The New York Mets will enter the 2026 season with a team in need of an edge, and they could receive such a jolt if president of baseball operations David Stearns and the rest of the front office were to acquire a certain outfielder who currently resides in Colorado.
Colorado Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniank is coming off an impressive 2025 campaign at the plate, and while he could be a player that newly appointed president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta views as a long-term asset for the franchise after the two parties deal with their upcoming arbitration, it could be more beneficial for him to dea Moniak to a team such as the Mets that need an outfield addition who could make an immediate impact.
Moniak’s recent offensive production and potential upside outweigh the defensive concerns that accompany his resume. Given the Mets’ present alignment, the 27-year-old would add a layer of excitement to a season that many fans and pundits are already expecting to be lackluster at best.
“In the offseason, you take so many swings that if you want to make changes, that’s the time to do it,” Moniak told MLB.com’s Thomas Harding in September. “The last few years, really before the 2023 season, I made a big change in my swing just to have a cleaner path and stay through the zone a little bit longer.”
Mickey Moniak could help the Mets generate needed power
The Mets have lost outfielder Brandon Nimmo and first baseman Pete Alonso this offseason. Both were longtime staples, and while Stearns was able to add second baseman Marcus Semien, the roster’s current construction does not profile as a unit that is prepared to out-slug opponents on a nightly basis. Outside of Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto, New York does not boast many reliable hitters. It is not known if Mark Vientos, Brett Baty, Francisco Alvarez, or
Moniak may be able to partially remedy this deficiency. Across 135 contests in 2025, the California native mashed 24 home runs, collected 68 RBIs, and slashed 270/.306/.518 with an .824 OPS.
According to Baseball Savant, Moniak ranked in the 80th percentile in xSLG, the 65th percentile in Batting Run Value, and the 90th percentile in Sprint Speed. Even though he also ranked in the sixth percentile in terms of chase rate and the 34th percentile in terms of strikeout rate, Moniak has shown the sort of power stroke that could become more efficient with the proper coaching and overall situation.
Mickey Moniak’s defensive shortcomings should be overlooked, given the team’s needs
Stearns has spoken ad-nauseum about how the Mets must become better at “run prevention.” This desire has been expressed from the moment New York’s season ended, and has seemed to guide their winter.
“We’re going to have to be open-minded on our position player grouping so that we can improve our run prevention,” Stearns told Tim Brittion of The Athletic at the conclusion of the regular reason. “Does that mean there are robust changes? I don’t know. Does it mean people will be playing different positions? Maybe. Does it mean we ask people to play different roles? Maybe.”
Moniak ranked in just the fifth percentile in terms of Range and the second percentile in Fielding Run Value. These marks do not support Stearns’ explicit goals, but at a certain point, the team will need to make concessions to score runs.
While every executive would prefer their players to be exemplary in every facet of the game, most postseason clubs have to accept that some rewards could be greater than the potential risks. In Moniak’s case, the power he could supply might greatly outweigh any shortcomings.
Moreover, Moniak’s MLB journey is one that could help the Mets form a more competitive clubhouse environment. Despite being the first overall draft pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016, Moniak has yet to find true stability at the major league level. It is possible that his resilience could be a major part of what the Mets hope to build, especially considering Stearns’ old Milwaukee Brewers teams were known for being overachievers.
The Mets have not enjoyed a prosperous offseason, but a trade for Moniak could be a steal if Colorado is willing to play ball and construct a reasonable deal.
