Aidan Miller, No. 49 (prev. No. 61)
The Phillies were surprised to see Aidan Miller sitting there when it was their turn to make a selection at No. 27 in the 2023 MLB Draft.
The young shortstop has been surprising them ever since.
The 19-year-old was one of the 2023 Draft's top prospects before breaking his hamate bone, forcing him to miss his entire senior season of high school. The injury caused him to fall down many draft boards, as he was originally seen as a mid-to-late teens pick.
The Phillies still had faith in the kid, taking him 27th and hoping that the injury wouldn't cause any lasting effects. So far, Miller has lived up to all the hype.
Aidan Miller crushes his third home run of the year!
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 9, 2024
MLB's No. 54 prospect (@Phillies) has driven in a career-high three runs for the @Threshers and ups his OPS to .927: pic.twitter.com/0RQH7yDenW
One of the most deserving candidates for a jump up the leaderboard, the Florida native received a ton of praise from MLB executives but has also proven his skill on the field.
Miller's 2024 has started off extremely hot for Clearwater. In his first 20 games, he has a slash line of .337/.411/.578 which works out to a .989 OPS. Across 83 at-bats, Miller has tallied 28 hits, four home runs, sixteen RBI and has walked eight times. His .578 slugging percentage is .010 higher than one of the top candidates for the 2024 AL MVP Gunnar Henderson.
Miller is no slouch on the defensive end either. Initially graded with a 60 arm and 50 glove, Miller will likely find his way to a corner infield position as his game, skillset and body grow into his full potential.
The Phillies top-hitting prospect found himself flying up prospect rankings after an impressive start to his professional career. With the scorching start to his 2024 season, look for Miller to continue to improve and find himself closer to the top of MLB Pipeline's Top 100 come 2025.