When the Philadelphia Phillies drafted Mickey Moniak 1st overall in the 2016 MLB Draft, they thought they were getting a future superstar. He was seen as a player similar to Christian Yelich and was going to be a guy the Phillies built their roster around. But when the Phillies called him up, he was never able to live up to the hype he had. He struggled immensely with the Phillies and was traded to the Los Angeles Angels just two years later. Things did not get much better in Anaheim, and it looked like Moniak was set to be a draft bust.
However, since Moniak signed with the Colorado Rockies, he is finally seeing some success in the big leagues. 2025 was his best season in the bigs, as in 135 games, he slashed .270/.306/.518 with 24 home runs, 68 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 116. That success has carried over to the start of this season. Over the 16 games he’s played in, he has slashed .273/.305/.655 with six home runs, 12 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 152. While these numbers are good, many are wondering whether they are sustainable and whether Moniak.
Has Mickey Moniak Become the Player He Was Expected to Be?
Every time a player is having offensive success with the Rockies, many are quick to write it off. They are quick to point out that Coors Field is one of the best hitters’ parks in baseball, and the altitude there can inflate a player’s numbers. This has definitely played a role in Moniak’s resurrection. His splits in 2025 were definitely eye-popping. At Coors, he slashed .303/.348/.598 with 15 home runs and 49 RBIs. But on the road, he only slashed .230/.255/.495 with nine home runs and 22 RBIs. It’s clear the conditions in Colorado are allowing Moniak to get more success at the plate.
But Coors Field is not the only reason Moniak has produced good numbers. He has been able to get the barrel on the ball at a much better rate than he used to. Over the past two seasons, he has had a Barrel% in the 85th-86th percentile. This is a 22 percent jump from his last season with the Angels, and is more in line with what gave him success in the minors. This is a very positive sign for him. It’s clear that when he makes contact with the ball, it’s better than it’s been at any point in his MLB career.
Not only was he hitting more balls on the barrel, but last season, it was resulting in some of the best exit velocities of his career. He ranked in the 81st percentile of Launch-Angle Sweet-Spot percentage. This means he hit the ball on the spot of the bat that generates the best launch angle 37.6% of the time. That resulted in him having an average exit velocity of 89.7 mph, his best mark since 2021. This small increase in exit velocity has turned out into base hits.
While Coors Field has inflated his numbers a little, the contact he’s making with the ball suggests he would find some success in any stadium. While he may not be a .270 hitter with 25 home run upside, he easily can hit .250 with 20 home runs in any other ballpark. Couple that with his sprint speed being in the 80th percentile, and this is a solid outfielder to have. He’s someone you can put at the bottom of the order and know you’ll get solid production. At the worst, he can be one of the best bench options in baseball.Â
He will never become the superstar we all thought he would be back in 2016. But Moniak has a chance to carve out a pretty decent career for himself.
