Bobby Millers velocity, and other observations from Dodgers minor-league camp

June 2024 · 8 minute read

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Facing a group of local barnstormers, Bobby Miller saw his advantage. The Dodgers’ top pitching prospect has long been aware of the tools he has at his disposal, swapping pitches in and out and utilizing the analytical arsenal that has reshaped the game’s player development in recent seasons.

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But the simplest stride he’s made this winter might be the most eye-popping. Over at Camelback Ranch’s back fields last week, he took the mound for a one-inning stint and proceeded to light the TrackMan unit on fire.

First pitch, 100 mph fastball. Triple-digits, a number he’d flashed briefly in his stint at the Arizona Fall League last year. Only this was no aberration. The velocity carried throughout the outing, touching 101 mph as opponents struggled to make contact, let alone put a ball in play.

“He seems to be PR-ing his velo every time he goes out there,” Dodgers director of player development Will Rhymes said.

Miller already packs a heavier punch than he did a year ago in his pro ball debut. The Dodgers’ 2020 first-round pick added about 15 pounds to his 6-foot-5 frame (he’s about 235 now) and has emphasized his lower body to add stability. His pitching motion became more measured, less sporadic, as he allowed himself to get more weight behind the baseball before whipping it to the plate. The velocity has followed, allowing his entire five-pitch mix to play up in the process.

It’s been a process of constant refinement. Miller’s curveball has been reintroduced after being shelved midway through last summer, giving him another prominent pitch for his mix along with a plus slider and above-average changeup. Much of his offseason focused on the heater. It goes beyond simply beefing up his velocity — he’s getting even more “ride” or carry on his four-seamer and is able to further differentiate it from his two-seamer with arm-side run.

Now, weeks into minor-league camp, he’s already working on something new: a harder, cutter-like slider to keep hitters off his other off-speed offerings. This one breaks in the opposite direction of his two-seam fastball.

“Just trying to figure out when to use what pitch, that’s my biggest thing right now,” Miller said.

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It’s an imposing arsenal for the quick-moving Miller, who finished off 2021 at Double-A Tulsa and is among the pitchers that Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said in October would be on the big-league radar for 2022. Should Miller reach that point, he’d join White Sox’s Garrett Crochet and the Angels’ Reid Detmers (Miller’s college teammate at Louisville) as the third player from the 2020 draft’s first round to make landfall in the majors. Given the faith the Dodgers have in their pitching development — Ryan Pepiot and Landon Knack are among the other arms who could break through this season — it’s easy to see why they’ve continued to push Miller.

“There’s no cookie-cutter or anything like that (with their development),” Miller said of his experience in the Dodgers’ top-ranked system. “They’re all here to help us get to the big leagues. I couldn’t be in a better organization.”

Miller is just one of the players who have stood out in the Dodgers’ minor-league camp this spring, a gathering that Rhymes referred to as “incredible” as he rattled off names that reflected the system’s depth and upside.

“It hit me a few days ago,” Rhymes said. “We’re playing camp games and the level of play is extremely high on both sides of the ball. It’s almost surprising, at this point of the year, where so many of the guys are at. It’s really high-quality.”

Some other observations from Dodgers camp in Glendale:

(Photo of Michael Busch: Fabian Ardaya / The Athletic)

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