Mickey Moniak is second on the Colorado Rockies with 22 home runs and 65 RBI this season. Moniak was signed this offseason on a quiet one-year deal worth $1.25 million, per Spotrac. The former number one overall pick is still just 27 years old and has two more years of arbitration remaining. The Rockies stumbled onto one of the biggest steals of the offseason. In a miserable season, Moniak has been one of the few bright spots. Colorado can’t let that go to waste this offseason.
Mickey Moniak’s Fight Back to Relevance
Massive expectations come with being the number one overall pick. The Philadelphia Phillies drafted Moniak first overall out of La Costa Canyon High School in the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft. Moniak, unfortunately, had to make his major league debut in the Covid-shortened 2020 season, playing in just eight games. He played in 21 games the following season. But Moniak’s offense was nowhere to be found. Over 37 plate appearances in 2021, Moniak hit just .091/.167/.182 with a .348 OPS.
On August 2, 2022, Moniak was included as part of a trade with the Los Angeles Angels for starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard. Moniak finished his Phillies career with just a .129 batting average, five home runs, and one RBI. Labeled a bust, Moniak would have to revive his career with the Angels. While nothing earth-shattering, Moniak provided solid play for the Angels for two seasons, improving his WAR from -0.8 with the Phillies to 1.7. Moniak also found his production offensively, hitting 31 home runs and 100 RBI over 803 plate appearances with the Angels.
But Moniak hit just .219 in 2024 with the Angels, although his production was almost identical to 2023, in which he hit .280 overall. However, with his struggles at the plate persisting this spring, the Angels released Moniak on March 25. Both Angels manager Ron Washington and general manager Perry Minasian called it a “tough decision” to move on from the young outfielder. But one team’s loss is another’s gain. Colorado jumped at the opportunity to sign Moniak, and he has flourished.
Moniak’s Stellar Season with Rockies
Outside of Hunter Goodman‘s breakout season offensively, you would be hard-pressed to find a better story on the Rockies this season than Moniak. But his great offensive play did not start right away. In 73 April at-bats, Moniak was hitting just .192/.272/.384 with a below-average .655 OPS. He crept up to .231 overall in May, but his OPS dropped even lower to .606. But like the Rockies overall, Moniak was much improved in June after beginning the season 8-46 as a club in April/May.
Moniak soared to .300/.364/.760 with an otherworldly 1.124 OPS. His average improved by 64 points in July, and he posted an excellent 1.085 OPS. In 116 at-bats in June and July, he posted 11 home runs and 26 RBI. This provided a much-needed spark to a dormant Rockies’ offense. He had hit 14 home runs in each of the last two seasons and now sits at a career-high 22 home runs overall. He also has a career-high OPS of .822, up from just .646 last season. Per Statmuse, among hitters with at least 50+ games played since June 1, Moniak is eighth in MLB with a .924 OPS.
Most importantly, Moniak has been absolutely fantastic hitting with RISP. That is crucial for a young Rockies team that has seen many missed scoring opportunities. In 98 plate appearances with RISP this season, Moniak is hitting an unbelievable .349/.398/.674 with a 1.072 OPS. He has struck out just 15 times in RISP opportunities and has seven extra base hits, six home runs, and 44 RBI. The Rockies’ offense has been very bad, but it would be a lot worse without Moniak. In his last 10 at-bats against the San Diego Padres and Miami Marlins on September 14-17, Moniak has gone 6-for-10 with three home runs, eight RBI, and just two strikeouts.
Hey Mickey
pic.twitter.com/DX3eEmYn9H
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) September 17, 2025
Re-Signing Mickey Moniak Makes Too Much Sense for Rockies
The Rockies have seen one-off seasons offensively before. Recent examples include Nolan Jones and Michael Toglia. But unlike Jones and Toglia, who ranked near the bottom of the league in whiff% and K% in their breakout offensive seasons. Moniak is much more middle-of-the-road, per Statcast. He is also nearly 30 points better than both with an xBA of .274 (park-adjusted). Moniak ranks in the 88th percentile league-wide with a .509 xSLG and has a solid 9 batting run value this season. Since Moniak is not solely reliant on homer production for success, it is more likely that he could post similar offensive numbers next season.
Yes, the Rockies will still be enthralled in a rebuild. But Moniak is just 27 and has shown the potential the Phillies saw when they drafted him first overall in 2016. If the Rockies don’t want to extend him for multiple years yet, agree on another one-year deal. Just don’t let all the momentum he has built in Colorado this season be capitalized on in Los Angeles or San Diego. Moniak fits in nicely alongside Brenton Doyle, Ezequiel Tovar, Goodman, and Jordan Beck. All five players are under 30 and make up a solid lineup that will look to lead the Rockies out of this rebuild.
The Rockies made the right decisions this deadline, finally embracing a youth movement. Continue that momentum! Moniak fits in great in Colorado. The Rockies are starting to see a foundation to build around. An outfield composed of Beck, Doyle, and Moniak is a great place to start next season. The Rockies have that option in front of them. The choice is simple for the Rockies. Don’t overthink it and bring Moniak back to 20th and Blake next season.
Main Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
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