The Yankees are in significant need of offense at this year’s trade deadline. Their lineup has greatly struggled since losing Captain Aaron Judge. In their last series against the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium over the weekend, the Yankees scored one unearned run in the first game, two runs in the second game, and two runs in the third game, losing two out of the three games and the series to the Dodgers at home from Friday through Sunday.
Yankees beat writer Chris Kirschner of The Athletic lists potential names the Yankees could target on the hitting side, which includes Rockies outfielder and left-handed hitter Mickey Moniak. He plays primarily left field, but he came up in the big leagues in center field and has also played some right field. Moniak in 2026 is currently posting a .276 batting average with 15 home runs, 40 RBI’s, .322 OBP, and a .879 OPS in 65 games (221 plate appearances). Moniak is a plus runner who has good bat speed and can generate some decent power from the left-hand side. He currently ranks in the 74th percentile with a 74 mph bat speed, according to Baseball Savant. He also ranks in the 77th percentile with an 11.6 barrel percentage, per Baseball Savant.
Moniak Was First Overall Draft Pick By Phillies
Moniak was originally the number one overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. He was drafted straight out of high school, where he attended La Costa Canyon High School in Encinitas, California. When he was first drafted, Moniak was listed as a tall yet skinny kid, 6’2 185 lbs. He’s since filled out a bit and added some size since joining the big leagues, and he’s currently listed at 6’2 “, 209 lbs for 2026, per his MLB.com player profile.
Moniak appeared in 30 games for the Phillies from 2020-21, where he struggled, posting a -0.8 WAR with a .214 batting average, zero home runs, a .214 OBP, and a .386 OPS. Moniak would be up and down between the majors and the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate, Lehigh Valley. He was then traded to the Los Angeles Angels on August 2nd, 2022. It wasn’t until his 2023 season with the Angels that Moniak really broke out, posting a 2.2 WAR with a .280 batting average, 14 home runs, 45 RBI’s, and an .802 OPS.
Moniak spent two seasons with the Angels (2023-24) and was released in March of 2025. Moniak would go on to sign a one-year deal with the Rockies and subsequently return for the 2026 season as well. However, the one glaring concern with Moniak is his 2026 home/road splits at and away from Coors Field, a notoriously hitter-friendly ballpark largely due to the city’s altitude.
Moniak Is Different Player Away From Coors Field
Moniak has a .308 batting average with 12 home runs and a 1.027 OPS at home games this year, whereas on the road he’s hitting just .231 with a .667 OPS and 3 home runs, according to ESPN. The Coors Effect is something that teams like the Yankees need to be mindful of when doing deals with the Colorado Rockies. But the Yankees have a history of trading with the Rockies. This includes the acquisition of third baseman Ryan McMahon last year.
The Yankees acquired McMahon at last year’s deadline in return for minor league pitching prospects Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz. Most recently, the Yankees and Rockies made a trade this past offseason, with the Yankees acquiring right-handed reliever Angel Chivilli for first-base prospect TJ Rumfield.
Rockies Outfielder Mickey Moniak Possible Yankees’ Trade Target: Kirschner