Oakland Athletics No. 3 overall prospect Mason Miller impressed in his MLB debut. Miller ultimately surrendered two earned runs over 4.1 innings pitched to go along with five strikeouts. His fastball, however, stole the show. Miller became just the 10th pitcher during the Statcast era to throw 15 or more 100 MPH-plus pitches in a game, per MLB Pipeline.
Miller, 24, has a live arm without question. He’s still learning to work on control of the zone, but he has star-caliber potential. He was drafted in 2021 by the Athletics in the third round. They were impressed by his velocity, which has only grown stronger during his time in the minor leagues. Miller also features a slider and changeup in his repertoire. If he can develop consistency with those pitches, his fastball will be even more difficult to square up for hitters.
Not much has gone right for the Athletics in 2023. They hold the worst record in the league and are in the middle of a rebuild. But Mason Miller is a bright spot for the ball club. Oakland is counting on their young core of players to lead the charge in the future. They aren’t expecting to compete anytime soon, but players like Miller are crucial parts of their rebuilding efforts. If he lives up to his potential, Miller may become the ace of the Athletics at some point down the road.
The A’s long-term future is bright, but they will continue to labor in 2023.
For now, Mason Miller will focus on developing control of his pitches.
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