There were a number of big arrivals for the Athletics in 2024. Brent Rooker as an unimpeachable middle-of-the-order threat, Lawrence Butler as a dynamic star-in-the-making, Tyler Soderstrom as the spicy bat we always hoped he could become. However, no one dazzled the eyes and minds of the baseball world like Mason Miller did. Previously known primarily for his inability to stay on the mound, this year, the flamethrowing closer established the reputation of a pitcher you can’t pull off of one. Whatever plans the A’s have for the foreseeable future, Miller will play a crucial role in turning them into reality.
How was he acquired?
Ranked the 161st-best prospect in the 2021 draft by MLB Pipeline, the A’s reached down in the third round and grabbed him with the 90th pick. The righty from Pittsburgh had an unconventional path to the pros, in large part due to a late Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. His amateur baseball career began at Wayneburg playing Division III baseball as a forgettable swingman with a 7+ ERA.
Barely holding onto a thin 6’ 5”, 150-pound frame, Miller turned to a doctor and got the aforementioned answer. Once he knew what was physically holding him back, he revamped his diet and training program on the way to gaining 70 pounds and several miles per hour in velocity. That new strength and bulk helped him handle a full starter’s role, in which he completely excelled. In his senior year, he transferred Gardner-Webb to test his new body and skills against Division I competition — he struck out 121 batters in just 92 2⁄3 innings. For a long time, he was a nobody and all of a sudden, he was somebody, and the A’s were onto him.
What were the expectations?
Following multiple years of dazzling results when pitching being overshadowed all the time he wasn’t because of injury, the A’s goal for Miller this year was to just get him through the season healthy. Despite showing tantalizing potential as a starter — most evident in his seven no-hit innings in May 2023 — the organization decided it’d be best for everyone long-term to have him pitch the 2024 season out of the bullpen. Not only would it lessen the risk of getting hurt, he could optimize his arsenal in shorter stints by reducing it to his two best pitches: a consistently 101 mph fastball (that’s the average!) and a high-80s wipeout slider. If all he did was surpass his career high of 52 2⁄3 innings with passable results, the season would be considered a big step forward for the dreamy-ceiling prospect.
2024 Results
Miller decided a step wasn’t enough; he went for the full leap. After a bad first outing to start the season, he proceeded to strike out 7 batters over his next 4 innings, leading Mark Kotsay to give the 25-year-old rookie the first shot at a save opportunity on April 9. Miller was nearly perfect over his next 15 1⁄3 innings, only allowing 4 baserunners and striking out 33. Those early outings when opposing hitters didn’t yet know what they were looking at were truly a marvel to watch. “It’s Miller Time” became the three words A’s fans looked forward to most during a game.
The rookie’s stellar season hit a road bump in late July when he fractured his left pinky after hitting it against a table, with conflicting reports about whether he intentionally hit the table out of frustration or did it by accident while preparing for an exercise. Whatever the case may be, it didn’t keep him out for long as he resumed business as usual in early August and continued his dominant run through the league. This culminated in his triumphant Oakland finale when, in front of a roaring sold-out crowd, he secured the last four outs and last save ever recorded at the Coliseum.
All in all, Miller pitched to a pretty 2.49 ERA/2.18 FIP while striking out 104 batters and walking only 21 across 65 innings. He also earned 28 saves and a fourth-place finish in AL Rookie of the Year voting, cementing his status as a legitimate force in the league.
2025 Outlook
Resisting the temptation to let Miller test his proven skills and newly stable health in a starter’s role again, the A’s have indicated he’s not abandoning his closer role any time soon. It’s frustrating to be kept from seeing if we have our own Paul Skenes but also extremely understandable given that he hasn’t even pitched the 140th inning of his professional career yet. We can rest easy knowing his floor is an elite backend reliever and that he’ll continue to be a huge part of winning games for the A’s in 2025.
