Dave Miller (minors02)

David Scott Miller

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 205 lb.
• School Pensacola State College
• High School Tate High School
• Born October 17, 1964 in Jacksonville, FL USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Pitcher David Miller spent three seasons in AAA despite never being drafted.

He signed with the Atlanta Braves before the 1986 season. He pitched 5 seasons in the minor leagues, but never reached the big leagues. He was 5-2, 1.79 as a reliever in 1986, pitching for the Pulaski Braves and GCL Braves. His 1.34 ERA led all GCL Braves hurlers with more than one inning. He was converted to a starting pitcher in 1987 and went 15-9, 3.59 for the Durham Bulls of the Class-A Carolina League. He led the league in wins, strikeouts (155) and innings pitched (205). He was 4th in ERA behind Charles Scott, Troy James and Kevin Wickander. Despite coming close to a pitching Triple Crown, he was not named the league's Pitcher of the Year. That went to Blaine Beatty (11-1, 2.52). Miller was named the All-Star right-handed pitcher

Suddenly, the overlooked pitcher was a prospect, and the next year, he made it all the way to AAA. He was 5-4, 2.50 in 10 starts for the Greenville Braves of the Southern League, then held his own with the AAA Richmond Braves, going 11-6, 4.12 in 20 starts. The major league Braves were a pretty terrible team in 1988, but they did not let the 23-year old coming off a pair of 15-win seasons have a shot on the mound.

During spring training in 1989, Miller was traded to the Texas Rangers for Dwayne Henry. He was sent to the Oklahoma City 89ers after he had been hit hard pitching for the Braves in exhibition games. He made 27 starts in AAA in 1989, going 9-13 with a 4.13 ERA (allowing 188 hits, most in the 1989 American Association, then took a step back with the same team in 1990, when he was 7-9, 4.78 and was banished to the bullpen by the end of the year. He never pitched professionally after that.