The only players Phillies should trade Aidan Miller for at the deadline

The Philadelphia Phillies have their eyes on some of the biggest prizes as we inch closer to the trade deadline. But for them to acquire these top end talents, they would need to include one of their top prospects, infielder Aidan Miller.

Miller, 20, is slashing .256/.377/.417 in his professional career. He's still incredibly young and raw while possessing all the tools to be a future star in the big leagues. He's an above average fielder with a great bat and solid athleticism.

But the Phillies should only consider trading him if they're receiving one of these three superstar players in return.

(For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders, and join the discord to get the inside scoop as we near the July 30 MLB trade deadline.)

3. RHP Mason Miller, Oakland Athletics

There have been some quiet rumblings as of late about the Oakland Athletics and if they should trade their star closer, Mason Miller. Some believe that they shouldn't move him because he's under team control for the next half decade. But some MLB insiders think that the A's should move him now because his value is never going to be higher than it is right now.

The Phillies are the team that is rumored to be in on adding Miller more than any other team. They have been linked to him for the last month or so, mainly because of their holes in the bullpen and the loaded state of their farm system. If any team has the prospect capital to pull a 25-year-old closer like Miller away from the A's, it's Philadelphia.

Miller, 25, has put together one of the more impressive seasons among players in baseball this year. The Gardner-Webb product has more 100s on his Baseball Savant page than he has anything else. He ranks in the 100th percentile in xERA, xBA, fastball velocity, whiff percentage, strikeout percentage and chase percentage. He's truly been on another level this year and the Phillies could use him to shorten games at the backend.

It's not clear whether he's truly available, but the Phillies should be willing to move Aidan Miller in order to acquire him.

2. LHP Garrett Crochet, Chicago White Sox

This one is a bit more questionable. The Phillies have the best starting rotation in the league, but they have an obvious hole in the fifth starter spot. This begs the question: Should Philadelphia look to add a starter to lock down their rotation? Or are they fine with four dominant pitchers and a hole in the fifth spot?

Come playoff time, they won't need a fifth starter. The postseason rotation will be three or four starters depending on the state of the Phillies rotation health wise. But in order to win the NL East and secure a first round bye, Philadelphia is going to need a fifth starter.

So if they fill this hole, they may as well go big, right?

That's what acquiring Garrett Crochet would mean. Crochet has been an ace this season, dominating hitters each time out. He's under team control for the next few years, making this more than just a 2024 rental. He would also improve their bullpen come postseason time. By the time we make it to the postseason, either Crochet or Ranger Suarez could shift to the bullpen when the Phillies shorten to a four-man rotation.

A deal for Crochet would begin with Aidan Miller. If the Phillies want to upgrade their pitching, they could look into Crochet pretty intently.

1. OF Luis Robert Jr., Chicago White Sox

And now we find ourselves at the most realistic option on the list. The Phillies are aggressively in the market for an outfielder, specifically a right-handed hitting outfielder. Philadelphia has been listed as out on players like Jazz Chisholm Jr., Tommy Pham and Brent Rooker. That leaves Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. still in play and by far the best player left on their radar.

Robert, 26, is slashing .227/.300/.464 with 11 home runs and 12 stolen bases. He's also an above average base runner and an above average fielder. He comes with multiple years of team control and the potential to be a 35 homer, 35 double player like he was a year ago.

A deal for Robert begins with the Phillies sending Aidan Miller to Chicago. Miller is exactly the young, projectable prospect that the White Sox are looking for in the trades for their two big superstars.

Losing Miller would be quite a big hit to the Phillies, but if they are able to acquire a controllable talent like Robert, they will need to part with some valuable pieces. Thankfully for the Phillies, they have quite a bit of infield talent behind Miller in their farm system.