Owen Miller Stats & Scouting Report

AB	27
AVG	.185
OBP	.185
SLG	.222
HR	0

Full name Owen Robert Miller
Born 11/15/1996 in Mequon, WI
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Illinois State
Debut 05/23/2021
Drafted in the 3rd round (84th overall) by the San Diego Padres in 2018 (signed for $500,000).

View Draft Report

College shortstops who are reliable defenders are in demand come draft day and Miller checks off those boxes, even if his below-average arm will almost assuredly force a move to second base in pro ball. Miller has good hands, above-average range and plus speed that work in the dirt and his track record of steady contact gives some comfort level that he will hit as well. Miller was hitting .387/.435/.427 as of late-May, with 20 extra-base hits and eight stolen bases. He's yet to show productive power, but he has some strength in his hands and a physical frame. That leads evaluators to believe he may bump up his well-below-average power and run into 5-to-10 home runs a year eventually.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

TRACK RECORD: Miller was a standout from the beginning at Illinois State, starting every game in his career and hitting .345 over three seasons. After an impressive professional debut, he spent 2019 in Double-A and led the Texas League with 147 hits. He was traded to the Indians in August as a part of the package for Mike Clevinger and spent the rest of the season at the alternate training site before finishing the year at instructional league.

SCOUTING REPORT: Miller's standout tools are his hittability and defensive versatility. He has a balanced swing, consistently squares balls up and uses the whole field to hit. His swing is geared toward making contact, but he can drive the ball, especially to the pull side, and has fringe-average power. Miller is a consistent, reliable defender whose tools play up thanks to his feel for the game. He's mostly played shortstop, but he has experience all around the infield. His fringe-average arm and average range may ultimately push him to second base.

THE FUTURE: Miller's tools don't measure up to some of the other infielders in the system, but he's a better player than the sum of his parts. His feel for hitting and defensive versatility are a valuable combination.
TRACK RECORD: Miller hit at least .325 every season at Illinois State and signed with the Padres for $500,000 as a third-round pick in 2018. After notching 100 hits in 75 games after signing, Miller spent his first full season at Double-A Amarillo in 2019 and led the Texas League with 147 hits.

SCOUTING REPORT: Miller is a pure hitter with a long track record of performance. He squares balls up with a balanced, controlled swing and drives pitches from line-to-line. He hits velocity, recognizes breaking pitches and has an innate feel for finding the barrel. Miller's flat stroke is more geared for line drives, but he has average pullside power and elevates enough to project 12-15 homers a year. Miller is a sneaky athlete with above-average speed and reliable hands. He primarily played shortstop for Amarillo, but his lateral agility and fringe-average arm are better suited for second base.

THE FUTURE: Miller's pure hitting ability is among the best in the Padres organization. He'll begin 2020 at Triple-A El Paso and has a chance to make his major league debut during the year.
Track Record: Miller hit .345 over three years as Illinois State's starting shortstop and was drafted in the third round by the Padres, signing for $500,000. Known as an advanced hitter and reliable defender, Miller shot up the minors faster than anyone else in the 2018 draft and finished the year in Double-A San Antonio's starting shortstop in the Texas League playoffs.

Scouting Report: Miller has always hit and projects to continue to hit. He stays balanced, has a simple, repeatable swing, controls the strike-zone and consistently finds the barrel, driving balls on a line with his considerable upper-body strength. Miller has a flat stroke more geared for line drives to the gaps, but his approach, strength and bat-to-ball skills are enough to project 10-15 home runs as he matures to go with a .270 or better average. Miller is a sneaky good athlete with above-average speed. He has reliable hands and solid lateral range at shortstop, although his fringy arm strength may force a move to the right side of the diamond.

The Future: Scouts who covered both Miller and Paul DeJong at Illinois State think Miller was the better hitter, and he has an actual shortstop pedigree. A 2019 ML debut is not out of the question.

Draft Prospects

College shortstops who are reliable defenders are in demand come draft day and Miller checks off those boxes, even if his below-average arm will almost assuredly force a move to second base in pro ball. Miller has good hands, above-average range and plus speed that work in the dirt and his track record of steady contact gives some comfort level that he will hit as well. Miller was hitting .387/.435/.427 as of late-May, with 20 extra-base hits and eight stolen bases. He's yet to show productive power, but he has some strength in his hands and a physical frame. That leads evaluators to believe he may bump up his well-below-average power and run into 5-to-10 home runs a year eventually.

Minor League Top Prospects

Miller jumped straight from the low Class A Midwest League to the Texas League in his first full season of pro ball. He handled the jump easily, finishing in the top 10 in the TL in batting average (.290), on-base percentage (.355) and OPS (.785). Miller has shown above-average to plus hitting ability every step of his career. He sprays line drives from line to line and keeps his strikeout rate among the lowest of his peers. He gets the most of his average power by frequently squaring balls up and making hard contact. Miller mostly split between shortstop and second base and also received playing time at third base. He has soft hands and enough arm strength to stick at shortstop, although his range fits best at second. "He’s one of those guys that is just a ballplayer,” one Texas League manager said. "He can really, really hit, better defensively than I thought—just the type of guy who helps your team win a lot of games.”
As a reliable college shortstop, Miller knew he wouldn't have to wait long to hear his name called during the 2018 draft. He moved quickly through their system in his pro debut, moving up to low Class A Fort Wayne after starting the year in the Northwest League, finishing the season with Double-A San Antonio during their postseason run. Miller may eventually profile better at second base because of a below-average arm, although sometimes he flashes better than that when he gets his feet set to throw. He is a steady defender with average range and good hands. He has a good approach at the plate, with his .395 on-base percentage ranking third among Northwest League hitters. Miller consistently sticks to his plan at the plate and has gap-to-gap power with strength in his swing. "He has a great understanding of his skill set," Tri-City manager Mike McCoy said, "just an advanced hitter all around. He knows how to handle the bat and sprays the ball to all fields."

Scouting Reports

TRACK RECORD: Miller was a standout from the beginning at Illinois State, starting every game in his career and hitting .345 over three seasons. After an impressive professional debut, he spent 2019 in Double-A and led the Texas League with 147 hits. He was traded to the Indians in August as a part of the package for Mike Clevinger and spent the rest of the season at the alternate training site before finishing the year at instructional league.

SCOUTING REPORT: Miller's standout tools are his hittability and defensive versatility. He has a balanced swing, consistently squares balls up and uses the whole field to hit. His swing is geared toward making contact, but he can drive the ball, especially to the pull side, and has fringe-average power. Miller is a consistent, reliable defender whose tools play up thanks to his feel for the game. He's mostly played shortstop, but he has experience all around the infield. His fringe-average arm and average range may ultimately push him to second base.

THE FUTURE: Miller's tools don't measure up to some of the other infielders in the system, but he's a better player than the sum of his parts. His feel for hitting and defensive versatility are a valuable combination.
TRACK RECORD: Miller was a standout from the beginning at Illinois State, starting every game in his career and hitting .345 over three seasons. After an impressive professional debut, he spent 2019 in Double-A and led the Texas League with 147 hits. He was traded to the Indians in August as a part of the package for Mike Clevinger and spent the rest of the season at the alternate training site before finishing the year at instructional league.

SCOUTING REPORT: Miller's standout tools are his hittability and defensive versatility. He has a balanced swing, consistently squares balls up and uses the whole field to hit. His swing is geared toward making contact, but he can drive the ball, especially to the pull side, and has fringe-average power. Miller is a consistent, reliable defender whose tools play up thanks to his feel for the game. He's mostly played shortstop, but he has experience all around the infield. His fringe-average arm and average range may ultimately push him to second base.

THE FUTURE: Miller's tools don't measure up to some of the other infielders in the system, but he's a better player than the sum of his parts. His feel for hitting and defensive versatility are a valuable combination.
TRACK RECORD: Miller was a standout from the beginning at Illinois State, starting every game in his career and hitting .345 over three seasons. After an impressive professional debut, he spent 2019 in Double-A and led the Texas League with 147 hits. He was traded to the Indians in August as a part of the package for Mike Clevinger and spent the rest of the season at the alternate training site before finishing the year at instructional league.

SCOUTING REPORT: Miller's standout tools are his hittability and defensive versatility. He has a balanced swing, consistently squares balls up and uses the whole field to hit. His swing is geared toward making contact, but he can drive the ball, especially to the pull side, and has fringe-average power. Miller is a consistent, reliable defender whose tools play up thanks to his feel for the game. He's mostly played shortstop, but he has experience all around the infield. His fringe-average arm and average range may ultimately push him to second base.

THE FUTURE: Miller's tools don't measure up to some of the other infielders in the system, but he's a better player than the sum of his parts. His feel for hitting and defensive versatility are a valuable combination.
TRACK RECORD: Miller hit at least .325 every season at Illinois State and signed with the Padres for $500,000 as a third-round pick in 2018. After notching 100 hits in 75 games after signing, Miller spent his first full season at Double-A Amarillo in 2019 and led the Texas League with 147 hits.

SCOUTING REPORT: Miller is a pure hitter with a long track record of performance. He squares balls up with a balanced, controlled swing and drives pitches from line-to-line. He hits velocity, recognizes breaking pitches and has an innate feel for finding the barrel. Miller’s flat stroke is more geared for line drives, but he has average pullside power and elevates enough to project 12-15 homers a year. Miller is a sneaky BA GRADE 55 Risk: Very High BA GRADE 50 Risk: High BA GRADE 45 Risk: Medium athlete with above-average speed and reliable hands. He primarily played shortstop for Amarillo, but his lateral agility and fringe-average arm are better suited for second base.

THE FUTURE: Miller’s pure hitting ability is among the best in the Padres organization. He’ll begin 2020 at Triple-A El Paso and has a chance to make his major league debut during the year.
TRACK RECORD: Miller hit at least .325 every season at Illinois State and signed with the Padres for $500,000 as a third-round pick in 2018. After notching 100 hits in 75 games after signing, Miller spent his first full season at Double-A Amarillo in 2019 and led the Texas League with 147 hits.

SCOUTING REPORT: Miller is a pure hitter with a long track record of performance. He squares balls up with a balanced, controlled swing and drives pitches from line-to-line. He hits velocity, recognizes breaking pitches and has an innate feel for finding the barrel. Miller's flat stroke is more geared for line drives, but he has average pullside power and elevates enough to project 12-15 homers a year. Miller is a sneaky athlete with above-average speed and reliable hands. He primarily played shortstop for Amarillo, but his lateral agility and fringe-average arm are better suited for second base.

THE FUTURE: Miller's pure hitting ability is among the best in the Padres organization. He'll begin 2020 at Triple-A El Paso and has a chance to make his major league debut during the year.
Track Record: Miller hit .345 over three years as Illinois State's starting shortstop and was drafted in the third round by the Padres, signing for $500,000. Known as an advanced hitter and reliable defender, Miller shot up the minors faster than anyone else in the 2018 draft and finished the year in Double-A as San Antonio's starting shortstop in the Texas League playoffs.

Scouting Report: Miller has always hit and projects to continue to hit. He stays balanced, has a simple, repeatable swing, controls the strike-zone and consistently finds the barrel, driving balls on a line with his considerable upper-body strength. Miller has a flat stroke more geared for line drives to the gaps, but his approach, strength and bat-to-ball skills are enough to project 10-15 home runs as he matures to go with a .270 or better average. Miller is a sneaky good athlete with above-average speed. He has reliable hands and solid lateral range at shortstop, although his fringy arm strength may force a move to the right side of the diamond.

The Future: Scouts who covered both Miller and Paul DeJong at Illinois State think Miller was the better hitter, and he has an actual shortstop pedigree. A 2019 ML debut is not out of the question.
Track Record: Miller hit .345 over three years as Illinois State's starting shortstop and was drafted in the third round by the Padres, signing for $500,000. Known as an advanced hitter and reliable defender, Miller shot up the minors faster than anyone else in the 2018 draft and finished the year in Double-A San Antonio's starting shortstop in the Texas League playoffs.

Scouting Report: Miller has always hit and projects to continue to hit. He stays balanced, has a simple, repeatable swing, controls the strike-zone and consistently finds the barrel, driving balls on a line with his considerable upper-body strength. Miller has a flat stroke more geared for line drives to the gaps, but his approach, strength and bat-to-ball skills are enough to project 10-15 home runs as he matures to go with a .270 or better average. Miller is a sneaky good athlete with above-average speed. He has reliable hands and solid lateral range at shortstop, although his fringy arm strength may force a move to the right side of the diamond.

The Future: Scouts who covered both Miller and Paul DeJong at Illinois State think Miller was the better hitter, and he has an actual shortstop pedigree. A 2019 ML debut is not out of the question.
Track Record: Miller hit .345 over three years as Illinois State's starting shortstop and was drafted in the third round by the Padres, signing for $500,000. Known as an advanced hitter and reliable defender, Miller shot up the minors faster than anyone else in the 2018 draft and finished the year in Double-A San Antonio's starting shortstop in the Texas League playoffs.

Scouting Report: Miller has always hit and projects to continue to hit. He stays balanced, has a simple, repeatable swing, controls the strike-zone and consistently finds the barrel, driving balls on a line with his considerable upper-body strength. Miller has a flat stroke more geared for line drives to the gaps, but his approach, strength and bat-to-ball skills are enough to project 10-15 home runs as he matures to go with a .270 or better average. Miller is a sneaky good athlete with above-average speed. He has reliable hands and solid lateral range at shortstop, although his fringy arm strength may force a move to the right side of the diamond.

The Future: Scouts who covered both Miller and Paul DeJong at Illinois State think Miller was the better hitter, and he has an actual shortstop pedigree. A 2019 ML debut is not out of the question.
Miller jumped straight from the low Class A Midwest League to the Texas League in his first full season of pro ball. He handled the jump easily, finishing in the top 10 in the TL in batting average (.290), on-base percentage (.355) and OPS (.785). Miller has shown above-average to plus hitting ability every step of his career. He sprays line drives from line to line and keeps his strikeout rate among the lowest of his peers. He gets the most of his average power by frequently squaring balls up and making hard contact. Miller mostly split between shortstop and second base and also received playing time at third base. He has soft hands and enough arm strength to stick at shortstop, although his range fits best at second. "He’s one of those guys that is just a ballplayer,” one Texas League manager said. "He can really, really hit, better defensively than I thought—just the type of guy who helps your team win a lot of games.”