La Costa Canyon's Mickey Moniak Looks Ahead to the MLB Draft

The Mavericks Outfielder is projected to be drafted in the First Round

High School baseball playoffs are underway in San Diego and the La Costa Canyon Mavericks are making a run for the championship. Their playoff appearance isn’t the only reason the baseball team is on the radar. Centerfielder Mickey Moniak is a steady contributor for this squad, and also happens to be a potential first round MLB draft pick.

Pro scouts have been watching Moniak closely. During his junior year he hit a .426 average with 28 RBI and 29 runs scored. While the national spot light is on the slugger, he’s staying focused and realistic. Moniak committed to UCLA his freshman year and says he’ll be happy playing at the collegiate level.

“College is just as good. You know, UCLA is a great school” says Moniak. “I’ve been committed there since freshman year and Coach Savage is one of the top in the country. Great program, great school so either way it’s going to be a win-win.”

Moniak’s skills are impressive, but not surprising when you take into account his lineage. His father, Matt Moniak played baseball for San Diego State University and his grandfather played in the big leagues for the Boston Red Sox. Mock drafts have Moniak going to the Phillies as their first overall pick, but given the unpredictable nature of the MLB Draft we decided to throw some other scenarios at Moniak, like maybe staying in his backyard as a Friar. “I love the Padres! That’s been my favorite team since I was born” says the outfielder. “My dad is a Padres fan. We’re all Padres fans here. San Diego would be awesome. It’s where I grew up and I’ve never known anything else. I love the Padres. They’ve always been my number one team.”

If he's selected first overall, the La Costa Canyon High senior would join the ranks of top San Diego-area draft picks Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Bush, Stephen Strasburg and Brady Aiken.

The 2016 MLB Draft is starts June 9th. The Padres have the 8th overall pick.

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