PHILADELPHIA -- Phillies top prospect Aidan Miller will undergo a procedure on Friday to address his recurring back issue.
After months of touch-and-go rehab, Miller was diagnosed with discogenic pain and facet inflammation in the lumbar spine. He had recently visited with spine specialists, who recommended a minimally invasive procedure called a radiofrequency ablation of the facet joints.
A radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a procedure that uses heat to destroy tissue in order to prevent pain signals from being sent back to the brain. According to the Cleveland Clinic, RFA is a treatment option that is often considered for long-term pain conditions that have not been remedied through other treatment methods.
COMPLETE PHILLIES PROSPECT COVERAGE
Following Friday's procedure, Miller is expected to rest for one week before resuming rehab program. The Phillies said they expect the infielder to return to game activity in six to eight weeks.
Miller, who turns 22 years old next Tuesday, is not only the Phillies' No. 1 prospect but MLB Pipeline's No. 15 prospect overall. There was hope coming into the year that he could potentially break into the big leagues by the end of the season, though Wednesday's update would seem to put that in serious jeopardy.
Even if Miller indeed resumes game activity in two months, he would essentially be starting from scratch after missing nearly all of Spring Training. Given the nature of his injury and his status as the club's top prospect, the Phillies certainly won't push him this season.
Miller played through back soreness last year, though it didn't cost him any time until the very end of the season. He ultimately missed the Arizona Fall League, which he had been scheduled to play in.
Miller then arrived at camp in February, presumably healthy and in a position to potentially impact the Phillies roster this summer if the team had a need. Given Philadelphia's lack of production from its right-handed hitters this season, he may have gotten a look by now.
At the very least, Miller could have continued providing a glimpse of the franchise's future, especially with third baseman Alec Bohm set to become a free agent after the season.
But just before the start of Grapefruit League play on Feb. 21, Miller complained of soreness in his lower back. It had been slow going ever since. Miller had started -- and then stopped -- baseball activities multiple times over the past couple months.
The most recent such instance came in mid-May, when interim manager Don Mattingly said that Miller had resumed "light baseball activities." But that did not last very long, with Miller then spending the past couple weeks visiting with specialists to seek further clarification on the ongoing issue.
That culminated in the decision to undergo the procedure on Friday.