Bryce Miller becomes latest Mariners pitcher with exciting new look

Bryce Miller had a strong 2024 season with the Seattle Mariners, proving himself as one of the most underrated pitchers in MLB.

Over 31 starts, he went 12-8 with a 2.94 ERA and 171 strikeouts. He joined his fellow Mariners aces in being very good at both staying within the strike zone and racking up whiffs, ultimately striking out 3.8 times as many batters as he walked. These numbers show how effective he was at keeping hitters off balance and how important he was to the Mariners' success.

Statcast data during Bryce Miller's spring training debut shows improved velocity, indicating another dominant 2025 season coming up

Now in Spring Training 2025, Miller is making headlines for an increase in his fastball velocity.

Per David Adler of MLB.com, early Statcast data shows Miller's fastball has averaged 96.8 mph during spring training. That is 1.6 mph faster than his 2024 number of 95.2 mph. This added velocity makes his pitches even tougher for hitters to handle, especially considering his effectiveness throwing the fastball up in the zone.

Another big change for Miller is the addition of a cutter. He recently shared videos of the pitch, which has an insane 14 inches of vertical movement and 7 inches of horizontal break while sitting at 88 mph. A solid cutter for Miller will keep hitters guessing and make his other pitches even more effective. If he can command it well, this new pitch could help him dominate even more in 2025.

At just 26 years old, Miller is still improving and has the potential to be one of the best pitchers in baseball. His combination of velocity, movement, and control puts him in the conversation for future awards. It helps that, like his teammate Logan Gilbert, Miller is constantly looking for ways to improve.

The Mariners' coaching staff is excited about Miller's progress, and his dedication to getting better is clear. With his improved fastball and new cutter, Miller has a chance to be even better than he was in 2024. If everything comes together, he could become a serious contender for the Cy Young Award.