In the first press conference of the spring, Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is already putting a spotlight on one of the team's prized possessions.
Dombrowski brought up a conversation that he had with a late friend of his from the Detroit Tigers organization, Al Kaline, according to Destiny Lugardo of Phillies Nation. Kaline told him, "Dave, the good ones come fast."
When speaking about MLB Pipeline's No. 27 prospect and the Phillies' top position prospect Aidan Miller, Dombrowski thinks he "might qualify as one of the good ones."
The 20-year-old shortstop has received high praise from almost every person he's interreacted with in the Phillies organization. While Dombrowski has said on multiple occasions that it's unlikely that Miller finds a path to Philadelphia to don the red pinstripes in 2025, his timeline has now been narrowed down to the "near future."
How near the future is is the only question.
Your @MLBPipeline top Phillies prospect - 2024 BlueClaw Aidan Miller! 🦀⚾🔔 pic.twitter.com/KgXZVuRneu
— Jersey Shore BlueClaws (@BlueClaws) December 5, 2024
Is the thought of seeing Aidan Miller in the 'near future' giving fans false hope?
Over 122 professional games, most coming in 2024, the former Florida high school standout has slashed .275/.401/.483 with a .884 OPS while crushing 11 homers and driving in 62 runs. While young, his hitting tools are pro ready, he just needs to round out as an athlete against more advanced competition and grow into a MLB frame.
The Phillies have already expressed that Miller will stick at shortstop for the time being, at least during the spring, but ultimately projects more so as a well-rounded third baseman. This development could tie in with the offseason trade rumors surrounding Phillies All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm and could lead to the fans seeing Miller quicker than expected.
Along with the Phillies' long-term plan at third, the help from the veteran cast they have built could do wonders for the mentorship of their 2023 first-round pick. In 2024, the Phillies had the fourth-oldest average age among hitters in MLB at 29.1 years old, almost 10 years older than Miller. A locker room that consists of a former MVP in Bryce Harper, multiple-time Silver Sluggers such as Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner, and even some young glue guys like Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh can all offer value to a novice professional player.
In recent years, clubs have been trusting their young athletes to make the jump earlier and are including them on Opening Day or early season rosters, even non-roster invitees such as Bryson Stott in 2022. Last season, Jackson Chourio of the Milwaukee Brewers and Jackson Holliday of the Baltimore Orioles made their much-anticipated MLB debuts, both being under the legal drinking age at the time. There have even been players younger than Miller is right now selected to All-Star games, such as the aforementioned Kaline (the good ones do come fast) and the Phillies' own Harper.
Miller has Philadelphia buzzing for his arrival in hopes of finding the next long-term offensive great. Whether that will be sooner or later, no one knows, but his journey to Philly might be in the final leg.