Biography
Erik Christopher Miller (born February 13, 1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2024.
Amateur career
Miller attended De Smet Jesuit High School in Creve Coeur, Missouri. In 2015, his junior year, he went 5–1 with a 3.58 ERA, and as a senior in 2016, he compiled a 3–4 record and 3.14 ERA. He went undrafted in the 2016 Major League Baseball draft after emailing professional scouts that had contacted him and informing them that he would not sign if selected, and would be honoring his commitment to play college baseball at Stanford University.
In 2017, as a freshman for the Stanford Cardinal, Miller appeared in 17 games (making 13 starts and four relief appearances) in which he went 5–2 with a 3.65 ERA. After the season, he participated in the New England Collegiate Baseball League with the Newport Gulls. As a sophomore in 2018, he started 13 games, going 4–4 with a 4.07 ERA, striking out 52 over 48+2⁄3 innings. That summer, he played in the Cape Cod Baseball League with the Orleans Firebirds. During his junior season in 2019, Miller started 15 games and pitched to a 3.15 ERA and 97 strikeouts over 80 innings.
Professional career
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies selected Miller in the fourth round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft. He signed with the Phillies for $428,300, and made his professional debut in 2019 with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Phillies before earning promotions to the Williamsport Crosscutters of the Low–A New York–Penn League and the Lakewood BlueClaws of the Single–A South Atlantic League during the season. Over 11 games (seven starts) between the three clubs, he went 1–0 with a 1.50 ERA and 52 strikeouts (13.0 strikeouts per 9 innings) over 36 innings. Miller did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Phillies invited Miller to spring training as a non-roster player in 2021. He began the 2021 season on the injured list, and pitched only 12+2⁄3 innings for the year. He was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Peoria Javelinas after the season. He was assigned to the Reading Fightin Phils of the Double-A Eastern League to begin the 2022 season. He was selected to represent the Phillies at the 2022 All-Star Futures Game. In mid-August, he was promoted to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs of the Triple-A International League. Over 32 games (seven starts) between the two teams, he went 1–1 with a 3.54 ERA, 62 strikeouts (11.5 strikeouts per 9 innings), and 31 walks over 48+1⁄3 innings. He threw a fastball that could reach 98 mph, low-80s slider, and changeup.
San Francisco Giants
On January 9, 2023, the Phillies traded Miller to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for Yunior Marte. In 54 appearances split between the Double–A Richmond Flying Squirrels and Triple–A Sacramento River Cats, he accumulated a 2.45 ERA with 88 strikeouts and 15 saves across 62+1⁄3 innings pitched. On November 14, 2023, the Giants added Miller to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. He was initially optioned to Triple–A Sacramento to begin the 2024 season. However, following multiple injuries, Miller was recalled to the Giants' Opening Day roster.