Phillies Prospect Aidan Miller’s Star Glowing Brighter Than Ever

Ugh. It’s been a rough couple days for Phillies fans seeing their beloved Phils drop two straight to the dreaded Mets. So how about a pinch of happy news? How about Aidan Miller’s sensational turnaround?

Miller, the No. 2-ranked Phillies prospect by MLB Pipeline, struggled to find his groove at double-A Reading, hitting .222 (66 for 297) through July and striking out a whopping 94 times in 353 plate appearances. But then August happened and… BOOM! Miller, 21, has flipped his season in a flash, hitting .365 with four home runs, 13 doubles and 13 stolen bases so far this month while boosting his batting average to a respectable .254.

Aidan Miller has turned his season around at Reading. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

MLB Photos via Getty Images

Miller’s sizzling stretch has solidified his standing as the top position player in the Phils’ farm system and one of the best prospects in the sport. ESPN writer Kiley McDaniel’s MLB prospect ranking released last week slots Miller in at No. 10.

McDaniel writes, “He is on the shortstop/third base defensive spectrum but has improved defensively (and seems quicker on the basepaths, too) to the point that I think he can be an average defensive option at shortstop… Miller has above-average-to-plus raw power right now but still has some work to do to fully tap into it in games, though he has been productive with 21 homers and 70 stolen bases in 196 games the past two seasons.”

Phillies director of player development Luke Murton addressed Miller’s turnaround on The Phillies Show that dropped Tuesday. Murton said Miller spent the first few months at double-A “surviving” but, over the past few weeks, he has “figured out some things with himself and he’s really taking off.”

Murton noted two aspects of Miller’s game that have flourished this season — his fielding and his base stealing— even as he slumped at the plate.

When Philadelphia selected Miller in the first round (27th overall) of the 2023 draft, it was thought that the kid would shift from short to third or second base through the course of his minor-league development — well, hasn’t happened yet.

“He’s surprised me at shortstop this year, I probably shouldn’t say that,” Murton said. “He’s played very, very well. In years past, I would say there’s a chance he could play shortstop (in the majors). Now, I would say he can play shortstop, and I think he will continue to get better.”

Murton pointed to an acrobatic turn on a double-play ball that Miller recently made, calling the play “unbelievable.” Here’s a look at said play:

Murton also noted how Miller has converted himself into a legitimate base-stealing threat with 50 stolen bases in 60 attempts this season after stealing 23 in 2024. “His instincts have taken him to the next step — his anticipation of when to go — and he has enough speed,” Murton said of Miller’s base-stealing skills.

Last month, Miller’s name got attached to a slew of rumored deals prior to the trade deadline. But since the deadline passed, it’s looking like a brilliant move that the Phillies didn’t include Miller in any deal with the kid playing like the potential star many have predicted he will be.

“His understanding of the game is really improving,” Murton said.