Former Phillies No. 1 pick Mickey Moniak has been one of the top sluggers in baseball to start 2026 season – Phillies Nation

PHILADELPHIA — Former No. 1 total draft pick Mickey Moniak rode into Citizens Bank Park on Friday afternoon with outdated pal Alec Bohm. Once a prized prospect in the Phillies group, he by no means discovered a constant position or sustained success. But he is again in Philadelphia in his second yr with the Colorado Rockies, standing as one of the top offensive performers in the National League to date in 2026.

As it at present holds, Moniak leads the NL in slugging share (.700) and OPS (1.067). He’s hit 11 residence runs in 30 video games. Sure, he is significantly better at the hitter-friendly Coors Field, however his ballpark-adjusted 178 OPS+ is fifth in the large leagues. Moniak has discovered a house, and he is cashing in on his alternatives.

“I think it just kind of goes back to last year, really” Moniak mentioned Friday inside the guests’ clubhouse. “The start of June, I kind of found something here, mostly mental. Just kind of playing free, letting it go and just kind of letting the talent that God gave me take over.”

Moniak, 27, was chosen out of highschool with the first pick by the Phillies in a weak 2016 draft. He struggled in the decrease minor leagues, however he ultimately made his major-league debut in 2020. After temporary cameos for components of two seasons, Moniak appeared destined to turn into Philadelphia’s beginning heart fielder in 2022. Then, he was hit by a pitch in the remaining recreation of spring coaching, breaking his proper hand.

It by no means clicked with the Phillies after that. He batted .130 in 50 plate appearances, and he was traded to the Los Angeles Angels for rental swingman pitcher Noah Syndergaard at the deadline. The Phillies made a shock NL pennant run that October.

But Moniak, who mentioned he is a agency believer in the whole lot taking place for a motive, has no laborious emotions towards the Phillies group. He was drafted by Philadelphia, spent seven youth with the membership and broke into the majors as a Phillie. He enjoys returning to the metropolis and catches up with former teammates and coaches each time he is again. Ultimately, the Phillies had been wanting to contend that season, and Moniak wanted to proceed growing.

“The team was in a place where, clearly, they were trying to compete for a World Series,” Moniak mentioned. “They went to the World Series that year, and it was win-now mode. So I wasn’t given the leash to go out and get the at-bats a young guy needs to do it, and rightfully so. I totally understood. It’s just one of those things where, at the time, it was best for both parties kind of go separate ways.”

The outfielder’s time with the Angels was inconsistent, and he was launched prior to the start of the 2025 season. Moniak signed with Colorado final March, and he made his Rockies debut on April 3 on the street in Philadelphia throughout the Phillies’ residence opener.

He hit 21 residence runs with a .824 OPS in 135 video games final yr, with a .917 OPS in 81 video games following the finish of May. Moniak spent the winter attempting to construct off the robust exhibiting, prepared to “ride the wave” into 2026. He’s achieved that and extra in the early components of the season.

“I don’t know what’s inside his brain, but he seems awfully comfortable,” Rockies supervisor Warren Schaeffer mentioned. “He’s a grinder. He gets after it every day. For me, it’s no wonder that he’s doing the things that he’s doing. He’s a really good hitter and a really, really good hitter against right-handed pitching, specifically.”

At this level in his profession, Moniak is a distinct participant than when he was with the Phillies. He arrived in Clearwater, Fla., at 167 kilos as a young person again in 2016. His left-handed bat didn’t have that a lot pop, by no means hitting greater than 15 homers in a minor-league season. Now, his 6-foot-1, 209-frame has crammed out, and his recreation relies on extra-base hits into that spacious Colorado outfield.

“I guess you could say I was a little bit of a late bloomer as far as the power goes,” Moniak mentioned.

That’s not to say he is turn into an ideal participant. Moniak is firmly a short-side platoon outfielder. He misplaced his career-long 18-game on Thursday, then was out of the lineup on Friday as a result of left-hander Jesús Luzardo was beginning for the Phillies. He’s batting .150 with no walks and 10 strikeouts in 20 plate appearances towards lefties this season.

Moniak’s defensive metrics have additionally been poor since becoming a member of the Rockies, with -23 defensive runs saved in the outfield final yr and -3 to date in 2026.

However, Moniak has excelled in his position as a righty masher, and he is posting gaudy price stats at the plate. Maybe he is due to regress since he is operating a .343 batting common on balls in play and doesn’t have the monitor report of a star. But this red-hot stretch ought to present a excessive flooring for his end-of-season numbers. And if he can remotely stick with it, there’s an actual likelihood he’ll be making one other journey to Philadelphia in July to characterize the Rockies in the All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park.

“I will cross that bridge when we get there,” Moniak mentioned. “I feel my essential focus proper now’s simply one day at a time. It’s at all times been a purpose to be an All-Star, and I undoubtedly know it is going to be right here in Philly. I feel it would be actually cool. I feel it would be superior, full-circle second.

“But again, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. Still got a couple more months to go, and just looking to do what I can each and every day.”