It won’t be a lost season for Aidan Miller, after all.
Miller, the Phillies’ top prospect, is scheduled to play five innings at shortstop Saturday for low-A Clearwater, a major-league source said Friday night. The 22-year-old hasn’t played this season because of a low back condition.
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The Phillies have been vague about Miller’s progress since his spinal procedure in early June. But minor league director Luke Murton signaled an impending return to the field in an appearance Friday on Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast.
“Things are progressing very well,” Murton said. “I don’t want to overpromise and underdeliver, but there may be a surprise in the near future. I’ll say that.”
The Phillies hoped Miller would make his major-league debut this season, even placing his spring-training locker in between Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto. But low back pain that cropped up late last season flared up in February. He didn’t resume swinging a bat until last month.
Miller is tentatively slated to make up for lost at-bats by playing in the Arizona Fall League, another source said Friday, but rosters have not yet been announced.
With Clearwater having qualified for the Florida State League playoffs, which begin next week, it’s possible Miller could remain with the team beyond the weekend. There will be additional playing time available in double A or triple A, with those seasons not ending until Sept. 13 and Sept. 21, respectively.
When Miller’s back pain didn’t subside with rest, he saw multiple spine specialists and was diagnosed with discogenic pain and facet inflammation in the lumbar spine, according to the Phillies in June. He underwent a radiofrequency ablation of the facet joints, a procedure described by the Phillies as “minimally invasive.”
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It’s unclear whether Miller will have to manage the condition throughout his career.
“As far as the long-term effects, positive, negative, I would let the [medical] experts speak to that,” Murton said. “But I feel pretty confident, [based on] what we’ve been seeing lately, that he’s on the right trajectory to be with us and be a good player for a long time.”
With the minor league season winding down, Phillies farm director Luke Murton returns to Phillies Extra to discuss the state of the system and upcoming changes to his role. He also offers an encouraging update on injured top prospect Aidan Miller. Watch here.
You can also subscribe to the podcast version of Phillies Extra on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Previous episodes: Mike Hazen | Tony Gwynn Jr. | Kevin Stocker | Bobby Dickerson | Jim Bowden | John Middleton | Ryan Howard | Dan Baker | Ricky Bottalico | Preston Mattingly
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