Welcome to the 2025 edition of Ranking the Rockies, where we take a look back at every player to log playing time for the Rockies in 2025. The purpose of this list is to provide a snapshot of the player in context.
The “Ranking” is an organizing principle that’s drawn from Baseball Reference’s WAR (rWAR). It’s not something the staff debated. We’ll begin with the player with the lowest rWAR and end up with the player with the highest.
No. 18: Owen Miller (0.0 rWAR)
It’s easy to forget that one of the very first moves the Colorado Rockies made last offseason was acquiring Owen Miller from the Milwaukee Brewers for cash considerations. As speculation swirled about what the team was going to do with Brendan Rodgers, it seemed appropriate to acquire some veteran depth, especially a player like Miller with defensive versatility.
However, after the Rockies non-tendered Rodgers, Miller’s prospect of being a regular contributor quickly diminished when the team turned around to sign Kyle Farmer and later Thairo Estrada. Miller’s bat was certainly never going to allow him to start, but that versatility could at least net him a bench role of some kind, right?
Miller’s versatility was put on full display in spring training. Originally brought up as a shortstop when he was drafted by the San Diego Padres back in the day, Miller had mainly been a second baseman at the major league level, while also bouncing around the infield and outfield. In Cactus League play, Miller was often playing shortstop while also getting regular time at second base and first base.
Defensively, he was sound, and it would have been a good tool to have on the bench, especially when the Rockies had the intention of resting their players more throughout the 2025 season. To improve his chances, Miller had volunteered to start taking reps in center field. Offensively, he had a good time in big league camp. In 28 games, he slashed .264/.298/.321 with three doubles and six RBI. He did have nine strikeouts against two walks, but he contributed five stolen bases.
However, despite an injury to Estrada before the season began, the Rockies elected not to carry Miller on the Opening Day roster, as they had a newly acquired Tyler Freeman on the roster. Instead, they assigned him to Triple-A Albuquerque.
Miller had an overall solid year with the Isotopes. In 102 games, he slashed .277/.329/.429 with 25 doubles, 11 home runs, 65 RBI and 13 stolen bases. He also showed off some decent plate discipline, striking out 71 times against 29 walks.
His best month came in August when he became a run-producing machine for the Isotopes. That month, he slashed .286/.339/.467 in 26 games with five home runs and 24 RBI. It seemed for a stretch that Miller was getting multiple hits and driving in multiple runs most every night. Overall, outside of a difficult July, Miller was a staple in the Isotopes lineup and was hitting better than he really ever had.
All the while, he was seeing time at all four major positions on the infield dirt, particularly shortstop and third base. He even spent 47 innings in center field over seven games. He wasn’t infallible at any one position, but he was reliable enough that there was no active detriment to the team.
He only had a brief stint with the big league club when the roster was ravaged by middle infield injuries near the end of April. In total, he played just nine games from April 25 to May 14 and didn’t do much to help his case of sticking around. He went 2-for-14 with an RBI and a stolen base while striking out four times against two walks. While he had been a regular starter in Albuquerque, the Rockies used him solely as a late-game defensive replacement and pinch-hitter.
He started four games at second base out of five appearances, while stepping in at third very briefly in two appearances. Despite all the versatility they had praised when they acquired him, Miller wasn’t utilized much for a team in the pits of despair.
He was outrighted to Triple-A after that big league stint in May and became a free agent, but signed back with the Rockies soon after. He finished out the year with Albuquerque and again elected free agency after the season ended. As of writing, Miller is still a free agent looking for his next destination. He can be a quality depth piece, but like most players, thrived in a minor league environment where he could play every day. It would take something truly drastic from him to be on a big league roster in 2026, but veteran depth pieces are always needed, and he’ll likely land somewhere else.
Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!
