Phillies top prospect Aidan Miller to have spinal procedure; might still play this season
The 22-year-old infielder has been diagnosed with discogenic pain and facet inflammation in the lumbar spine, the team announced Wednesday after months of nonspecific updates.
Aidan Miller, the Phillies’ top prospect and a consensus top-25 prospect in baseball, will have a spinal procedure Friday to alleviate a back condition that has prevented him from swinging a bat without pain since February.
But the Phillies haven’t ruled out Miller from playing this season.
Miller, an infielder who turns 22 on June 9, has been diagnosed with discogenic pain and facet inflammation in the lumbar spine, the team announced Wednesday after months of nonspecific updates.
» READ MORE: From spring training: A frustrated Aidan Miller says his sore back is ‘getting better,’ but his return is uncertain
At the recommendation of multiple spine specialists, whom the team said Miller has seen “over the last couple of weeks” after a recurrence of back pain, Miller will undergo a radiofrequency ablation of the facet joints.
The Phillies described the outpatient procedure as “minimally invasive.” But it also isn’t a permanent fix. According to the Mayo Clinic, it can provide relief for “approximately nine to 12 months.”
If Miller was healthy, he would likely be in the Phillies’ lineup. Entering play Wednesday night, they ranked 28th in the majors with a .675 OPS and last with a .573 OPS from right-handed hitters.
Now, the Phillies outlined a timetable in which Miller won’t resume playing for at least 6-8 weeks — almost certainly not until after the All-Star break and only once he has completed a spring-training-style build-up.
Miller, drafted in the first round (27th overall) in 2023, said in spring training that he experienced back pain near the end of last season. The Phillies withdrew him from playing in the Arizona Fall League to prioritize rest.
Although the pain subsided in the offseason, it returned once spring training began and again when Miller tried to resume baseball activities last month, prompting visits to various specialists.
Miller is expected to rest for one week after the procedure, according to the Phillies, before resuming his rehabilitation at the team’s facility in Clearwater, Fla.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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