Report: Outfielder Mickey Moniak ‘favorite’ for Phillies’ top pick in MLB draft

By: Matt Rappa, managing editor

PHILADELPHIA — With less than 24 hours until the 2016 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft in Secaucus, New Jersey, tensions are rising as to who the Philadelphia Phillies will select with the first overall pick.

It will be the first time since 1998 that the Phillies have owned the top pick when they took third baseman Pat Burrell out of the University of Miami.

Ever since the Phillies clinched the position in the draft on Oct. 3, the general consensus has been that the Phillies would select a pitcher. Star pitchers such as South Jersey's Jason Groome and University of Florida's A.J. Puk have been two names frequently linked to the franchise.

They first met with Groome on Nov. 11, just 39 days after clinching the top pick. Recent reports suggest that the Phillies would be "out" on the left-hander and other "high school pitchers," however. For Puk, he has not looked good in his recent outings, causing his ERA to fall to 16th-best 3.21 ERA in the Southeastern Conference. His 31 walks this season is also 13 more than any of his teammates, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

In recent days, reportedly "struggling" with who to select, there appears to have been a shift in thinking from within the franchise. On June 6, they hosted an outfielder: Kyle Lewis of Mercer University.

According to the latest mock draft by John Manuel of Baseball America, there is another outfielder that is 'thought to be the Phils' favorite' — La Costa Canyon High's outfielder Mickey Moniak.

"Scouts report club executive Pat Gillick was on hand for Moniak’s best game, a 5-for-5, eight-RBI, hit-for-the-cycle game among the several Moniak games he attended. Gillick, former manager Charlie Manuel and other Phils officials were at one of La Costa Canyon High’s practices as recently as last week."

UPDATE 11:32 p.m. Joel Sherman, New York Post:

“I have been talking to the Phillies … I’m definitely excited," said Moniak on Mighty 1090AM on Wednesday.

In 29 games this season with La Costa Canyon, Moniak, 18, hit .476/.540/.942 with 40 runs scored, 27 singles, four doubles, 12 triples, seven home runs, 13 walks and 46 runs-batted-in over 124 plate appearances. He struck out just six times, was 11-for-14 in stolen base attempts and committed just one fielding error over 64 chances.

After the first pick, the Phillies will not make another selection until the second round, 42nd overall. There is speculation that the Phillies might try to select fellow Southern California high school outfielder Blake Rutherford of Chaminade College Preparatory with this pick, assuming he falls out of the first round.

Manuel continues:

"Now the question may be what it will take for Moniak to sign and what the Phillies can do with their other picks, as there has been talk they’ll try to float Rutherford to their second pick and sign him for essentially the same bonus as Moniak."

"[The Mets] appear to be the team most tied to Rutherford and may be the team to block the Phillies from floating him all the way to their second selection."