Chicago Cubs: The curious case of starting pitcher Tyson Miller

Chicago Cubs: Building on the opportunity

The first real professional season for Miller was in 2017, where he was in South Bend playing for the Class-A affiliate of the club. In that year, Miller appeared in 28 total games, starting 20 of those games. He pitched to a very well respected 4.48 ERA over 120 2/3 innings. Miller finished with a drop in near every category and flourished with the increased level of competition.

Of the increase in his statistical categories, the most impressive has to be his strikeout percentage and FIP. Miller struck out 19.1% of batters he faced, an increase of almost five percent from 2017. He also did a great job working his way to a 4.00 FIP, down from 5.36. A big-time strike thrower, Miller does not need to worry too much about control issues moving forward, which is excellent news for the team.

Last season, Miller took a giant leap forward, and then he let the results speak for themselves. Moving to High-A Myrtle Beach to begin the year, Miller made 23 starts, a career high, finishing with an incredibly improved 3.54 ERA in the 127 innings. He also took another big leap forward, raising his strikeout rate another slightly over five percent, from 19.1% to 24.4%. He also dropped his overall walk rate, albeit slightly, giving him the confidence to succeed at the highest level.