BROOKLYN, N.Y. – BayCare Park has served as the spring training home for the Philadelphia Phillies since 2004, a venue that Aidan Miller often visited as a youngster growing up in nearby Pinellas County. These childhood memories eventually fueled his aspirations, culminating in the start of his professional career on that very field in Clearwater, Florida, after the Phillies selected him in the first round of the 2023 MLB draft.
“It’s pretty cool to begin my career after growing up going to spring training, and seeing their culture and what Phillies baseball is all about at a young age.,” Miller said. “Growing up 20 minutes away from the facility made the transition to pro ball easier going into my first year.”
Miller rapidly climbed the draft boards after posting consecutive .400 seasons at the plate at J.W. Mitchell (Fla.) High School and emerged as one of the top prep players in the country. He also boosted his national profile by leading Team USA to a gold medal in the 2022 U-18 Baseball World Cup. Miller’s progression, however, came to a halt when a hand injury cost him his senior year and left his draft status unclear.
“Those experiences helped me prepare how to handle pressure situations and being in the spotlight at a young age playing in those USA and Perfect Game events,” he said. “Playing the best of the best prepares you for the things you encounter in pro ball.
“(The injury) was tough. I suffered a hamate injury, and I could not play my senior year of high school with my buddies and have that one last ride to a state championship. But I healed it, and now I am 100% free of pain, so it is not something I have to worry about anymore.”
The Phillies understood the uncertainty surrounding Miller’s injury but banked on the prospect of recovery by drafting him above slot value at $3.1 million with the 27th overall pick. He completed his initial pro season in Clearwater, where he worked on regaining his timing and rhythm, playing competitive baseball for the first time in over a year. Confidence started growing once Miller found comfort in the pro game against live pitching.
“When I signed with the Phillies out of high school and showed up at Clearwater, I felt like I was fully recovered, and by that time, I was ready to play in games,” Miller said. “The biggest challenge at first was regaining my timing after being out of the game for so long. I was seeing live pitching for the first time as a pro and learning how to go through my routines, but it quickly came back.”
The 2024 season was a breakout year for Miller, who responded to high expectations and acclaim by hitting .309 with a .979 OPS in his first two months in Clearwater and earned a spot on the roster for the All-Star Futures Game in Arlington, Texas, alongside fellow Phillies top prospect Justin Crawford. The experience was a valuable one for Miller, who earned a promotion to Class A-Advanced Jersey Shore a few weeks earlier and was cementing himself as one of the pillars of the Phillies’ future.
“I came into the season feeling prepared and confident to handle the daily grind of playing every day in Clearwater, and knowing what to expect helped me settle into a groove,” he said. “I showed up every day ready to play. Going from high school to playing every single day was an adjustment.
“The Futures Game was a dream of mine since I was a kid, and it was a goal that I always set for myself in my baseball career. Experiencing it in my first year of Minor League Baseball was really cool, especially with my buddy Justin, who had done it the year before and told me what to expect. It was a blast to have my family and my girlfriend come to Texas to see me play.”
When advancing to the next level of the minor leagues, most players face several adjustments to the competition and external surroundings. Hitters, in particular, endure a critical learning curve against better caliber. Miller, in particular, experienced an extended slump when he first joined Jersey Shore before turning to hitting coach Adam Lind, who simplified his approach and worked with him on handling pitches on the inside part of the plate.
The Phillies’ top prospect soon regained his form, batting .312/.364/.557 with two home runs and 12 RBIs in August and hitting safely in 12 of his first 15 games.
“I struggled a little bit in June when I first got called up to Jersey Shore, and I had to stay within myself,” Miller said. “I got away from my identity and my swing. I was searching for things that weren’t there, but I feel like I’m now back to where I was at the beginning of the year and not worrying about my mechanics.
“Our hitting coach, Adam Lind, was a big help to me in getting back to who I was as a hitter and finding my identity again. I really appreciate everything he’s done for me and learning new things. I had to adapt to the inside pitch and the movement that you don’t normally see from pitchers in Low-A or in high school as a right-handed hitter.”
After seeing time at both positions on the left side of the infield in high school, Miller fully transitioned to shortstop during his pro career and worked extensively with Phillies minor league infield coordinator Adam Everett on the nuances of the position, such as quickness and reaction time. Everett, a former major league shortstop, went through similar experiences learning the position as a young player and continues to provide Miller with guidance and encouragement.
“Adam Everett has been incredibly helpful to me with any questions I had,” Miller said. “He answers them for me, is relatable, and was in my shoes as a former shortstop himself who went through the ups and downs of the position. It is cool to have in your corner someone who went through the same exact things that you did and is approachable for advice.
“It took time to get comfortable at shortstop after playing a lot of third base in high school and summer ball. Getting used to the range and the reactions to the ball from shortstop was something I needed to get used to initially. Playing each day and learning new things has helped me get used to playing the position on a routine basis.”
Miller’s baseball acumen and commitment to growth and development begin with his father Jason, a 24th-round draft by the Texas Rangers. His father founded the Courthouse Performance Center in Oldsmar, Florida, aimed at training and providing instruction to amateur ballplayers. Miller, along with his older brother Jackson, a former second-round pick by the Cincinnati Reds, received training from their father at the facility and assisted several major league players in their offseason workouts.
“The facility my dad built back in 2016 and seeing how far it has come along is incredible. I owe everything to my dad and what he’s done for me in my life,” Miller said. “Building that facility for me and my brother and getting to see all the pro guys like Pete Alonso, Marcus Stroman, Luke Maile and Clay Holmes work out in the offseason and learn from them was a valuable asset. I look forward to going back there in the offseason.”
The resources at his disposal, along with the rare opportunity of having a minor league complex near home, enabled Miller to flourish early in his minor league career and justify the Phillies’ conviction in his talent during his recovery from injury before the 2023 draft.
Miller’s ability to pull the ball with a high exit velocity and quickly grow both at the plate and in the field make him a rarified infield prospect in the organization and a name that may potentially have a bright future in Philadelphia.
“It would mean the world to have the opportunity to one day play for the Philadelphia Phillies after the faith they had in me and the resources they provide for me to have success,” Miller said. “I hope I can achieve that goal one day, but until then I will keep working and staying true to the things that got me to this point in my career.”
