Position: RHP
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 185 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Born: 12/22/1999
Country: Dominican Republic
Signed: International Free Agent, 2016 (Padres)
How Acquired: Trade (with Padres for Adam Frazier)
Bonus: $450,000
40-Man Roster: No
Rule 5 Eligible: Yes
Minor League Free Agency: 2023
Options Left: 3
Overview
The Padres paid Miliano a mid-six figure bonus out of the Dominican. He throws 92-95 mph, with a curve that’s sometimes above average. He’s struggled to progress so far, getting mired in rookie ball for three years. He misses both bats and the plate a lot. The Pirates got him in the Adam Frazier trade.
2017-20
The Padres sent Miliano straight to the Arizona League, where he made five starts and two relief appearances. He had a very good K rate and a walk rate that was a little high but not alarming. His 6.60 ERA was largely the product of an incredibly low strand rate of 43%. Miliano wasn’t able to build on his debut season, though, as he spent two more years in rookie ball. In 2018, pitching as a starter, he saw his walk rate increase (to 6.0 BB/9) and he had a 9.21 ERA, again partly due to an extremely low strand rate. In 2019, the Padres moved Miliano to the bullpen and, while he fanned 15 batters per nine innings, he also walked over 11. He didn’t pitch in 2020.
2021-22
In 2021, the Padres sent Miliano to low A and he improved some, with an extremely high K rate (18.2 K/9) and an opponents’ average of just .167. The walks remained very high, at 7.4 BB/9. In July, Miliano moved up to high A and pitched along the same lines through four games. The Pirates acquired him in late July. In 16 games at Greensboro, his control went backwards, his BB/9 soaring to 11.7 and he was generally bad.
Miliano opened the 2022 season at Greensboro and struggled badly, with control still doing him in. He fanned 13 per nine innings but walked nearly ten. In early July the Pirates put him on the development list. He made three appearances in the FCL in August and three more for the Hoppers near the end of the season.
2023
Miliano made some progress in 2023. He started off back with the Hoppers and got his BB/9 down to 5.3 while also striking out 12.4 per nine innings. After putting up a 3.86 ERA over 29 games, he moved up to Altoona. He had a 4.43 ERA, but an 8.0 BB/9 and just a 5.3 K/9.
Miliano will be eligible for minor league free agency after the 2023 season.
Stats
Transactions
July 2, 2016: Signed by the San Diego Padres as an international free agent.
July 25, 2021: Traded by the San Diego Padres with Tucupita Marcano and Jack Suwinski to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Adam Frazier and cash.