Mickey Moniak discusses life as a former No. 1 overall pick in Philadelphia & Bryce Harper and Mike Trout's influence on his game (Exclusive)

Mickey Moniak understood from the outset what being the first overall selection in MLB’s draft meant: He’d always be connected to a tremendous collection of players; and there would be an exceptional amount of pressure to meet the expectations that go with such a lofty draft status.

There was another twist to Moniak’s selection as No. 1 overall in 2016. He was taken by the Philadelphia Phillies, only the second time in that franchise’s history that it had selected first (1998, Pat Burrell).

Playing in Philadelphia is not for the weak. And playing there with major expectations on your shoulders can be a significant burden.

Whether it was outside pressure, bad luck, injuries or simply not the right time, Moniak failed in his limited opportunities in Philly – batting .129 with a .386 OPS in 105 plate appearances spread over three seasons.

He was half of the package, along with minor-leaguer Jadiel Sanchez, which was sent to the Los Angeles Angels in August 2022 for pitcher Noah Syndergaard.

It was more of the same for Moniak in the second half of 2022, but the outfielder broke out a little last season with the Angels, hitting .280 with an .802 OPS in 85 games.

He’s still only 25, and the potential remains. He thinks he now has more confidence to go with it.

Mickey Moniak Interview (Exclusive)

Moniak sat down for an exclusive Q&A to discuss his struggles, his continued love for Philadelphia and its fans and what it’s like to be mentored by Bryce Harper and Mike Trout.

Editor’s note: The following has been edited and condensed.

Did having some big-league success last year help you mentally prepare for this season?

Mickey Moniak:

Yeah. It definitely builds the confidence up a little bit. I think last year was almost the floor for me, in my opinion. I think there's a lot of good that came out of last year and a lot of stuff that I can build off. So, I'm always trying to keep the same mentality of always growing and always getting better. Just like last year and years passed, the same mentality: Try to get better at things I need to get better at and try to be consistent with those things. So, definitely a huge confidence boost. It feels good to be able to go out there and do it for an extended period of time. But the goal is to get 600 at-bats and do it over that, and then do it over the next eight to 10 years. So, last year was definitely a good start. But a lot to grow from.

When you first debuted with the Phillies, you were joining Bryce Harper’s outfield. What was that like?

Mickey Moniak:

I think the first thing that stands out was the day that we signed him. His first day in spring training, 2019, was my first big league camp. I was a 20-year-old kid. And one thing I remember is him coming up to me and introducing himself, letting me know that if there's ever anything that I needed, that he was someone to lean on. You know, ‘Don't hesitate to ask.’ That he'd be there for me if I had any questions, as far as how to go through things, being the No. 1 pick and all that kind of stuff. I think it just stood out to me that that’s the kind of person he is. He’s a good teammate, really cares about winning, really cares about his teammates. It was a pleasure to get to play with him. I consider him a friend, and that’s something I'll cherish.

Any other particular conversations with Harper that stay with you?

Mickey Moniak:

Yeah, we had a couple good talks. I remember that first game in spring training, he was in the dugout, and I think we sat there for six innings, just talking about baseball life. Again, I was a 20-year-old kid talking to a guy that I grew up watching and trying to model certain parts of my game after. So, I think it was just the constant conversations, not just about baseball but life in general. That’s something that will always stick out.

Is there a certain fraternity among players who were chosen first overall in drafts?

Mickey Moniak:

I wouldn't say fraternity, but it's a cool group to be a part of. Obviously, there’s only one a year. So, it’s something cool that we all have in common. I think for certain things, as far as kind of leaning on guys, like Bryce did for me, being able to talk about their experiences (as first overall), because there's a little bit of pressure that comes with being the first overall pick. There are guys that have been through it, have handled it well. And some who have gone through the ups and downs, like myself, and can pass along that information.

There are expectations in being the first overall pick, no matter where you play. You had to deal with that in Philadelphia, where fans can be particularly harsh if things aren’t going well. Did fan criticism add to that pressure for you?

Mickey Moniak:

They're passionate. I think there were a lot of people that supported me out there and still do and obviously, like any other fan base, but especially in Philly, they just want to win. They live and die by their sports teams. If you're playing bad, they'll boo you. And if you’re playing well, they'll love you more than a lot of fans out there. Playing in Philadelphia takes a certain type of temperament and a certain type of mental toughness that I'm grateful that I was able to experience. A lot of them still support me to this day, and that's been really cool to see. Obviously, it didn't pan out like either me or the fans wanted it to over there. But I think everything happens for a reason and they're one of the best teams in baseball right now and I feel like I'm in a pretty good spot as it is, too. So, I cherish the time I spent over there.

In retrospect, do you think you put more pressure on yourself to live up to expectations?

Mickey Moniak:

Not necessarily. I think I'm probably my harshest critic when it comes to, really, anything in life. I think I was just putting pressure on myself just because of the standard that I expected of myself and at times it was too much pressure and, I kind of self-sabotaged almost. I think now I’m just trying to take things day by day, control what I can control and just do my job on a daily basis. Have the confidence in what I can do as a baseball player to kind of guide me through playing in Major League Baseball. And just always remembering that I'm living out my dream. I've come a long way as far as the mental side of the game and physically as well.

So, you’ve gone from sharing an outfield with Harper to one with Mike Trout. How has that been similar or different?

Mickey Moniak:

I think guys like that are very similar in the sense of, at the level that they're at, it's a level that not a lot of people get to, and the common denominator is the work that they put in. Those are guys that lead by example. And getting to play with Bryce for all those years and now being over here with Mike, it's a pretty cool experience to be able to pull from them and try to add stuff that they do to my game and just learn from them. And then, obviously, I get to watch them from the best seat in the house. It’s something that's pretty dang awesome, and definitely something that I'll be cherishing for as long as I can.

Trout seems a little less outgoing than Harper. Was it harder to get to know him?

Mickey Moniak:

No, he’s just one of the guys. Mike's very approachable, very open and the same with Bryce. Mike’s a good guy to talk to if you ever need anything, just talk to him about approaches, certain pitchers, stuff like that, and stuff off the field, daily life. I think that's something that Bryce and Mike have in common. They both are just good people. They are good people to be around. They care and they want to win. Like I said about Bryce is the same thing with Mike. They care about their teammates.

The Orioles have just called up 2022’s first overall pick, Jackson Holliday. What advice would you give him to not be overwhelmed by the expectations?

My advice is just play his game. Know who you are as a baseball player, as a human being and just try to get better every day. I think growing up with a dad, like Matt Holliday, is going to be a huge help for him once he makes the transition to the big leagues. It's no secret that he’s got the potential to be one of the better players in this game. What he's doing at 20 is something that's very impressive to watch and the maturity you see from the outside is also just as impressive. The game of baseball is a business and sometimes it doesn't always work out the way you want it to, but I think him going down to the minors (to start 2024) and staying focused and staying locked in on the baseball aspect of it is important.