Phillies Bust, Former 1-1 Pick, Assigns Blame Amid Stunning Resurgence

Aug 20, 2026 05:30 PM - 1 hour ago 1

The Philadelphia Phillies person built 1 of baseball’s astir costly rosters, but their caller occurrence has besides highlighted a longstanding question: Where are the effect position players developed from wrong the organization?

That mobility has go progressively difficult to disregard arsenic erstwhile Phillies prospects person recovered occurrence elsewhere. And fewer examples are much striking than Mickey Moniak, the No. 1 wide prime successful the 2016 MLB Draft, who was erstwhile viewed arsenic 1 of the biggest disappointments successful each of Philadelphia sports.

But now, arsenic Moniak enjoys a stunning resurgence pinch the Colorado Rockies, the erstwhile Phillies outfielder has offered immoderate penetration into why things ne'er clicked during his clip successful Philadelphia.

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Moniak was only 23 erstwhile he was branded a bust, contempt entering master shot pinch tremendous expectations. The Phillies selected him first wide successful 2016, the alleged “1-1” pick, and envisioned him yet joining Bryce Harper arsenic a centerpiece of the organization's adjacent generation.

Instead, Moniak struggled to found himself successful Philadelphia and was yet traded to the Los Angeles Angels successful 2022.

Looking back, Moniak blamed a deficiency of accordant playing clip for the struggles.

“I didn't really person the luxury, aliases I should opportunity they didn't person the luxury of giving maine a leash to spell retired location and possibly get 100 at-bats to fig it out,” Moniak told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. “The astir at-bats I sewage successful a agelong was possibly 20. It was conscionable reliable to find a rhythm. But I wholly understand the quality of this crippled and the business broadside of it. They put a batch of money into that statement and (were) successful a win-now mode.”

That mentation raised an uncomfortable mobility astir whether the Phillies springiness their young hitters capable opportunity to create earlier moving on, questions that persist arsenic the squad continues to autumn short connected expectations for their homegrown talent, peculiarly position players.

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The Phillies person produced valuable young players, but their astir important homegrown contributions successful caller years person travel from the pitching side. Meanwhile, players specified arsenic Moniak, Scott Kingery and Aiden Miller person struggled to go accordant violative contributors successful Philadelphia.

Colorado intelligibly sees thing Philadelphia yet could not unlock.

“Mickey’s an important portion of what we’re doing here,” Rockies president of shot operations Paul DePodesta said arsenic the squad announced an hold amid his resurgence, per MLB.com’s Thomas Harding. “He had a very bully twelvemonth past year. He’s been disconnected to a awesome commencement this year. Unfortunately, he missed a small clip pinch the (right ankle) injury, but he’s a legitimate, middle-of-the-order bat for us. He’s a leader successful our clubhouse.”

That is simply a notable explanation for a subordinate erstwhile viewed arsenic a Phillies bust, who was sent packing by the organization.

Moniak's resurgence does not beryllium Philadelphia grounded him. But it does reenforce the organization's larger developmental challenge: identifying really to move highly drafted position players into effect awesome leaguers earlier they find their footing location else.