Is Phillies Star Prospect Infielder’s MLB Ranking Drop Cause for Concern?

One Philadelphia Phillies star prospects took a tumble in Baseball America’s recent Top 100 re-rank.

The question is whether that is cause for concern?

Baseball America’s update was for the first month of the year, and all four of the Phillies’ Top 100 prospects from the preseason were still included. But one took a bit of a tumble, making him one of the biggest fallers among players who were ranked in the Top 100.

Shortstop Aidan Miller, who is the organization’s second-highest ranked prospect, dropped from No. 34 to No. 48, representing a 14-spot drop for the future Major League infielder.

Is Aidan Miller’s Ranking Drop Cause for Concern?

Baseball America updates its rankings based on a variety of factors, including their own in-person scouting, along with conversations with MLB scouts, coaches, analysts and front office officials.

In this case, there’s nothing wrong with Miller’s play. In fact, the site’s editors made the point that Miller’s drop had more to do with other players in other organizations stepping up their play and moving up in the rankings.

However, the 20-year-old is struggling a bit in his first full season at Double-A Reading.

In 25 games he’s slashed .216/.321/.330 with three home runs and eight RBI. He only played five games at Reading last season, the last of his two promotions after starting the campaign at Class-A Clearwater.

It’s not the first time he’s struggled in his pro career, which started after the Phillies selected him in the first round of the 2023 MLB draft out of New Port Richey, Fla.

Miller only played 20 games in 2023. But he slashed a combined .303/.425/.379/.804 with three doubles and two RBI. He did bat .216 at Class A Clearwater in 10 games.

But, he turned it around last season, playing for Clearwater, High-A Jersey Shore and Reading with a combined slash of .261/.366/.446 with 11 home runs and 60 RBI. He was also selected to play in the MLB Futures Game.

His track record suggests that the struggles at Reading will be short-lived. Miller seems to bounce back after he adjusts to a new level of the system and a promotion to Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season is still possible.

Making the Majors at his position will be much harder, given the investment that the Phillies have made in veteran Trea Turner.

The other Phillies Top 100 prospects were pitcher Andrew Painter, catcher Eduardo Tait and outfielder Justin Crawford.