniak went 4-for-14 (.286) with a pair of home runs in five games. On August 6, during a game against theSeattle Mariners, Moniak injured his left middle finger while attempting tobunt. The following day, the injury was diagnosed as a fracture; however, he was not expected to miss the remainder of the season.[28] He returned from the injury on September 9 and wasplatooned withJo Adell.[29] On September 28, Moniak was hit on the hand by a pitch in a game against the Athletics. Although X-rays returned negative, the Angels placed him on the injured list, sidelining him for the final seven games of the season.[30] Between the Phillies and the Angels, Moniak finished the 2022 season batting .170 with three home runs and eight RBIs in 37 games.[31]
Moniak was optioned to the Triple-ASalt Lake Bees to begin the 2023 season.[32] He was recalled from Salt Lake on May 12, 2023, hitting .280 with 14 home runs and 45 RBIs in 85 games.[33] In 2024, Moniak played in 124 games for the Angels, batting .219/.266/.380 with 14 home runs and 49 RBI.[34] On March 25, 2025, he was released by the team.[35]
On March 26, 2025, Moniak signed a one-year, $1.25 million contract with theColorado Rockies.[36]
Mickey Moniak's grandfather, Bill Moniak, played six years in theBoston Red Sox organization.[37][8]
