That Balls Outta Here
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Phillies prospect Mickey Moniak struggling again this season

By John Town

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 29: Mascots and kids surround the Phillie Phanatic and his cake during his birthday celebration before a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park on April 29, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Braves won 10-1. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 29: Mascots and kids surround the Phillie Phanatic and his cake during his birthday celebration before a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park on April 29, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Braves won 10-1. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /
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After a disappointing 2017 season, Phillies outfield prospect Mickey Moniak is struggling to start off the 2018 campaign.

The Phillies were rewarded for their abysmal 63-99 season in 2015 with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft. They used that pick to take high school outfielder Mickey Moniak. Just under two years later, that pick is looking more and more questionable.

After a poor season last year, Moniak is off to a poor start this season in High-A Clearwater. Through 25 games, Moniak has a .218/.231/.257 line with just four extra-base hits and seven runs batted in. He has drawn just two walks while racking up 26 strikeouts in 105 plate appearances.

Out of all MLB.com top 100 prospects, Moniak’s .488 OPS is the third-worst. Only Jorge Mateo and Ryan McMahon are worse in that category. Moniak’s OPS is second-worst among Philadelphia’s top 30 prospects, trailing behind Cornelius Randolph, the team’s first-round pick the year before.

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Moniak’s numbers last year already were enough cause for concern. He hit just .236 with a .625 OPS in 123 games at Low-A Lakewood. He struggled with strikeouts last year too, posting a 21.4 percent strikeout rate.

Moniak’s struggles have certainly dampened opinions on him around the league. One scout told Scott Lauber of Philly.com that he doesn’t understand how Moniak is “the guy.” Another said that he only sees Moniak as a fourth outfielder in the majors.

Considering Moniak’s struggles in Lakewood, it was surprising to see him on the Clearwater roster to start the season. However, director of player development Joe Jordan told Lauber that the team felt confident in Moniak after working with him during fall instructionals:

"“I think what happened in this situation is we spent enough time with him that we just realized he was fine mentally; his confidence was good. We just had confidence that this was the appropriate challenge for him. I believe in time he will prove that to be a good decision.”"

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Even so, the fact that Moniak is still struggling to hit is worrisome. Considering he still isn’t 20 years old, having him play in the Florida State League may not have been the best idea.

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