With the trade deadline quickly approaching, several players in the Philadelphia Phillies organization have been floated as possible trade candidates as the team looks to upgrade its roster. One of the players mentioned is Aidan Miller, whom the Phillies selected with the 27th overall pick a season ago.
The Phillies have been linked to several big names around the league, including Luis Robert Jr., Jazz Chisholm, Cody Bellinger, Tanner Scott and Brent Rooker over the past several weeks. The asking price for these players will be high due to their upside and ability to immediately contribute to a contending team.
Phillies trading Aidan Miller is a horrible idea for the future of the franchise
Miller has been mentioned as a possible return, along with other top prospects such as Justin Crawford and Mick Abel, as the Phillies look to take the next step and improve their World Series chances in 2024. MLB insider Jim Bowden is confident that the Phillies will trade Miller in a package for a big-name outfielder like Robert, Chisholm or Bellinger.
Trading Miller would be a mistake for the future of the Phillies franchise. With the contract situations of Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott still in question following their arbitration years, Miller has the opportunity to come in and be a cornerstone for years to come.
In limited action over two years, Miller has impressed scouts around the league en route to a spot on the MLB Pipeline Top 100 prospects list at No. 27. He has shown an innate ability to get on base as he has an on-base percentage of .375 over 79 games. Furthermore, he has made a big impact on the basepaths with 17 stolen bases in 20 attempts, which would equate to 35 over a full season.
While proponents of a Miller trade will argue that prospects are never a sure thing, it is important that the Phillies proceed with caution at the deadline so as to not mortgage their long-term future. Dave Dombrowski and company have put together a roster that is built to win for years to come. With Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Aaron Nola, and Zack Wheeler all locked in with long-term contracts, the Phillies window to compete is wide open.
MLB Pipeline predicts that Miller’s estimated arrival with the team is 2027 based on his progress so far. Many of these players will still be under contract, which will allow the team to remain competitive while continuing to develop their young stars.
The Phillies have enough assets to pull off a trade for an immediate upgrade in the outfield or in the bullpen while still keeping Miller in the organization. They have a crowded farm system in the infield beyond Miller, including Starlyn Caba (MLB Pipeline No. 88), Devin Saltiban, Bryan Rincon and William Bergolla, all of whom could be intriguing for a team that is looking to rebuild their farm system. Additionally, Johan Rojas and Cristian Pache could be a part of a trade package, as they would be the odd man out if the Phillies pursue an outfielder.
There is no guarantee that a star will re-sign with the Phillies
The possibility of trading for a young star is intriguing, but it comes with a risk, as there is no guarantee that they will re-sign with the team following their current contract. With the Phillies pushing the second luxury tax and extensions for Ranger Suárez, Jeff Hoffman, Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott lingering, the Phillies may be priced out of more star power.
Because of this, it's important for the Phillies to keep Miller around and give him the chance to compete for a roster spot when the time comes.