The Future is Now! Phillies Stud Prospect Invited to Big League Camp
The Philadelphia Phillies enter spring training this year projected to be one of the best teams in baseball during the 2025 season.
Coming off a 95-win campaign that resulted in a National League East title, expectations are high for the team. They will certainly face some challenges in their division, as the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets have championship aspirations as well.
In what could be the last chance for the core as currently constructed to make a run to the World Series, there will be a lot of motivation to get over the hump after meltdowns in the last two postseasons.
That work will start in camp, where fans will not only get to see the established Phillies players on the field but get a glimpse of the future as well.
Philadelphia has included three of their top prospects on their non-roster invitee list this year; starting pitcher Andrew Painter, shortstop Aidan Miller and outfielder Justin Crawford.
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has already shared that Painter will not be taking the mound for Grapefruit League games, as the team has a strict plan in place to build up his arm strength after missing two campaigns because of Tommy John surgery.
He is expected to make his MLB debut at some point in the summer.
That leaves Miller and Crawford as two highly touted prospects that will garner a lot of attention this spring, but it is the talented infielder who Mike Axisa of CBS Sports believes is the most interesting NRI.
“The No. 27 overall pick in the 2023 draft managed an .812 OPS in the minors last year and reached Double-A as a 20-year-old. He’s a stud,” her wrote.
There is a lot of intrigue surrounding the 2023 first-round pick. Not only because he produced at an impressive clip, but how he develops will lead to a franchise-altering decision down the road.
It would not be a surprise to see Miller at the Major League level within the next year or two. He has surpassed expectations to this point since being selected quieting a lot of the doubters.
What has to be figured out is what position he is going to play long-term.
During the pre-draft process, many scouts and evaluators believed that he would eventually have to move from shortstop, likely to third base.
In his first full season as a professional, he more than held his own at short, which has some people wondering whether he can stick there long-term. If he can, he not only adds more value but provides Philadelphia with a long-term replacement for Trea Turner.
Turner could then move to a less demanding position, such as second base, as he gets into the twilight of his career. There are rumors that he could take over in right field once Nick Castellano’s contract is up as well.
If Philadelphia determines that Miller is better suited at third base, they will have to figure out what to do with Alec Bohm, who was involved in a lot of trade rumors this past winter.
It will certainly be worth watching to see where the team deploys him at camp. Keeping him at shortstop will provide the most value, as a transition to the hot corner could come later in his career if the need arises.
