Spring training is a time for a club's prospects to make an impression with the major league team. The Philadelphia Phillies have several young players who will remain in the Minors this year but are hoping for a good start to their seasons. Some prospects are candidates to be called up to the Phillies roster this year to make their major league debuts. The team's top infield prospect, Aidan Miller, is one player who may debut with Philadelphia this year.
Miller is one of the most anticipated players in Philadelphia's minor league system. He'll be one player who'll give more youth to a veteran Phillies roster. However, the 21-year-old has been bothered by an injury that is delaying his playing time in spring training.
A nagging back injury may throw Phillies' prospect Aidan Miller's 2026 season off track
MLB.com's Todd Zolecki wrote that Miller experienced back issues that kept him out of the final few games of last season with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in Triple-A and for the entire duration of the Arizona Fall League (subscription required). It's uncertain if the infielder will recover in time to play any Grapefruit League games with the Phillies or if he'll be ready for the opening of the IronPigs' first regular season contest.
Aidan Miller doubles for his first Triple-A hit!#ironpigs #baseball #Phillies pic.twitter.com/vEhkw8S8uA
— Lehigh Valley IronPigs (@IronPigs) September 10, 2025
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski provided an update on Miller's status on Feb. 28:
"Our people felt that he was making some good progress here and was feeling good coming into spring training,” Dombrowski said, per Zolecki. “He had a setback with some things, and I guess finding exactly what caused it. Nobody knows exactly.
"I can’t answer the question that it’s chronic at this point,” Dombrowski said. “Anytime a guy’s out with an injury and it comes back, there’s a little concern. But they tell me he’s making progress right now, and hopefully he’ll continue to do so. There’s still even some hope that he’d be ready for the beginning of the season. I don’t want to get too carried away at this point. But I really don’t know at this time because in some ways I don’t think anybody really knows.”
Aidan Miller rips a single off of Kodai Senga!#ironpigs #phillies #mets #milb pic.twitter.com/a1knpjNIU2
— Lehigh Valley IronPigs (@IronPigs) September 18, 2025
The Phillies' plan for Miller during spring training was to play him at shortstop and third base. Considering Grapefruit League games started over a week ago, and that his only activity on Feb. 28 included tossing a ball against a wall so far, there are doubts as to whether he'll be able to participate in any spring training contests. He's been getting treatment, and the team wants to be cautious with his injury, per Zolecki.
Miller put together a much-improved final two months of his regular season offensively last year with the Reading Fightin' Phils in Double-A and in Lehigh Valley. He totaled a .348/.454/.629 slash line and a 1.083 OPS with four homers and 16 RBI during August with Reading. The shortstop had a .370/.554/.565 slash line and a 1.119 OPS in September with the Fightin' Phils and IronPigs.
The Dunedin, Florida, native wasn't a candidate to make the Phillies' Opening Day roster this year. However, Miller could make his major league debut during the second half of the regular season if he picks up where he left off at the end of last year. It's not time to panic, but his prognosis bears watching during spring training and in the Minors to see if he can get past the injury, and for it not to return.