Just about anyone who has ever spent their childhood gripping a baseball and swinging a bat has dreamed of playing professionally and, ultimately, making it to the big leagues, a.k.a. The Show.
For many, the dream disappears quickly, done in by the reality that they simply are not good enough.
For others, the dream survives longer but, either through fate or injury, meets its end in disheartening fashion.
And for the fortunate few that are blessed with not only the talent to achieve it, but also the fortitude and the desire needed to sustain it, the dream can be realized in full.
Time has not yet delivered a verdict, but it’s looking more and more like Palmyra grad Gage Miller could end up belonging to the latter group.
He’ll have a better idea in a few weeks, when Major League Baseball holds its annual amateur draft, July 14 to 16, for big league hopefuls like Miller, who just finished a breakout, potentially star-making junior season at Alabama.
In his first season with the Crimson Tide following two seasons deeply under the radar at Bishop State Community College in Mobile, Miller made a name for himself and then some.
Batting out of the leadoff spot, Miller basically tore the cover off the ball all season long, leading Bama in virtually every offensive category while hitting .381 with 18 home runs and 56 RBIs.The 6-foot, 200-pound third baseman also scored 72 runs, and boasted a .702 slugging percentage and a .474 on-base percentage en route to earning All-America honors from D1Baseball.com and Perfect Game USA.
Not bad for a kid who was respected for the player he was at Palmyra but not exactly one who figured to have a chance to be a big leaguer, not to mention a Division 1 college standout at a power program like Alabama.
Someone, however, forgot to tell Miller, who was aided in his quest by former Palmyra coach Neil Weber, who helped connect Miller with the opportunity at Bishop State, as well as his participation in a New York summer league that drew the attention of the Alabama coaching staff.
But ultimately what got Miller his opportunity to play big-time college baseball was good old-fashioned hard work, lifting weights and getting stronger.
“What really got me to where I’m at is the weight room,” Miller said in a phone interview Wednesday. “Getting bigger, getting stronger, being able to hit with power more. I just thought it was the best thing to do.”
It certainly proved to be the right move for Miller to get stronger, as evidenced by the 18 homers he smashed during the spring that only enhanced his prospect status.
Due in no small part to the power he displayed out of the leadoff spot, Miller is expected to be picked anywhere from the second to the fourth round, based on feedback he received at the Draft Combine he attended in Arizona over the weekend.
“I felt like I started off the season pretty hot,” he said. “I slowed down a little bit, but just stayed the course and played good the whole year.”
“I’m excited,” Miller added. “I just want to get it going and start pro ball as soon as possible.”
“It’s definitely exciting. Just a lot of hard work that’s finally paying off.”
Miller, who returned home from Alabama late last month and will remain in Palmyra through the draft, is poised to enjoy his big day in the company of his closest supporters, dad Steve and mom Laurie, as well as a group of other close family and friends who’ve been along on his journey.
His parents were particularly ardent fans of their son, journeying to Alabama throughout their son’s memorable season.
“They came almost every other weekend,” Miller said. “It was pretty cool, because they’re one of the things that drives me. For them to come watch me, was just really cool.”
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