The 2026 season is nothing short of a lost year for Philadelphia Phillies top prospect Aidan Miller. However, the 22-year-old will return to Double-A Reading, per 94 WIP’s Dave Uram.
This move has been confirmed on Reading’s transaction tracker for the entire Phillies organization. The official transaction is that Miller has been activated from his rehab assignment and assigned to Double-A Reading.
Miller had been on a rehab assignment, playing just one game with Low-A Clearwater. But with their season over, he’ll progress up the minor league system.
Aidan Miller’s Lost 2026 Season
Aidan Miller was supposed to have his final minor league tune-up before pushing for a big league roster spot. The 2023 first-rounder was ranked the consensus top prospect heading into the 2026 season.
Miller has been dealing with a back problem that traces back to last season. It cut his stint in the Arizona Fall League short. The 22-year-old underwent a minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation procedure in June to deal with the persistent back issues.
There isn’t much to salvage from the 2026 minor league season for Miller. He’ll only get into a handful of games this season. He’ll get one week in Reading, then finish out the season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. That might get him maybe 15-20 games of action.
The Phillies will have to find him more games to make up for a ton of lost reps during the season. They’re almost certain to send Miller back to Arizona to get another six weeks of reps. For the second straight season, the organization’s fall league team will be the Surprise Saguaros. There may also be a winter ball stint after that.
The injury delays Miller’s MLB debut to much later in the 2027 season. The Phillies will be extra careful to ensure he’s healthy before considering a big-league promotion.
Phillies Infield Plans for the 2026 Offseason
The Phillies will have at least one starting role on the infield up for grabs. This assumes that Alec Bohm is not re-signed in free agency and Bryce Harper returns to first base.
The club can rely on Bryson Stott as a moveable piece on their infield, as he played both second and third base this season. That opens up more possibilities in the open market. Stott could handle either position, especially if the Phillies try to re-sign second baseman Luis Arraez.
There are some moving parts concerning their top prospects in the infield. Bryan Rincon’s 2026 breakout changes the calculus somewhat. Since Stott is eligible for free agency after the 2027 season, there will be room for both prospects to play long-term.
The Phillies don’t need to commit a 40-man roster spot to Miller. He’ll be in the big leagues long before his Rule 5 deadline of November 2027. He projects as the successor to Stott at the hot corner.
Phillies Announce Aidan Miller Decision After Returning From Injury