Brian Cashman has developed an odd little hobby over the past few years: collecting former Colorado Rockies. DJ LeMahieu worked... until he didn't. Adam Ottavino had his moments. Ryan McMahon and Jake Bird are already in the fold, and Angel Chivilli joined the pipeline. So if Mickey Moniak is next, don't act surprised.
Actually, it might be one of the smarter under-the-radar moves the Yankees could make.
No, Moniak isn't Juan Soto. He's not the blockbuster name that'll dominate SportsCenter for a week. What he is, though, is a 28-year-old left-handed hitter who's finally looking like a legitimate major leaguer. Through 71 games, he's slashing .279/.322/.561 with 17 home runs and an OPS north of .880. That's not Coors Field smoke and mirrors either. The bat speed is real, the power is legitimate, and he's showing the kind of athleticism the Yankees' lineup has desperately lacked.
Here's the best part: he won't cost a king's ransom.
The Yankees don't need another headline. They need players who can actually help them win baseball games. Moniak can play all three outfield spots, runs well enough, hits from the left side, and remains under team control through next season. Those are exactly the types of players smart organizations target instead of chasing the biggest name available.
Of course, there's risk. Moniak spent years looking like another No. 1 overall pick who simply wasn't good enough. But baseball careers aren't always linear, and sometimes players figure it out later than expected.
If Colorado is willing to move him, Cashman should absolutely make the call.
Not every trade has to be flashy. Sometimes the best deadline addition is the one nobody sees coming. And if the Yankees are serious about adding athleticism and left-handed pop without emptying the farm system, Mickey Moniak checks more boxes than most fans probably realize.
