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| Mickey Moniak with Lakewood last yr, Image- Jay Floyd |
Every couple days, usually, someone reaches out to me on Twitter to check up on the number 1 overall selection from the 2016 draft, outfielder Mickey Moniak. I suppose I am easier to holler at than Ye Olde Google machine for some people, so...
The 19-year-old has struggled throughout the first month of the regular season with Class A Advanced Clearwater. In 22 games with the Treshers, Moniak sports a .213 batting average with four doubles, five RBI and one stolen base.
The lefty batting California native tallied a .236/.284/.341 slash line with Class A Lakewood last year in his first full season as a pro player. While those stats aren't worrisome, they were not the sort of production that would convince everybody that he had definitely graduated out of the South Atlantic League.
Starting the 2018 campaign at a higher level probably surprised a lot of people.
Most concerning may be the overall lack of power that Moniak has shown to date. Without just one home run since early July, pitchers aren't afraid to come right at the youngster and they are getting the best of him with considerable frequency.
The assignment with Clearwater is not necessarily a failure yet, but his Florida State League numbers hold, perhaps more time with Lakewood could be valuable to the center fielder who turns 20 years old on May 13th.
Last year's first round draft choice, Adam Haseley, is also with Clearwater and his posted solid numbers there. The 22-year-old lefty batting Virginia product has posted a .280 batting average with a home run and 12 RBI and three steals through 22 games with the Threshers.
Cornelius Randolph, the Phils' 1st rounder from 2015, hasn't looked great thus far at the Double-A level. The 20-year-old lefty hitting outfielder sported a .152 average with a homer and four RBI through 18 games following action on Monday. He's also striking out in 28.1% of his plate appearances.
Randolph, like Moniak, didn't convincingly show he had nothing left to prove at his previous level, notching a .250/.338/.402 slash line at Clearwater last season.
I would expect it's possible the Phils will consider, or are already considering, swapping Randolph and the two-years-older Haseley on their respective rosters sooner than later.
Opening round draft choices from both 2014 (Aaron Nola) and 2013 (J.P. Crawford) have already reached the big leagues with the Phils. Here's hoping the trio of outfielders they've chosen with their first pick over the past three years iron things out so they can join the big league fraternity too.
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