Slugger Aidan Miller ‘can get used to this’ after teaming up with Phillies top prospects

LAKELAND, Fla. — Mick Abel got drafted three years before Aidan Miller. They are three levels apart in the minor leagues. Each is ranked among the top handful of Phillies prospects.

And until Saturday, they never took the field together.

“Seeing him get that knock in the first inning to drive in [Justin] Crawford was pretty cool,” Abel said. “I liked that.”

It’s what this was about, after all. Spring training is a time for hope, and what’s more hopeful than prospect-watching? So, Major League Baseball came up with a four-day showcase in the middle of March — cleverly marketed as “Spring Breakout” — and the Phillies took their turn to show off the best of their farm system against the Detroit Tigers’ hopefuls.

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There was Abel, then, the 2020 first-round pick who is on the doorstep of the majors, making a two-inning start. And Crawford, the 2022 first-rounder, stealing a base, getting two hits, and playing all nine innings in center field. And teen phenoms Starlyn Caba and Eduardo Tait, set for their stateside debuts this year after playing in the Dominican Republic.

But the Phillies’ biggest hit in a 5-1 loss came from Miller, who is every bit as intriguing as any of them.

“It was awesome,” he said. “What a great experience that was.”

Miller, 19, had just come off the field at Joker Marchant Stadium after taking pictures by the third-base dugout with more than 20 family and friends. He grew up near the Phillies’ complex in Clearwater, Fla., and launched his pro career there last summer after getting drafted 27th overall and signing for $3.1 million.

What sets Miller apart is his right-handed power. He batted .385 with 15 doubles, seven triples, eight homers, 36 steals, and a 1.176 on-base plus slugging in 187 at-bats over three high school seasons. He won a high school home run derby at Dodger Stadium in 2022.

And on days like this, as Miller lined a sinker from Tigers lefty Brant Hurter through the left side of a drawn-in infield to drive in Crawford from third base, you could close your eyes and see him hitting in the middle of the Phillies’ order during the second half of this decade.

Surely, Miller did.

“Oh yeah,” said Miller, 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, with tree-trunk legs. “After the hit, I came in and Crawford came up to me and we were like, ‘We can get used to this.’”

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Here’s the thing, though: Miller is only just getting started on his minor-league journey. And make no mistake, it’s a long road, even for the brightest prospects.

Crawford, 20, is likely to open the season with high-A Jersey Shore but figures to be at double-A Reading by summertime. Abel, entering his fourth minor-league season, is bound for triple-A Lehigh Valley.

“Years past, I kind of thought about promotions too much and put too many of those types of expectations on myself — ‘By a certain date, I need to make certain levels,’” Abel said after giving up a solo homer and striking out three. “This year, I’ve got a very clear understanding of what I need to do and who I need to be to get to that next level. I’m in a really good place, a lot of confidence.”

Miller is expected to start back in Clearwater, with the Phillies’ low-A affiliate, even though he made a 10-game cameo there at the end of last season and blasted his first pro homer to left field at BayCare Ballpark to push the Threshers into the Florida State League finals.

“For them to trust me to go in there, bat third, and play shortstop for the playoffs, it was awesome,” Miller said. “They had so much success all year. I was glad to be able to contribute in some way.”

For now, he has been told he will remain at shortstop, too, even though he profiles offensively as a third baseman. Miller played third base against the Tigers because the Phillies put talented Bryan Rincon at short.

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But Miller conceded that he’s only just learning a routine for surviving a long season. He’s also figuring himself out as a hitter, studying pitch charts and video to understand his “hot spots.”

Like most young hitters, Miller says he likes hunting fastballs. His eyes widened in the sixth inning when, with the bases loaded and two out, touted Tigers righty Ty Madden challenged him with a 95.9 mph heater. Miller fouled it back.

“Just missed that one,” he said. “I wanted that one back after.”

Miller wanted a do-over two pitches later, too, when he got rung up on a 97.4 mph fastball that was low. He might have appealed, but Miller said the teams were told Friday that they couldn’t challenge the automatic ball-strike system that’s used in the minors. Before the game, the umpires said challenges would be allowed.

“As I was walking back to the dugout, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I should’ve challenged it,’” Miller said. “Next time.”

Live and learn. That’s what Miller’s first pro season will be about.

And, before anyone knows it, he’ll team up with Abel and Crawford again — maybe at Citizens Bank Park, as the young players at the opposite end of the salary spectrum from Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Aaron Nola .

“That’s what this event is for. It’s looking ahead to the future,” Abel said. “For us, it’s just as exciting as for the fans getting to watch. A lot of us haven’t played together before. It’s really cool to share the field with them.”

Crawford went 2-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base. ... Abel completed his 31-pitch outing by striking out former Phillies prospect Hao-Yu Lee, a 21-year-old infielder who went to Detroit at the trade deadline last summer for righty Michael Lorenzen. ... Caba, an 18-year-old, switch-hitting shortstop, played second base and went 1-for-2 with a leadoff single through the left side in the sixth inning; Tait, a 17-year-old catcher, went 0-for-2 as the designated hitter.

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