Prospect Aidan Miller resumes baseball activities, still day-to-day in Double-A

READING, Pa. — Infielder Aidan Miller, the top hitting prospect in Philadelphia’s system, remains out of the lineup for Double-A Reading as he deals with a minor, non-baseball ailment.

The former first-round pick has been sidelined since June 11 with what the Phillies called “skin irritation,” Phillies Nation was told on Sunday. He was expected to return this Tuesday or Wednesday during the Fightin Phils’ series against Hartford at FirstEnergy Stadium, but the right-handed hitter has not yet reached the point of playing.

Fightins manager Al Pedrique did say Wednesday that Miller has resumed some baseball activities and that the club would work him back at his own pace.

“We’re going to go easy on him,” Pedrique said. “It’s day by day. We’re not going to rush him. Today, he did some baseball activities under the trainer’s supervision. Like I said, we’re going to go baby steps with him.”

On Tuesday, Miller did short-distance running, played catch, participated in hand-eye fielding drills and took some swings in the batting cage. He repeated a similar routine on Wednesday. He’s started to feel better, Pedrique said, and could take batting practice on the field soon, if the weather and his symptoms allow it.

“It’s just a pain when he walks around,” Pedrique said. “When he tries to increase the intensity of his work, that’s when he feels he’s still feeling the pain. So that’s why we’re going to go slow with him. Just make sure when he’s ready and he’s cleared to play, that he will be 100%.”

Miller, 21, is back in Double-A after playing five games for Reading at the end of the 2024 season. He got off to a poor April, responded with a better May, then struggled to start June. Overall, he’s batting .235/.339/.362 with six home runs, seven doubles and 24 stolen bases in 52 games. Pedrique had been pleased with the shortstop’s performance before he went down.

“He was having a good season, and you can see signs that he started feeling that he belonged in Double-A,” Pedrique said. “He was playing with a lot of confidence. The hitting was coming around. He was getting big hits for us lately.”

Now, Miller just has to work his way back onto the field.

“The plan for him is to go (on a) daily basis,” Pedrique said. “Go do little by little and as much as he can tolerate with the pain. Obviously, yesterday was fine. Today, he felt a little better. So we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”

Fightins Notes

• Right-hander Griff McGarry, a former top prospect who struggled with serious control issues, was electric through three starts for the Fightins with only seven walks in 12 innings compared to 16 strikeouts. Then, he landed on the injured list on April 21 with a shoulder issue — “nothing major,” Pedrique noted.
  
  McGarry made three rehab starts for Single-A Clearwater and is now back in Reading. He’s expected to be activated by the Fightins on Thursday to start on the mound. After a lackluster showing as a reliever in Triple-A last year, the 26-year-old is intriguing at the very least.
  
  “We’re anxious to see what he can show tomorrow,” Pedrique said.
  
• Catcher Caleb Ricketts was hit by a pitch and took a foul ball off his throwing hand in the same game in April, causing him to miss two months for Reading. But he returned from his rehab assignment in style as he hit two home runs in his first game back for the Fightin Phils on Tuesday.
  
  “He started up real well for us behind the plate and offensively,” Pedrique said, “and he had a great game last night. You can tell his confidence remains the same, and we hope — and the key for us is — that he stays healthy.”