Is Mickey Finally In The Money?

It's taken 5 years and wayyyyyy more bust talk than we ever wanted to hear but Mickey Moniak is finally a contender for the starting center field job. As the first overall pick in the 2016 MLB draft, Moniak was slated to be one of the prizes of the rebuild. While many have become sour on him, it is imperative to remember he's only 22 years old. Now, he appears to have finally grown into his body. In his first game of spring, one of the many illogically untelevised ones, Moniak ripped a double that had 100+ mph exit velocity. He followed that up in the Phillies 15-0 beatdown on the Yankees with two mammoth home runs pulled to right field. In the Yanks rematch, Moniak again hit a ball 100+ mph exit velocity this time for a single. Mickey Moniak has now quickly become one of the biggest storylines of the spring. Fittingly, the other biggest storylines also surround the center field battle.

When Moniak came up toward the end of last season, there's no denying he looked out of place; a young kid amongst men. Having been lauded as a major league-caliber defender as far back as his draft day, the biggest surprise was seeing him struggle in the outfield. While nearly every coach and teammate has noted how Moniak looks stronger, there's also been a lot of talk about improved confidence. There's no denying Moniak has talent and athleticism. Players don't get drafted in the first round, let alone the first overall pick without it. For the first time, we're beginning to see Moniak put it together. Its a breath of fresh air as he was starting to fade out of the Phillies' plans. Still, it must be kept in mind that it's simply spring training. Personally, I think Moniak would benefit from a little more time in the minors, allowing him to prove that this is more than just a hot streak. It would also allow for him to grow his confidence even more prior to facing major league pitching every day. Even so, Mickey Moniak has managed to reinsert his name into the Phillies future outfield options.

Another candidate for the job who has gotten off to a hot start is the former all-star occupant of the position, Odubel Herrera. On Memorial Day during the 2019 season, Odubel lost both the job and the trust of fans and the organization when he was charged with domestic violence against his girlfriend. While she dropped the charges, it doesn't excuse his actions by any means. Over the last two years, he has by all accounts worked to become better as a person. Not being intimately knowledgeable of Odubel as a person, I can only speak to what I see on the field. Odubel's hot start at the plate is certainly no surprise. If there's one thing I know about Odubel it's that when he's hot, he looks like the best hitter on the planet. When he's not, it's conceivable to believe he's never picked up a bat before. Unfortunately with Odubel, there's rarely a middle ground. I expect him to continue producing at the plate throughout spring as he looks to be in better shape than I ever remember seeing him. For him to win any job on the roster his real challenge will be proving he's learned and grown to win the trust back of the organization and his teammates.

My favorite for the job coming into spring was Adam Haseley. After leading off the spring with a solo shot, Haseley now will be on the shelf for 4 weeks with a groin strain. While Girardi said it was a mild strain, he also noted it's unlikely he's ready for Opening Day. Last year, Haseley thrived against right-handed pitchers as a contact first hitter. He rarely got a chance to face lefties and I was hoping in a full season he'd get more of an opportunity. Still, I felt he was in line for a platoon with Scott Kingery. Once healthy, I expect Haseley to be on the roster and contribute to the team.

Continuing the theme of hot starts, Scott Kingery has also joined the early homerun club. The most intriguing thing to me is that Scotty has trimmed down. The last few years he had come in carrying more muscle on his frame, potentially taking away from his athleticism and gap to gap element that would make him thrive. Home runs are always nice, but hopefully, with a return to the body type he found success with in the minors, Scotty can take a step forward this year.

The last candidate for the job is Roman Quinn. There's no denying that his speed is an asset, however, he has to actually get on base to use it. Though I'm absolutely against the extra-inning rule allowing a runner to start at second base, the Phillies could use Roman Quinn off the bench to give them an advantage. They'll have to remove a starter to pinch run Quinn but his speed can steal them an extra-inning game or two. As we saw last year, one game can mean the difference between a playoff berth and an early offseason. He may currently be low-man on the totem pole for a starting job, but his speed should be enough to compete for a bench spot.

My expectation right now is for Kingery, Odubel and Roman Quinn to all win roster spots. Odubel and Kingery may split time in center but Kingery will also see time at his natural second base position. Quinn will be an asset off the bench and Haseley will start on the injured list. With all this depth, it seems unlikely Moniak will win a major-league job this spring. I would not rule out seeing him later on this season and firmly believe he is a top outfield candidate next season when Cutch's contract expires. Whatever happens, it's encouraging that we may finally be seeing the Mickey Money the Phils envisioned when he was selected 1:1.