Los Angeles Dodgers' Former Top Prospect Appears to Escape Serious Injury on Scary Play

Right-hander Bobby Miller, a former top prospect of the Los Angeles Dodgers, walked off the mound under his own power after being struck in the head by a line drive traveling 105.5 mph on Thursday.

Miller was pitching in the top of the third inning of the Dodgers’ spring training opener at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz., when he was hit by the comebacker from the Chicago Cubs’ Michael Busch. It came off a 2-1 curveball that registered 80.4 mph.

The ball struck Miller on the forehead and knocked off his cap as he fell to the ground. After being tended to by a trainer, he walked off the field.

The Dodgers had not issued a statement on Miller's condition as of Thursday afternoon.

The video of the play was widely circulated on social media Thursday afternoon.

Bobby Miller was hit in the head by a comebacker, he exits the game in the 3rd inning but walked off under his own power. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/0jGKQpp1vx
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) February 20, 2025

Yoshinobu Yamamoto started the game for the Dodgers and threw 1.2 innings, giving up three hits and striking out two. Minor leaguer Ryan Sublette got the final out of the second inning.

Miller started the third inning and walked leadoff batter Vidal Brujan, who stole second. Brujan scored on the comebacker from Busch, which was ruled a single.

Miller, 25, was ranked by Baseball America as the No. 38 prospect in the game before the 2022 season and No. 21 ahead of the 2023 campaign.

In 2023, he was integral for the Dodgers, whose pitching staff was riddled by injuries. He started 22 games and posted an 11-4 record with a 3.76 ERA, throwing 124.1 innings and striking out 119.

But he regressed in 2024, going 2-4 with an 8.52 ERA in 13 starts. He finished 0-1 with a 5.06 ERA in six starts at Triple-A Oklahoma City, saddled by inconsistency and injuries throughout the season.

It appears Miller will be Oklahoma City-bound again this season without a stellar spring. The Dodgers’ rotation is loaded, with Yamamoto, two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, rookie Roki Sasaki and Tyler Glasnow locks in the rotation.

Miller will be among a handful of pitchers battling for the fifth spot in the rotation, with Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May coming off of injuries and in the mix. Shohei Ohtani and Dodgers legend Clayton Kershaw also are waiting in the wings to fill starting slots later in the season.

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