Phillies top prospect Aidan Miller to undergo procedure

Entering Spring Training, plenty of buzz surrounded top Philadelphia Phillies prospect, Aidan Miller.

Miller, the organization’s top hitting prospect, had an opportunity to shine in Spring Training exhibition games and may have had a chance of forcing his way on to the big-league roster this season.

However, early in camp, Miller was sidelined with lingering back problems, bringing his momentum to a complete halt.

Since then, Miller has barely performed any baseball activities, much less appeared in a game. The Phillies have kept his status close to the vest, despite numerous inquiries from local media.

On Wednesday afternoon, the club made an official announcement on Miller’ status.

The young shortstop has been diagnosed with discogenic pain and facet inflammation in the lumbar spine.

Due to the nature of the injury and its recent reoccurrence, Miller visited with several spine specialists. Those specialists agreed and recommended a minimally invasive surgery.

Miller will undergo a procedure called a radiofrequency ablation of the facet joints. This will take place on Friday, June 5. The expectation is that Miller will take one week to rest from the procedure, then resume his rehabilitation exercises.

Expectations for his return to game activity are roughly 6-8 weeks from the completion of his rehab. Stay tuned to MetroPhiladelphia.com for more updates as he progresses.

Last season, Miller hit .264 with a .825 OPS across both AA and AAA. He hit 27 doubles, 14 home runs, and stole 59 bases. 

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