TORONTO — The next wave of top talent in the Mariners’ pitching-heavy pipeline is headed to the majors as the club plans to recall right-hander Bryce Miller from Double-A Arkansas, a source says.
Miller, ranked as Seattle’s No. 2 prospect and MLB Pipelines No. 88 overall, will start Tuesday’s series opener against the A’s in Oakland and remain in the Mariners’ rotation for the foreseeable future.
After a strong spring but a mostly uneven start to the regular season, Miller could be Seattle’s 2023 replacement for Robbie Ray, who sustained a left forearm strain on his first start. Ray learned last week that the injury would require surgery at the end of the season.
The Mariners had used Chris Flexen at this point, but he battled his way to a 10.58 ERA in four starts, leading to a move back to the bullpen while Easton McGee, who made his first MLB start Saturday in Toronto , IL reached day 15 on Sunday with a left forearm strain.
Enter Miller, who was always destined to contribute in 2023 – but when would depend on circumstances.
Miller hasn’t impressed since strong spring training, but scouts suggested his stuff was still playing and the mainstream numbers may be more suggestive of work being done at specific development points in specific sequences, e.g. B. pitches in certain counts.
Opposing hitters have a .281/.306/.573 (.879 OPS) slash against Miller with five homers in four starts over which he has carried a 6.79 ERA. His strikeout numbers are also down at 18 in 19 2/3 innings.
Among the next wave of young Mariners pitchers, Miller was the clear pick over Emerson Hancock, whose development has been slower due to early-career injuries, and Bryan Woo, who also only has 74 per innings due to injuries.
Seattle will also reset its rotation, pushing back its other starters so Miller can debut against last-seeded Oakland rather than 2022 World Series champion Astros on Friday when next-place was up.
Miller, a fourth-round pick by Texas A&M in 2021, made the biggest jump in the organization at 22, rising in three minor league members while jumping from 24th to 2nd in the Mariners prospect rankings.
Miller was also a strikeout machine with 163 in 133 2/3 innings for 30% odds. Most tellingly, his gear held up to the rigors of 27 starts and he never missed a beat, a byproduct of strict arm care, he said. That gave him a chance to impress at Big League Spring Training that year, and he did just that in four Cactus League games.
“I thought my stuff was good enough to throw to the big league hitters — just go out there and prove it,” Miller said in March.
It’s the attachment of Miller’s secondary courts, a curveball and a slider that have him on MLB’s doorstep.
“He’s got them all, with a change at the top,” manager Scott Servais said in the spring. “It’s really, really good. I definitely think it’s an initial pitcher mix based on his performance, his stuff, his demeanor, his whole [profile].
“I think he’s a starter. That doesn’t mean he couldn’t throw from the bullpen, but I see him as a starter.”
To clear a 40-man roster spot for Miller, the Mariners sent total helper Diego Castillo to Triple-A Tacoma after putting him through waivers. Castillo could have declined outright and become a free agent based on his more than three years of MLB tenure, but doing so would have forfeited the remainder of his $2.95 million 2023 salary.
Castillo, acquired at the 2021 close, has seen a significant drop this year, with a 6.23 ERA in 8 2/3 innings – during which he has walked as many hitters as he has knocked out (seven) while walking two gave up home runs.
Castillo has also seen a 1.6 mph drop in average fastball speed to 94.2 mph. Ideally, he’ll work off his quirks at Tacoma and contribute later this year.