The Philadelphia Phillies head into yet another offseason with questions to answer about their roster construction after an early postseason exit.
Earlier this week, during his end of season press conference, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski made it clear that the team needs to improve defensively, and one of its biggest decisions could involve a veteran who remains central to the franchise.
“From a defensive perspective, we are very clear,” Dombrowski said of Trea Turner, according to the New York Post’s Matt Ehalt. “He knows he has to be better at shortstop. And I told him that it’s really mandatory that he’s like that.”
Though Dombrowski made it clear that Turner no longer has a lock on the shortstop position, the Phillies seem reliant on the long-term contracts already on the books, including his. But during the same press conference, the front office boss singled out one new player who could join the roster next season.
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If Turner cannot return to his previous defensive form, Dombrowski made it clear that he will consider other options. Initially, it seems most likely that the team would shift Turner to second base or to the outfield and move Bryson Stott to shortstop.
But the Phillies president also pinpointed an exciting young infielder as an example of a new player who could join the mix next season.
“I’m not going to put it on his back, but we think a guy like Aidan Miller is a really, really good player,” Dombrowski said, according to MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki. “You see all the young players that have jumped into playing this year and the years that they had. Aidan Miller, when he’s healthy, he’s as good as any of them.”
Turner is entering the fourth season of his 11-year, $300 million contract, and the Phillies have not ruled out keeping him at shortstop. But Dombrowski singled out Miller as an intriguing option to take some pressure off of the team’s veteran core of position players, and it seems that if and when he does receive a promotion, he could be taking over the shortstop role.
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Miller’s potential makes him an interesting name to watch as the Phillies consider their infield options, although his arrival should not be viewed as a certainty for Opening Day.
The prospect entered 2026 as Philadelphia’s top-ranked position prospect but lost much of the season to a back injury that required surgery in June. He returned to action in September, appearing in four regular-season games across the Florida Complex League and Double-A Reading before helping Reading during its Eastern League championship run.
For now, Turner has an opportunity to retain his position by improving defensively. But with Dombrowski publicly identifying Miller as a potential contributor, the Phillies have another avenue to explore if their veteran shortstop cannot deliver the necessary improvement.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com