Phillies Prospect Aidan Miller Set for Spine Procedure After Back Injury Setback

The Philadelphia Phillies were hoping that top minor league prospect Aidan Miller would have a shot to help the Major League team this season.

Instead of providing updates of on-field success, the team has sent out an update on his balky back on Wednesday, saying he has been diagnosed with discogenic pain and facet inflammation in the lumbar spine.

Official Medical Diagnosis and Treatment Plan

Phillies infielder Aidan Miller has been diagnosed with discogenic pain and facet inflammation in the lumbar spine. Due to recurrence of low back pain when returning to baseball activities, he was seen by spine specialists over the last couple of weeks. The specialists were in agreement that the recommended course of treatment is a minimally invasive procedure called a radiofrequency ablation of the facet joints. Miller will have the procedure performed this Friday, June 5. He will rest for one week after the procedure and then return to his rehabilitation with the goal to return to game activity in six to eight weeks.

A Stalled Rise Through the Phillies System

Miller, 21, was the team's first-round pick in the 2023 draft and has quickly moved through the Phillies system, reaching Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2025.

Last year at Double-A Reading, Miller hit .259/.382/.427. He also went 9-for-27 (.333) with a homer and nine walks at Triple-A and stole 59 bases in 74 attempts last season.

There was hope that he could impress enough during Spring Training to push for a roster spot at some point during the 2026 season, but he has yet to appear in a game this season and has barely performed any baseball activities.

Timeline of the Ongoing Back Issue

On May 9, Phillies president Dave Dombrowski said that Miller had started to swing a bat again for the first time since late February.

Miller's back soreness has been described as an “ongoing issue”, and this news today confirms that he will not perform any baseball activities for at least six to eight weeks.