— mickey moniak (@MickeyMoniak) April 15, 2016
By: Matt Rappa, managing editor 
PHILADELPHIA — With the latest mock draft by Baseball America suggesting the Philadelphia Phillies have La Costa Canyon High School outfielder Mickey Moniak as their "favorite" to select first overall in Thursday's First-Year Player Draft, the 18-year-old was asked Wednesday by San Diego's Mighty 1090AM regarding the rumor.
"Are you getting from the Philadelphia Phillies that they may take you No. 1 overall?"
"Uh, yea. No, I mean I've talked with my agent a bunch lately. It kind of started heating up [with the Phillies] a few months ago during high school season, having Pat Gillick and Charlie Manuel and all those guys come out to games.
Them showing that attention was really cool, and obviously talking to them and having the local area scout, as well as what they've been feeding my agent … you never know what's going to happen. It's the draft. It's never guaranteed but I've definitely been talking to the Phillies and we'll see what happens tomorrow.
I'm definitely really excited."
Listen to the full 18-minute interview
According to Moniak in the interview, he will not be attending the draft in Secaucus, New Jersey, but rather at his aunt's house in Encinitas, California, with "a bunch of family and friends."
"If the opportunity is given to jump-start a career in pro ball, then that's obviously something I'm very interested in," said Moniak, a UCLA commit. "It's got to be an easy decision either way. If the opportunity's there, then pro ball is definitely up there for me. But, if the the opportunity comes that maybe it's a better idea to go to UCLA, then I would be more than happy to go there as well."
The annual first-year player draft will get underway at 7 p.m. and will be televised on MLB Network.
