When a player is selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft, it comes with high expectations. Sometimes it takes time for a top draft pick to round into form after appearing to be a total bust initially. However, usually their original team has already given up on them due to a lack of patience in their growth and development.
That is exactly what has been happening for Mickey Moniak, a former Philadelphia Phillies No. 1 overall pick. Moniak has finally found his niche and has been thriving with the Colorado Rockies this season.
The Phillies originally selected the promising Moniak first overall out of La Costa Canyon High School in 2016. However, it took him five seasons before he finally made his debut for Philadelphia during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Moniak struggled to maintain a consistent spot on the Phillies’ major league roster over his subsequent seasons with the club.
In the end, the outfielder failed to impress and appeared in just 47 career games with Philadelphia between 2020 and 2022, compiling a dreadful .129 average, .386 OPS, with just 10 runs scored, one home run and five RBIs. By that time, the Phillies ended up waiving the white flag on the once-promising prospect and traded Moniak as part of a package to acquire Noah Syndergaard from the Los Angeles Angels at the 2022 deadline.
Is Mickey Moniak's success with Rockies aided by playing at Coors Field?
But Moniak’s career didn’t take off there either. It took another three years later before he made his mark with the Rockies in 2025. This season, the 27-year-old has been lighting it up for Colorado, posting a .270 average and .829 OPS, with 61 runs scored, 18 doubles, eight triples, 24 home runs, 68 RBIs and nine stolen bases in 132 games. Moniak had been the Rockies’ key offensive leader behind catcher Hunter Goodman.
However, there’s one important thing of note to keep in mind despite his stellar performance: his home-and-road splits. Hitting at home at the hitter-friendly Coors Field, Moniak has amassed a stellar .303 average and .946 OPS with 41 runs scored, 14 doubles, five triples, 15 home runs and 46 RBIs in 71 games. But away from Coors, he has only put up a .229 average and .681 OPS, with 20 runs scored, four doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 22 RBIs in 61 games.
How much Coors Field being a hitter’s friendly ballpark came into play in his success is up for debate. This was only over a single-year sample, so if Moniak can prove that he can put up consistent numbers in subsequent seasons regardless of home-and-road splits, then he will justify his jump to prominent contributing status.
Nevertheless, it is great to see the former Phillies top prospect finally beginning to carve out an MLB career and start distancing himself from being anointed one of the biggest draft busts of all time.