There was some level of surprise that the Phillies were able to acquire closer Jhoan Duran from the Minnesota Twins without giving up shortstop Aidan Miller. As it turns out, the Twins might have preferred it that way.
With all indications being that RHP Andrew Painter was off the table in trade conversations with the Phillies this summer — and that the team probably preferred to hold onto outfielder Justin Crawford, who is on the doorstep of the majors — it felt certain that to make an impact trade, Miller would need to be dealt. Most countdowns had Miller ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the organization.
Instead, the Phillies acquired one of the best closers in the game — one who has two remaining arbitration years after 2025 — without having to part with any of their consensus top-three prospects.
But Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune's reporting suggests that wasn't because the Twins were fleeced by the Phillies, but rather they just preferred catcher Eduardo Tait, who was the No. 4 or 5-ranked prospect by most outlets:
"The Phillies refused to include righthander Andrew Painter, who is considered one of the best pitching prospects in baseball.
"The Twins preferred the 18-year-old Tait (pronounced Tah-eet) over Aidan Miller, another top Phillies prospect, and they thought he had the highest upside compared to the prospects discussed with Seattle. Miller, 21, is already in Class AA, but there are concerns about his ability to stick at shortstop."
Of course, the Twins ultimately got Tait over Miller, so they have reason to put it out there that he's the piece they really wanted, even if that's not necessarily true. But based on how 2025 has played out — and that the Twins are a long way from contending after a major sell-off last month — it's entirely possible they did actually like Tait more than Miller.
There is certainly some risk with Tait, who MLB Pipeline now says is the No. 2 prospect in Minnesota's system. He's only 18 years old, so he's likely a few years away from the majors. He's got a strong arm, but is still improving as a receiver behind the plate.
At the same time, there's a lot to like about Tait. In addition to a strong arm, the left-handed hitter has 60-rated power on the 20-80 scale. His profile might sound a bit too much like Jorge Alfaro for Phillies' fans, but there's no question he has a high ceiling at a premium position.
As for Miller, there may be long-term questions about his ability to stick at shortstop, but he's played well enough at that spot to stick there so far. Even if he has to move elsewhere on the diamond, it would probably be third base, another premium position.
If the opinion of Miller has gone down in a meaningful way in 2025, it's because he's got a .740 OPS, despite playing his home games at FirstEnergy Stadium, a park where offensive numbers have traditionally played up at. Miller, a right-handed hitter, also has reverse splits. He's hitting .200 with a .638 OPS against left-handed pitching this year, as opposed to .248 with a .762 OPS against right-handed pitching. All nine of his home runs have come against righties.
Aidan Miller is your Eastern League Player of the Week!@PhilsPlayerDev | @JackDaniels_US pic.twitter.com/YeJqpP1tNh
To his credit, Miller has been on fire of late, as he's hitting .378 with a 1.089 OPS in August. Still, it is fair to say that the first half of Miller's season was disappointing, at least offensively. For him to remain a player that is considered an elite prospect — one that either could help the Phillies as soon as 2026 or be a trade candidate to help them address another area of need — he does need to have a better second half.
In any event, Duran has provided such a jolt to the Phillies that it's hard to think the Phillies will regret giving up whatever it took to acquire the closer, even if Tait and Mick Abel turn out to be long-term Major Leaguers.