"They care and they want to win" - Mickey Moniak reflects on his experience of sharing clubhouse with Bryce Harper & Mike Trout
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mickey Moniak is at the beginning of his fifth season in the majors and is looking to establish himself as an everyday player and key contributor for his club. The 25-year-old has shown flashes of his potential throughout his career but has struggled with consistency at times.
"Mickey Moniak has 2 walks tonight! That’s just the 2nd multi-walk game of his career. He took 9 walks total in 2023" - @swillysports
That being said, Mickey Moniak is coming of the best season of his young MLB career. In 2023, the former first-round pick appeared in 85 games for the Los Angeles Angels, posting a career-high 14 home runs, 45 RBIs, and an impressive .280 batting average.
As Moniak has continued to improve at the major league level, he has been presented with a rare opportunity through his career to learn from some of the best of the modern generation. During his time with the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Angels, Moniak has been able to work alongside the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, and Bryce Harper.
In a recent exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Mickey Moniak reflected on sharing the clubhouse with the likes of Mike Trout and Bryce Harper. The young outfielder praised both former MVPs, raving about the people they and the competitiveness they bring to the game.
"They care and they want to win," Moniak said. "They care about their teammates," he continued, saying that both Bryce Harper and Mike Trout are committed teammates who want nothing more than to help their teams achieve success.
Moniak, who was selected with the sixth-overall pick of the 2016 MLB Draft, opened his career with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2020. The young outfielder played alongside Bryce Harper until he was traded to the Los Angeles Angels, along with Jadiel Sanchez, in exchange for veteran pitcher Noah Syndergaard.
"The Angels trade Noah Syndergaard to the Phillies for Mickey Moniak and prospect Jadiel Sanchez" - @theScore
Mickey Moniak gave advice to Baltimore Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday
Moniak, who has fortunately been mentored by the likes of Bryce Harper and Mike Trout, also spoke about the pressures of being a first-round draft pick and what advice he had for another top pick.
The Los Angeles Angels outfielder spoke on Baltimore Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday, who made his MLB debut on Wednesday. Moniak, who is well aware of the pressures that come with being a high draft pick, encouraged Holliday to be himself.
"My advice is just be yourself," Moniak said of Jackson Holliday. "Know who you are as a baseball player, as a human being, and just try to get better every day," he continued. These are wise words from someone who has lined up next to some of the best players of the past decade.