Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Bobby Miller is widely expected to make his MLB debut during the 2023 season, but any development made since last year won’t be seen for at least a few more weeks.
Up to this point, the former first-round draft pick has only progressed to throwing bullpen sessions in camp. “Just a little slower buildup this year,” Miller recently told DodgerBlue.com
“That’s pretty much it.”
Miller set a career high with 112 innings pitched for Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City last season. However, his final outing was September 21, as the right-hander missed the final few weeks of the season for an undisclosed reason.
When asked how 2023 Spring Training has gone, Miller answered, “really good,” and mentioned one of his focuses is on “staying healthy.”
“I’m feeling great and better than ever right now,” Miller added. “So I’m ready to get back out there soon. I know coaches and trainers might not have me out there soon, and I understand that. I trust the trainers and coaches with everything. They know what they’re doing.”
Miller presumably will throw live batting practice at some point in spring and could then advance to pitching in a B game against players from another organization.
Clayton Kershaw recently went through a similar ramp-up process prior to making his first Cactus League start of the year.
Although Miller does not appear primed to pitch in a Major League Spring Training game, how he spends time in camp as a non-roster invitee was a point of interest to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
“Just to see the young pitchers, the hitters, how they respond to this environment,” Roberts recently said when asked what he was watching.
“I think your first time in camp, being around superstars and guys that you watch on TV, just kind of seeing how they adjust and know they belong. For me, early on, seeing guys like (Nick) Nastrini, (Gavin) Stone, Miller, Diego Cartaya, and how they interact with veterans like Clayton and Julio (Urías).”
Bobby Miller not focusing on potential MLB debut
While this could be the final Spring Training before the 23-year-old joins the Dodgers for the first time, it hasn’t led to a different approach.
“Nothing really changes. Just being where my feet are,” Miller said. “Like, what am I going to do today to make myself better? Not really focusing on the future too much. If I focus on now and what I can do now, everything will pan out.
“Everybody’s got that in the back of their mind. That’s the big goal, to make it up there, and stay there is the most important part. If I just keep doing what I’m doing, being where my feet are, doing what the coaches want me to do, and what the trainers want me to do, everything will pan out.”
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