Mason Miller

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #1 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 55/High
  
  Track Record: Miller posted an ERA above 7.00 each of his first two seasons at Division III Waynesburg (Pa.) and walked more batters than he struck out as a sophomore while pitching with a nondescript mid-80s fastball. Of more concern, he struggled to keep on weight, losing 20 pounds during that time. It wasn’t until Miller underwent a routine blood test--required by a potential summer internship--that doctors flagged an issue, ultimately identified as Type 1 diabetes. The discovery changed his career. Miller retooled his diet and steadily added physicality, leading to more effectiveness on the mound. He transferred to Gardner-Webb as a fifth-year senior in 2021 and struck out 121 batters in 92.2 innings. Oakland signed him for $599,100 as a third-round selection that year and was immediately impressed. Injuries, though, have led to an unusual development arc. Miller has thrown just 39.1 minor league innings. He missed nearly all of 2022 with a right rotator cuff strain, returning in August and subsequently shining in the Arizona Fall League. He made such an impression on the Athletics’ big league staff at 2023 spring training that Oakland fast-tracked him to the majors, where he debuted in late April and posted a 3.78 ERA in 33.1 innings. He also missed three months between May and September with a right UCL sprain.
  
  Scouting Report: When healthy, Miller flashes a dazzling arsenal that misses plenty of barrels. The righthander has a prototypical starter’s build and a four-seam fastball that averaged 98.3 mph and touched 102 in the majors. The pitch possesses above-average carry and elicits whiffs at the top of the strike zone. Big league hitters batted just .186 against Miller’s heater, and minor leaguers whiffed on the pitch 46% of the time within the strike zone. They had an even tougher time dealing with his plus slider. The mid-80s offering has sweep and depth, racking up a 47% whiff rate in his truncated big league showing. Mason reintroduced his mid-90s cutter in 2023 after shelving the pitch during his rehab a year prior, using it primarily against lefties. He also sparingly flashes a low-90s changeup. Miller has solid command and throws more than enough strikes to remain in a starting role--that is, if his body holds up. Miller explodes down the mound with force and has a short, quick arm path. His mechanics are fairly sound, but the A’s believe there are some slight biomechanical improvements, such as staying better stacked and on line as he gets down the mound, that he can make to his delivery and finish to marginally aid his durability.
  
  The Future: While Miller’s stuff belongs near the front of a rotation, the A’s are debating internally whether he’s better suited for shorter stints given the arm issues. General manager David Forst indicated at the Winter Meetings--at least for 2024--that Miller will likely serve as a reliever. n
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 70 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Cutter: 60 | Control: 50
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #4 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Miller dealt with confounding weight loss early in his college career until a doctor diagnosed him with Type I diabetes at 20 years old. His strength returned following the discovery and his velocity has steadily risen since. Oakland drafted Miller in the third round in 2021 and he made three brief appearances in the Arizona Complex League. He missed nearly all of the 2022 season with a right shoulder strain, returning in late August to pitch 16 innings, including a brief stint with Triple-A Las Vegas. Miller then dazzled scouts in an extended look in the Arizona Fall League, where he touched 102 mph and emerged as one of the circuit's most impressive arms.
  
  Scouting Report: Miller has two premium pitches--his fastball and slider--and another intriguing offering could be on the way in 2023. His four-seamer sits 97-99 mph with solid carry and a bit of armside run. He pairs it with a sweeping mid-80s slider that profiles as a plus swing-and-miss offering that he throws to both sides of the plate. Miller has also flashed a firm low-90s changeup, but it's more of a developmental pitch. Miller is expected to reintroduce his upper-90s cutter in 2023. He didn't throw the pitch in 2023 as the A's approached his return from injury cautiously, but it's been a weapon for him in the past. Miller has a starter's frame and his delivery is fairly simple despite a bit of effort, but he'll need to demonstrate he can withstand the rigors of regular rotation turns and maintain his fiery arsenal throughout a full season.
  
  The Future: There are some evaluators who believe Miller's arsenal could play in a big league bullpen right now. Should the A's remain patient, Miller has the ceiling of at least a No. 3 starter if he harnesses his four-pitch mix and stays healthy.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Cutter: 60. Control: 55
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #16 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Miller weighed just 155 pounds and his fastball sat in the mid-to-upper 80s at Division III Waynesburg (Pa.) when doctors discovered he had Type 1 diabetes, explaining confounding weight loss early in his college career. His velocity returned—and then some—as he incrementally gained weight, and he dominated his final two seasons. Miller transferred to Division I Gardner-Webb in 2021 and led all Big South Conference pitchers with 121 strikeouts. The A’s made him their third-round selection, and he briefly debuted in the Arizona Complex League.
  
  Scouting Report: Miller’s fastball touched triple digits at instructional league and settles in at 94-96 mph as a starter. The pitch isn’t shaped like the bat-missing, vertically-oriented fastballs currently en vogue. Instead, Miller relies more on its horizontal break and his solid command of the pitch. His low-80s slider plays off his fastball and generates more whiffs thanks to its two-plane break as it dives out of the zone. He also features a mid-80s changeup that showed signs of improvement upon getting to pro ball. A starter throughout college, Miller repeats his delivery well and has prototypical size, although he fought his control at times early in his career at Waynesburg.
  
  The Future: Miller turns 24 in August and has the look of a potential fast-riser. He could arrive in the majors as a power reliever before settling into a mid-rotation starting role.
  

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #233 prospect in 2021 draft
  Miller is older for the class after spending four seasons at Division III Waynesburg, and he’ll turn 23 shortly after the draft, but he has a big arm and pitched well this spring for Gardner-Webb in the Big South. Miller led the Bulldogs in innings pitched (92.2) and posted a 3.30 ERA over 14 starts, while striking out 121 batters (11.8 K/9) and walking 30 (2.9 BB/9). That walk rate was easily the best of his collegiate career, so there is bound to be some skepticism about whether or not his control has taken a step forward, but it was solid this spring. Miller throws a fastball that sits in the 94-96 mph range fairly consistently and runs the pitch up to 99 at his best. He generated a lot of whiffs with a low-80s slider that showed hard, two-plane break out of the zone and also mixed in a mid-80s changeup. Miller has a solidly built, 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame and throws from a three-quarter arm slot with solid downhill plane thanks to his height and long levers.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #48 prospect in 2023

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Miller dealt with confounding weight loss early in his college career until a doctor diagnosed him with Type I diabetes at 20 years old. His strength returned following the discovery and his velocity has steadily risen since. Oakland drafted Miller in the third round in 2021 and he made three brief appearances in the Arizona Complex League. He missed nearly all of the 2022 season with a right shoulder strain, returning in late August to pitch 16 innings, including a brief stint with Triple-A Las Vegas. Miller then dazzled scouts in an extended look in the Arizona Fall League, where he touched 102 mph and emerged as one of the circuit's most impressive arms.
  
  Scouting Report: Miller has two premium pitches--his fastball and slider--and another intriguing offering could be on the way in 2023. His four-seamer sits 97-99 mph with solid carry and a bit of armside run. He pairs it with a sweeping mid-80s slider that profiles as a plus swing-and-miss offering that he throws to both sides of the plate. Miller has also flashed a firm low-90s changeup, but it's more of a developmental pitch. Miller is expected to reintroduce his upper-90s cutter in 2023. He didn't throw the pitch in 2023 as the A's approached his return from injury cautiously, but it's been a weapon for him in the past. Miller has a starter's frame and his delivery is fairly simple despite a bit of effort, but he'll need to demonstrate he can withstand the rigors of regular rotation turns and maintain his fiery arsenal throughout a full season.
  
  The Future: There are some evaluators who believe Miller's arsenal could play in a big league bullpen right now. Should the A's remain patient, Miller has the ceiling of at least a No. 3 starter if he harnesses his four-pitch mix and stays healthy.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Cutter: 60. Control: 55
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Miller dealt with confounding weight loss early in his college career until a doctor diagnosed him with Type I diabetes at 20 years old. His strength returned following the discovery and his velocity has steadily risen since. Oakland drafted Miller in the third round in 2021 and he made three brief appearances in the Arizona Complex League. He missed nearly all of the 2022 season with a right shoulder strain, returning in late August to pitch 16 innings, including a brief stint with Triple-A Las Vegas. Miller then dazzled scouts in an extended look in the Arizona Fall League, where he touched 102 mph and emerged as one of the circuit's most impressive arms.
  
  Scouting Report: Miller has two premium pitches--his fastball and slider--and another intriguing offering could be on the way in 2023. His four-seamer sits 97-99 mph with solid carry and a bit of armside run. He pairs it with a sweeping mid-80s slider that profiles as a plus swing-and-miss offering that he throws to both sides of the plate. Miller has also flashed a firm low-90s changeup, but it's more of a developmental pitch. Miller is expected to reintroduce his upper-90s cutter in 2023. He didn't throw the pitch in 2023 as the A's approached his return from injury cautiously, but it's been a weapon for him in the past. Miller has a starter's frame and his delivery is fairly simple despite a bit of effort, but he'll need to demonstrate he can withstand the rigors of regular rotation turns and maintain his fiery arsenal throughout a full season.
  
  The Future: There are some evaluators who believe Miller's arsenal could play in a big league bullpen right now. Should the A's remain patient, Miller has the ceiling of at least a No. 3 starter if he harnesses his four-pitch mix and stays healthy.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Cutter: 60. Control: 55
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Miller weighed just 155 pounds and his fastball sat in the mid-to-upper 80s at Division III Waynesburg (Pa.) when doctors discovered he had Type 1 diabetes, explaining confounding weight loss early in his college career. His velocity returned—and then some—as he incrementally gained weight, and he dominated his final two seasons. Miller transferred to Division I Gardner-Webb in 2021 and led all Big South Conference pitchers with 121 strikeouts. The A’s made him their third-round selection, and he briefly debuted in the Arizona Complex League.
  
  Scouting Report: Miller’s fastball touched triple digits at instructional league and settles in at 94-96 mph as a starter. The pitch isn’t shaped like the bat-missing, vertically-oriented fastballs currently en vogue. Instead, Miller relies more on its horizontal break and his solid command of the pitch. His low-80s slider plays off his fastball and generates more whiffs thanks to its two-plane break as it dives out of the zone. He also features a mid-80s changeup that showed signs of improvement upon getting to pro ball. A starter throughout college, Miller repeats his delivery well and has prototypical size, although he fought his control at times early in his career at Waynesburg.
  
  The Future: Miller turns 24 in August and has the look of a potential fast-riser. He could arrive in the majors as a power reliever before settling into a mid-rotation starting role.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Miller is older for the class after spending four seasons at Division III Waynesburg, and he'll turn 23 shortly after the draft, but he has a big arm and pitched well this spring for Gardner-Webb in the Big South. Miller led the Bulldogs in innings pitched (92.2) and posted a 3.30 ERA over 14 starts, while striking out 121 batters (11.8 K/9) and walking 30 (2.9 BB/9). That walk rate was easily the best of his collegiate career, so there is bound to be some skepticism about whether or not his control has taken a step forward, but it was solid this spring. Miller throws a fastball that sits in the 94-96 mph range fairly consistently and runs the pitch up to 99 at his best. He generated a lot of whiffs with a low-80s slider that showed hard, two-plane break out of the zone and also mixed in a mid-80s changeup. Miller has a solidly built, 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame and throws from a three-quarter arm slot with solid downhill plane thanks to his height and long levers.