Former No. 1 Pick Mickey Moniak Wins Arbitration Hearing With Los Angeles Angels

Even though outfielder Mickey Moniak took a step back in 2024, he will make $2 million in 2025 instead of the $1.5 million that the Los Angeles Angels had proposed.

Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mickey Moniak (16) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Houston Astros during the fourth inning at Angel Stadium. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Outfielder Mickey Moniak won his arbitration case with the Los Angeles Angels, the Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Friday afternoon.

Moniak will make $2 million in 2025, as he filed for earlier this month. The Angels, on the other hand, had filed for Moniak to earn $1.5 million.

The 26-year-old center fielder appeared in a career-high 124 games in 2024. He hit .219 with 14 home runs, 49 RBI, eight stolen bases, a .646 OPS, -4 defensive runs saved and a -0.1 WAR.

On the surface, it may seem odd that Moniak won his arbitration case coming off that lackluster campaign. However, he was a far more productive player in 2023, when he hit .280 with 14 home runs, 45 RBI, six stolen bases, an .802 OPS, six defensive runs saved and a 2.2 WAR across just 85 contests.

Outfielder Mickey Moniak won his arbitration case with the Angels, receiving $2M, source tells @TheAthletic. Team had offered $1.5M.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 31, 2025

It has been almost a decade since the Philadelphia Phillies selected Moniak with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2016 MLB Draft. The Southern California native was ranked as the No. 19 prospect in all of baseball entering the 2017 season, but he dropped all the way to No. 88 by the start of 2018.

Moniak's spotty showing in the minors continued, and he didn't end up making his big league debut until 2020.

The Phillies trotted Moniak out for 47 games over the course of three seasons, and he proceeded to hit just .129 with one home run, five RBI, a .386 OPS and a -0.9 WAR with the team. Philadelphia ultimately traded Moniak and fellow outfield prospect Jadiel Sanchez to the Angels at the 2022 deadline in exchange for Noah Syndergaard.

The Angels have Mike Trout set to return to their lineup in 2025 following another injury-plagued campaign. Taylor Ward is expected to serve as Los Angeles' everyday leadoff hitter, leaving Moniak to compete with Jo Adell and Kingery for rotational innings elsewhere.

Moniak is one of two Phillies flameouts on the Angels' roster in 2025, the other being utility man Scott Kingery. Los Angeles traded for Kingery in November, then avoided arbitration by signing the former top prospect to a $770K deal.

With Moniak's hearing in the rear-view mirror, the Angels' only arbitration-eligible player without a salary locked down for 2025 is second baseman Luis Rengifo.

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• ANGELS TAKE FLIER ON ANDERSON: Tim Anderson may have fallen flat with the Marlins in 2024, but the once-promising White Sox shortstop is getting another shot in Los Angeles. CLICK HERE

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