The Philadelphia Phillies' top prospect, Aidan Miller, will look to make his long-awaited MLB debut in 2026. Miller was the 27th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and has since worked his way through the minor leagues. He got a taste of Triple-A before he closed out his 2025 season.
It's relatively uncertain how effective Miller will be for the Phillies at the MLB level just yet, but fans are excited for what the young stud could do in Philadelphia. He's not much further away from getting his shot to prove himself, and there's already a lot of anticipation for when that day finally comes, hopefully this upcoming season.
There has also been a bold preseason prediction, potentially putting Miller on the fast track to becoming the club's third baseman as early as this summer.
Bold prediction sees Aidan Miller as Phillies' third baseman early in 2026, putting Alec Bohm out of a job
ESPN compiled a list of bold predictions for MLB's top prospects. Eric Karabell, a senior writer for ESPN, predicted that Miller would not only take over the starting third base job by Memorial Day but also win the NL Rookie of the Year in 2026.
Bohm has been the man at the Phillies' hot corner since 2020, but there's a growing sense that Miller will be introduced sooner rather than later. Karabell also predicts that it will be a slow offensive start from Bohm that will force the Phillies to make a change at third base by May.
Bohm will be a free agent after the 2026 season and is unlikely to return on a new deal. He had a good year by his standards in 2025 with a .287 batting average and a .741 OPS but only hit 11 home runs and 59 RBIs in 120 games. Karabell suggests that 2026 will be more of the same, with Miller becoming the immediate substitution for the Phillies.
Miller, on the other hand, in 2025 across multiple levels in the minors, hit .264 with an .825 OPS and 14 home runs and 42 RBIs in 116 games. He also stole 59 bases. Miller has come up as a shortstop but is believed to be the club's next third baseman, with Trea Turner manning shortstop for the foreseeable future.
Karabell predicts that Miller, who's still just 21, will step in and hit .280 with 20 home runs and 25 steals after his May call-up, and the Phillies will trade Bohm to the Chicago White Sox.
Karabell references Bohm's slow start in 2025 as the driving factor to get Miller in at third. If Miller has a hot start to his 2026 season, it'll be pretty difficult denying his promotion to the big leagues. The Phillies could certainly use his pop in the lineup if his skills continue to translate. It's not favorable for Bohm if he stumbles out of the gate again, but that's where the front office should give Miller a shot.
Miller's combination of power and patience at the plate makes his potential debut and run at third base that much more appealing. Bohm has his upside, but a decent batting average coupled with limited home run power, ability to get on base, or steal bases is becoming less appealing each year. Bohm only posted a 5.8 percent walk rate compared to Miller's 15.6 percent in 2025. Miller also stole 59 bases compared to Bohm's two last season.
Miller has all the makings of a Rookie of the Year candidate in 2026. Seeing him win over the third base job in just two months time may seem quick, but perhaps the Phillies will act that fast if things go south for Bohm. It will be a shift for Miller to play third, but the Phillies are optimistic that their top prospect can handle the workload once he gets a shot.