GOODYEAR, ARIZONA – MARCH 03: Bobby Miller #90 of the Los Angeles Dodgers prepares for a spring training game against the Cincinnati Reds at Camelback Ranch on March 03, 2021 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
Shoehei Ohtani was the first big league batter that Los Angeles Dodgers top pitching prospect Bobby Miller has faced. He struck him out.
Opening Day for the 2022 MLB season takes place on Apr. 7. The Los Angeles Dodgers close out spring training by facing off against the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night. Dodgers top pitching prospect Bobby Miller was named the starting pitcher for the game.
Miller had quite the first big league opponent to face off in the batter’s box — Angels star and reigning AL MVP Shohei Ohtani. The prospect showed that the hype is real, as he struck out Ohtani on six pitches, the last being a 100.2 mph fastball.
Dodgers top pitching prospect Bobby Miller strikes out Shohei Ohtani with 100 mph fastball
That’s quite the way to make a statement. Miller did so with his family watching from the stands of Dodger Stadium.
Just take a look at some other pitches thrown by Miller in his head-to-head matchup with Ohtani.
Miller enters the 2022 season as the Dodgers’ No. 2 overall prospect and as the 57th-ranked prospect in all of MLB. The Dodgers used the 29th-overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft after he pitched at the University of Louisville.
The right-hander pitched in Single-A+ and Double-A in his first season in the minors last year. Through 17 games (14 starts), Miller recorded a 2.40 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP, a 2-2 win-loss record and 70 strikeouts over 56.1 innings.
Miller pitched three full innings for the Dodgers, recording two strikeouts and two walks while allowing just one hit.
Dodgers fans have to feel pretty excited seeing what Miller can bring to the mound in the majors. Striking out the reigning AL MVP is quite the way to make a first impression.