Philadelphia Phillies fans had the chance to catch the first home game of the Grapefruit League season on Sunday, and those who stayed for Bryce Harper’s in-dugout interview might have noticed an unexpected comment about top prospect Aidan Miller’s health.
Miller, ranked as the Phillies’ No. 1 prospect by MLB Pipeline and No. 23 overall, has drawn plenty of early-season attention. The shortstop is considered a rising star likely to make his MLB debut later this year, so many were eager to see him on the field during the opening weekend of spring training.
It came as a bit of a surprise when Miller was absent from Saturday’s lineup in Dunedin against the Toronto Blue Jays. Another top prospect, Justin Crawford, made his first start and impressed, but many felt it would have been the perfect opportunity for Miller to shake off the offseason rust and get some game reps.
Now, thanks to Harper’s comment, the reason is clear. Following the Phillies’ 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, reporters in Clearwater got an update from manager Rob Thomson, as reported by MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki.
“Phillies prospect Aidan Miller has a sore back,” Zolecki shared on social media. “The team is being cautious, so he’s taking it easy this week and receiving treatment. If he were fully healthy, he would have played yesterday in Dunedin.”
According to Zolecki, Miller experienced back soreness recently, though Thomson doesn’t believe it was caused by an on-field injury. While Miller was hit by a pitch during live batting practice last week, the impact wasn’t to his back. Thomson noted that he couldn’t completely rule out the possibility that Miller may have strained himself while moving out of the way.
With less than two weeks into camp, there’s still ample time for Miller to regain full health and get into game action. The Phillies are in no rush, and Thomson emphasized their cautious approach.
“We’re just being super cautious with him, obviously, this early in camp,” Thomson said. “He’s simply receiving treatment.”
At just 21 years old, Miller is expected to see plenty of time at both third base and shortstop during spring training. Eventually, he’s projected to take over at third base from Alec Bohm, whether that happens later this season or next remains uncertain.