Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Mickey Moniak sustained a fractured right wrist in Wednesday’s spring training game and will miss up to six weeks, according to published reports.
The 23-year-old Moniak, who was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2016 draft, was expected to be the team’s primary center fielder after a strong spring. Moniak batted .378 with six home runs, four doubles and 11 RBIs in 37 spring at-bats.
Only teammate Bryce Harper (eight) and Kyle Higashioka (seven) of the New York Yankees hit more homers during spring training.
The left-handed-hitting Moniak hit a two-run homer in the second inning during Wednesday’s 9-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. But in a fourth-inning at-bat, Moniak was hit in the wrist while swinging at Ryan Yarbrough’s pitch and striking out.
Initial X-rays were negative and the injury was termed a bone bruise.
But Moniak apparently reported increased soreness on Thursday, leading to further testing that detected the fracture.
Moniak was 3-for-33 with a homer in 21 games last season and 3-for-14 in eight games in 2020 in short cameos with the Phillies.
Moniak batted .238 with 15 homers and 65 RBIs in 100 games at Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2021. There was no minor league baseball in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and he made his big league debut during the summer.
–Field Level Media