Minnesota Twins: 5 prospects that could make an impact in September
By Chris Schad
Ian Miller
While the Twins have plenty of power in their everyday lineup, one of their biggest weaknesses has been their lack of speed. While that should improve this week with the return of Byron Buxton, they’ll need someone else to pitch in as Buxton owns 14 of the Twins’ MLB-low 25 stolen bases.
The Twins made a move to address this issue and while it didn’t grab major attention, it was still noteworthy when they acquired Ian Miller from the Seattle Mariners.
Miller has yet to make his major league debut and a lot of that has to do with his performance at the plate. In seven minor league seasons, Miller owns a dreadful slugging percentage of .356, but the Twins did not acquire him for his bat. Instead, Miller’s specialty has been on the bases as he’s become an above-average base stealer.
During his minor league career, Miller has swiped 242 bags on 293 attempts, which comes out to an 82.5% success rate. Adding him to the roster in September would give the Twins another option for speed outside of Buxton that would come in handy when Miguel Sano, Nelson Cruz and others get on base late in games.
It’s important to note that Miller is not currently on the Twins’ 40-man roster, but there is an open roster spot available. If the Twins feel they need to add some speed, Miller would be a prime candidate to get the call.