Rockies add former first overall MLB Draft pick on season’s eve

Mickey Moniak hasn’t been what most hoped when he was selected with the first overall pick of the 2016 MLB Draft, but the Colorado Rockies are giving him a chance to play in 2025.

The Rockies signed the left-handed-hitting outfielder Moniak to a one-year deal for $1.25 million, according to multiple reports. Moniak was released by the Angels on Tuesday, and the Rockies will have his rights through the 2027 season. Colorado opened up a roster spot for Moniak by waiving Greg Jones, who was claimed by the White Sox. Jones was picked up just before Opening Day last year and played just six games in the majors, he was dealt for now-thriving Rays minor league left-hander Joe Rock.

Moniak was on a non-guaranteed deal with the Halos and was paid out $484K before getting cut loose.

Monia spent the last two seasons playing quite a bit in Southern California. He had an awesome 2023 season playing alongside Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout as the third-most valuable player by rWAR on the 73-win team. That year, he slashed .280/.307/.495 with 14 homers across 85 games. But his 35% strikeout rate hinted that his production would not last. In 2024, he fell to just .219/.266/.380 over 418 plate appearances despite cutting the strikeout rate to 27.3%.

Moniak had a chance to win the job in center this season for the Halos since Trout is moving to right, but the 26-year-old had a horrible spring. He hit just .191 while striking out 18 times in 58 plate appearances.

Moniak will likely be the Rockies’ fourth outfielder behind Brenton Doyle, Jordan Beck and Nick Martini, while Sean Bouchard and Sam Hilliard also get time while Colorado awaits the big league arrival of former top prospect Zac Veen. Veen had a killer spring but will start in Triple-A. One name missing is Nolan Jones, who was shipped back to Cleveland for Tyler Freeman over the weekend. Like Jones, Moniak is a left-handed bat, so the Rockies are clearly not happy with Hilliard, who is likely to start in the minors. Like Moniak, Hilliard struggled in spring—batting .137 while striking out nearly half the time this spring.

The Rockies likely scouted Moniak pretty hard back in 2016. Colorado drafted fourth, taking the now failed Riley Pint out of high school. Looking back at that class reveals a pretty weak draft, though the Dodgers nailed it by taking both Gavin Lux and Will Smith at the end of Round 1.

The Rockies start play on Friday in Tampa.