Let’s focus on Mickey Moniak the baseball player for a moment. Moniak had reportedly agreed to attend UCLA, but now might skip college and head right to the pros after being selected by the Phillies with the first overall pick in the MLB Draft.
I’m assuming Moniak knew he’d be drafted in the first round and agreeing to attend UCLA was more of a bargaining chip than anything.
According to the Phillies, Moniak’s grandfather played in the minor leagues and his hitting instructor was Ted Williams. Not too shabby. If his offensive game can translate to the Major Leagues, Moniak will be a star.
Here he is speaking with CSN Philly’s Amy Fadool after he was drafted.
The Phillies believed Moniak was the best player available in the draft, calling him a “true center fielder with incredible offensive ability and the potential to be a perennial All-Star.”
No word yet on if Odubel Herrera has demanded a trade.
About The Author
Nick Piccone has covered Philly sports and events for over 14 years. He founded Bleeding Brotherly Love in April 2011, and renamed it Bleed Philly in 2013. In 2015, he joined Sean Brace in launching Philly Influencer, which quickly became a top Philly sports and culture website. He covered professional wrestling for PhillyVoice from 2015-2021, and co-launched The Straight Shooters podcast in 2015, covering the entire pro wrestling industry. He also produces content for Fox Sports Radio Philadelphia and the Villanova Sports Radio Network. He grew up in South Philadelphia and South Jersey, and is a graduate of Neumann University.
Follow Nick Piccone on Twitter/X, Bluesky, Threads, and TikTok. You can reach him via e-mail at nick@phillyinfluencer.com. You can also read his PhillyVoice archives here.
Subscribe to the Straight Shooters on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Audacy, TuneIn Radio, Amazon, Pandora, and wherever else you get your podcasts! Follow the Straight Shooters on Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky.
Follow Philly Influencer on Twitter/X, Facebook, and Instagram.
Follow Fox Sports The Gambler on YouTube, Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky.