"The best after Mike Trout" - Angels pundit believes Mickey Moniak will lock down center field in 2025 as 3x AL MVP potentially moves to left field
According to a Los Angeles Angels pundit, outfielder Mickey Moniak will lock down the center fielder spot for the Halos next year in the MLB. After a disappointing season this year, the Angels are expected to use Mike Trout less as a designated hitter and give him more time in left field.
Speaking on the popular podcast "Locked On Angels", hosts Jon and Mike Frisch believe this will result in Moniak becoming their everyday center fielder.
"It is likely that Mike Trout does play more left field this season," Mike Frisch said. "There hasn't been a decision made, no communication about that, but a lot of conversation about him moving to left field. Save his body, save his legs, all that conversation that we've had.
"It means that center field is probably gonna be Mickey Moniak's and here why: He's the best defensive center fielder on the team after Mike Trout. Actually, his numbers in comparison to Trout are pretty similar.
"So Moniak's best defensive position is actually center field... he had a really great defensive showing in the outfield and he's played the most innings in center field than anyone else in this team," he added.
Mickey Moniak was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2016 MLB draft and went on to make his major league debut with them in 2020. After moving in and out of the roster for the next couple of years, he was traded to the LA Angels in August 2022. Moniak's time with the club has largely been mired with injuries, but he was one of their best players last season when he managed to stay fit most of the year.
The Angels management has already said that Trout will spend less time at DH to protect him from injuries. Hence, he will likely share left field with Jorge Soler, which means that Moniak could get a chance to lock in the center field position. As highlighted on the podcast, his numbers playing there are certainly encouraging enough to make him the prime candidate.
Watch: Throwback to Mickey Moniak's walk-off home run against Seattle Mariners
In one of the worst MLB seasons for the Los Angeles Angels, outfielder Mickey Moniak gave the fans something to cheer about when he blasted a walk-off home run against the Seattle Mariners in September.
After losing the first game of the series, the Angels turned things around in the second game thanks to two homers from Moniak. The second was a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth, which eventually inspired a series comeback.