The 20-year-old reached Double-A last season and got the invite to big league camp at Spring Training this season. He discussed being starstruck meeting Bryce Harper and remaining focused on getting to Philly as fast as possible.
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Aidan Miller was in fifth grade when Bryce Harper won his first MVP award.
For the next few weeks, they'll dress for work about 50 feet away from each other.
The 20-year-old shortstop is regarded as the Phillies' top position player prospect and he's in big-league camp this spring for the first time as a non-roster invitee. Teams try each year to bring young prospects to spring training that they think have a chance to make an impact in the majors someday. It's a way to show them what the lifestyle is like, how veterans work and give them a chance to absorb information.
That's exactly what Miller intends to do.
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"Man, everything," the youngest player in Phillies camp said Tuesday morning when asked what he plans to talk to Harper about. "I met him yesterday and I felt pretty starstruck. That was cool. Just watching him go about his business, his routine in the cages, just excited to learn from him.
"I think the first day is a little overwhelming, so much going on, meeting so many new people. I feel pretty comfortable now and excited to see what spring training has to offer and soak up as much as I can."
The Phillies drafted Miller 27th overall in 2023 out of J.W. Mitchell HS in nearby New Port Richey, Florida. He entered his senior year expecting to be selected 10th through 20th in the first round but broke the hamate bone in his left hand in his first game and missed the rest of the year.
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When Miller worked out for teams in that 10-20 range toward the end of his senior season, he was healthier and still expected to be taken there but wasn't. He actually didn't have any pre-draft interviews with the Phillies. Now-Phillies GM Preston Mattingly called him when their pick was up and that was the first contact Miller had with the organization.
"I saw the last name and obviously, I know who his dad (Don) is. So I was like, oh I think they're related. That was pretty cool," Miller said. "I did not talk to the Phillies at all before the draft, which is crazy. It was a pleasant surprise.
"I'm excited I never have to go through (the draft process) again. It was a stressful time."
Last season, 2024, was his first full year in the Phillies' farm system and Miller played at three different levels. He hit .275/.401/.483 in 39 games with Single A Clearwater, then posted a .797 OPS in 58 games with High-A Jersey Shore, finishing up the season at Double A Reading, where he was nearly four years younger than the average age of the league.
Miller figures to begin at Double A again. His performance will dictate the speed of the next two promotions.
"He might come very quickly," Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said on the day pitchers and catchers reported. "It's time that we start bringing some of those guys in and being part of our camp and being exposed to it. It's not going to be long until they start getting meshed into playing at the big-league level if they continue."
Miller caught wind of Dombrowski's comments, though he insists he's not looking ahead, just trying to improve every day so that when he is eventually called up, he's in Philly for good.
"Yeah, I did see that. It was pretty cool," he said. "That's the goal. I want to get to Philly as fast as I can. I want to be there and stick there. I’m doing whatever I can to get there.
"I think the biggest thing is staying consistent. I got off to a really hot start last year then got cold toward the middle of the year, then picked it back up toward the end. Really just finding my stride the whole year and being consistent. When things do go bad, figuring out what gets me right and gets me back to that spot."
Miller has a .375 on-base percentage in 542 minor-league plate appearances. He can hit but he also takes his walks and that bodes well for his future development. He already had a smart approach as a teenager. Now it's a matter of maintaining it as the pitching stiffens at each level.
"I try to be a tough out. That's how I was taught to play," he said. "I don't like striking out so I like to be a tough out every single time I'm up there at the plate. I make that a big part of my game."
The Phillies think Miller can stick at shortstop and will keep him there for the foreseeable future. Trea Turner is under contract for nine more seasons, but the Phillies aren't moving Miller off the position just yet. Maybe when he's ready, he comes up as a shortstop and Turner moves to a different spot. Maybe Miller plays third base. None of these decisions need to be made today, or likely in 2025 at all.
For now, he's excited about the chance to spend the spring with experienced veterans and sharpen his skills. Asked if he's looking forward to facing a particular pitcher in live batting practice, Miller picked the best of the best.
"(Zack) Wheeler, I want to see him," he said. "I've watched him a lot growing up and last year. He’s been great. I want to see what his stuff is like.
"I feel like half of this locker room are guys I grew up watching play. It's so cool to be in the same presence as those guys. And I feel a little starstruck like a kid again.
"What I noticed so far is the guys are all ears, and they've been chatting with me so far, and I really appreciate that."
