Getty
ESPN Senior Baseball Analyst Eric Karabell predicts Alec Bohm gets traded and Aidan Miller wins NL Rookie of the Year for the Philadelphia Phillies.
A senior ESPN analyst just put a date on when he thinks the Philadelphia Phillies’ next infield star will take Alec Bohm’s job. One of Eric Karabell’s bold predictions of 2026 is that Aidan Miller will win Philadelphia’s third base job by Memorial Day, then ride a .280 average with 20 home runs and 25 steals the rest of the way to NL Rookie of the Year, with Bohm ultimately getting traded to the Chicago White Sox.
Philadelphia Phillies Predictions: Aidan Miller Wins NL Rookie of the Year, Alec Bohm Traded
Karabell’s case leans on two tracks. First, Miller’s profile: he’s coming off a minor league season where he showed power, plate discipline, and 59 stolen bases across Double‑A and Triple‑A.
Second, Bohm’s recent big‑league track record: an 11‑homer 2025, a below‑average 5.8% walk rate, and no real stolen‑base threat, even as his defense has improved. Karabell notes Bohm’s career .743 OPS is slightly above average overall, but just .672 in May over 551 plate appearances, which is exactly the window he thinks opens the door for Miller.
Miller’s Numbers Match the Hype
Over three pro seasons, Miller has hit .265/.383/.434 with 25 home runs, 86 stolen bases, and 150 walks in 238 games, showing both impact and the kind of approach that plays in today’s game. (All stats from your table.) In 2025 alone, he split 116 games between Double‑A Reading and Triple‑A Lehigh Valley, hitting .264/.392/.433 with 14 homers and 59 steals in 526 plate appearances, and he held his own in a brief Triple‑A look with a .333/.514/.519 line over eight games.
“Aidan Miller is the future of the organization”
🚀📈
That blend of patience, pop, and speed is why Karabell is comfortable penciling in those .280/20/25 major‑league projections once he’s up. It also explains why national outlets have started to suggest that if a Phillies position player gets moved to open a path for a prospect, Bohm is the obvious trade candidate.
Why Third Base Fits Miller — and Raises the Stakes for Bohm
MLB.com’s scouting report on Miller notes that he began his pro career at shortstop, his high school position, but “most believe he’ll eventually slide over to third as he continues to physically mature.”
Karabell echoes that sentiment by pointing out that, while Bohm has made strides as a defender, Miller is an athletic shortstop who would be “a certain defensive upgrade at third base.” Pair that with the offensive upside and baserunning element Miller brings, and you can see why a national voice would be willing to predict a changing of the guard if Bohm’s bat stalls again early in the season.
Bohm has already been the subject of trade speculation this offseason, including scenarios where a rising prospect makes him expendable. Karabell’s prediction doesn’t come out of nowhere — it drops Miller right into the center of that conversation and puts a timeline on when the Phillies might be forced to choose between a familiar veteran and a fast‑tracking 21‑year‑old with the skill set to grab the job and run with it.
Justin Carlucci brings 13+ years of journalism experience to Heavy. A veteran of multiple industry-leading companies, he has hosted SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio shows and contributed to the New York Post, combining traditional sports and news reporting with expertise in sports betting and fantasy sports. More about Justin Carlucci
More Heavy on Phillies
Loading more stories