Gage Miller has made significant progress as a baseball player over the last three years.
A native of Palmyra, Pennsylvania, Miller received only a few NCAA Division II offers out of high school. Opting against Division II baseball, he chose the junior college route, aiming to attract Division I offers in the future.
This decision paid off. Miller excelled during his two seasons at Bishop State Community College in Alabama, eventually transferring to the University of Alabama for his junior year.
This spring, Miller displayed exceptional hitting skills for Alabama, boosting his prospect status to earn early-round consideration for July’s MLB draft.
“It’s rewarding to look back and see where I was three years ago at the end of my high school career and to where I am now is amazing,” Miller said.
Miller is a 6-foot, 200-pound right-handed hitter who is an offensive-first player. He shows a strong feel for the strike zone with an ability to barrel up the baseball consistently. He hits line drives to all parts of the field and has improved his power-hitting ability in recent years.
Miller excelled against the premier pitchers in the Southeastern Conference this spring, showing an ability to handle premium velocity and adjust against breaking pitches.
“I feel like my hitting is my best strength,” Miller said. “Just hitting for contact and base hits helps create the doubles and home runs.”
Defensively, Miller played third base for Alabama this spring and has experience bouncing around the infield throughout his collegiate career.
Miller has improved his defensive skills over the last year. Scouts remain unsure where Miller projects best in pro ball, though. Most scouts believe Miller is best suited to play second base due to his average arm strength and speed. Scouts also feel he could potentially handle third base or a corner outfield spot with additional instruction.
“I definitely got a lot better at it this year from coach Mikey (White), our infield coach,” Miller said. “He’s worked with me almost every day to get a lot better. He just helped me with reading the ball and reading the hops. Mikey helped me to learn when to charge a ball and when to drop back on the ball.”
After batting .391 with eight home runs as a freshman, Miller posted a .397 batting average with 15 doubles, seven home runs, 50 RBIs and 23 stolen bases in 49 at Bishop State last year.
This spring, Miller was one of the top hitters in the SEC, posting a .381 batting average with 12 doubles, 19 home runs and 58 RBIs in 223 at-bats. He was hit by 17 pitches and had 27 walks compared to 26 strikeouts.
Miller’s success helped propel Alabama to an NCAA Tournament and a 33-24 overall record. This season marked the first time Alabama made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances since 2013-14.
“I am going to remember the team and how the guys made this year so much fun,” Miller said. “They helped me grow as a person and to where I am today.”
Read more in-depth stories on top 2024 MLB draft prospects at Baseball Prospect Journal.
Dan Zielinski III has covered the MLB draft for nine years. He has interviewed 518 of the top draft prospects in that period, including four No. 1 overall picks. Multiple publications, including Baseball America, USA Today, MLB.com, The Arizona Republic and The Dallas Morning News, have quoted his work, while he has appeared on radio stations as a “MLB draft expert.” Follow him on Twitter @DanZielinski3.
