Twins Shortstop Prospect Noah Miller Named Minor League Gold Glove Winner

[Cody Christie]

Defense has been a hallmark of the Twins organization throughout the franchise’s history. Twins prospect Noah Miller added to that legacy by taking home a Minor League Gold Glove on Tuesday.

Image courtesy of Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

The Cedar Rapids Kernels had a tremendous 2023 season, including winning the team’s first Midwest League title since 1994. Awards have been pouring in for the Kernels based on their terrific season. Cedar Rapids manager Brian Dinkelman was named Midwest League Manager of the Year, and outfielder Kala’i Rosario was selected as the league MVP. Rosario was joined on the MWL All-Star team by Tanner Schobel, Emmanuel Rodriguez, and Miguel Rodriguez. Another player added to the decorated team’s awards on Tuesday. 

Minor League Baseball and Rawlings Sporting Goods announced nine recipients of the 2023 Rawlings Gold Glove Award for defensive excellence. The winners at each position were selected from players across the 11 full-season leagues in the minors. Twins shortstop Noah Miller was selected as the best defensive shortstop. He will receive his own Rawlings Gold Glove, modeled after the iconic award given to Major League Baseball’s top defensive players. 

“We’re thankful for our long-standing partnership with Minor League Baseball that enables us to recognize the deserving 2023 recipients of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for their incomparable defensive ability,” said Mike Thompson, Chief Marketing Officer for Rawlings. “We congratulate this year’s Rawlings Gold Glove Award class of Minor League players and look forward to seeing their future baseball careers develop.”

The Twins selected Miller in the Competitive Balance Round A (36th overall) of the 2021 MLB Draft out of high school in Wisconsin. Last season, he handled 446 total chances, helped turn 54 double plays, and finished with 295 assists in 107 games for High-A Cedar Rapids, posting a .984 fielding percentage. For the second consecutive season, he logged over 800 innings at shortstop and has a .978 fielding percentage for his career. 

The Twins were drawn to Miller’s solid defensive tool and athletic ability in the 2021 MLB Draft. His baseball IQ is tremendous, and his instincts will help him to stick at a premium defensive position for a long time. His strong, accurate arm helps him make plays that other shortstops can’t complete. Miller should continue to move up the organizational ladder because he continues to be a plus defender. 

Offensively, Miller continues to make gradual improvements as a switch-hitter. In 120 games, he hit .223/.309/.340 (.648) with 20 doubles, five triples, and eight home runs. His OPS improved by over 20 points compared to his first year of full-season action in 2022. He knows the strike zone well and can work counts in his favor, which helps him to draw walks. Miller, 20, will continue to add strength, which can help his power numbers improve as he gets closer to Target Field. 

Congratulations to Miller and the other Gold Glove winners!

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[FlyingFinn]

Congrats to Noah Miller, the best defensive shortstop in the minor leagues by far. Top ten prospect for the Twins IMO.

[stringer bell]

I recall a poll about who will succeed Correa at shortstop. I chose Miller and still think he will be the player to take the reins at shortstop when Correa is through there. 

[RpR]

GOOD for him!

[Dman]

I wasn't a believer when they first picked him as he was barely an average runner and it looked like he would be moved off the position, but he quickly made me a believer with the good picks and strong accurate throws.  The bat is still a work in progress, but if he finds that stroke this kid could be the All Star Shortstop we have been waiting for.

Congrats on the well deserved gold glove and making us Twins minor league followers proud!

[Parfigliano]

Didnt Correa sign a 6 year contract last year.  Seems like it will be 5 years before Miller even gets a shot at MLB with TC.

[jimbo92107]

Those highlights look pretty good... until you see Carlos Correa highlights. Miller's got a good arm, but not a rocket like Correa's, and at .220, he's got a lot of developing to do with his bat. 

2024 will be a pivotal year for Noah Miller.

[MTV]

Props to him for winning Gold Glove, but his offense needs to improve for him to become a serious prospect. Right now his ceiling looks like another Andrelton Simmons copy, I hope his offense can improve past that to become at least an adequate offensive player.

[Doctor Gast]

Thanks Cody for bringing this to light so we can honor Noah Miller! Congratulations Noah!

In my book CF, SS & catcher needs to be glove 1st , hitting is just icing on the cake. He should continue to get timely hits, get on base & get stronger as he gets older.

He has always been on my watch list so I'm happy that he got this recognition. Just because he's not prolific in HRs with SOs people like to overlook him.

Correa's been has slightly diminishing every year. I don't see him finishing his term with the Twins at SS. Like many here I've seen Miller as our future SS for awhile. 

[rv78]

6 hours ago, MTV said:

Props to him for winning Gold Glove, but his offense needs to improve for him to become a serious prospect. Right now his ceiling looks like another Andrelton Simmons copy, I hope his offense can improve past that to become at least an adequate offensive player.

If you've got others on the team that can hit, your SS does not have to be a prolific hitter to win Championships. Smalley and Gagne weren't considered such and the Twins won 2 titles with them at SS. If the Twins can keep their nucleus of young talent in Lewis, Julien, Jeffers, Wallner, and Kirilloff around for the next 5-6 years and they add in guys like Lee, Jenkins, and Rodriguez and they all produce like we hope they will, their SS can be a bit less of a hitter like Miller as long as he can flash the glove. The Twins even got to the playoffs this year with their SS hitting a measley .230.

[Fatbat]

Congrats on the gold glove!!! Nice to see that tradition of defense still valued in the org! He dies remind me of Gagne. I’ll take a glove first SS every day but this kid needs to spend more time swinging the bat in the cage.  He doesn’t need power, just get on base!! Hit .280-.320 and take your walks. Take all the walks. I can see a way the C4 is playing a different position in 2026 when this kid is showing off his talents in the show. 

[Doctor Gast]

Just watched the video. Very impressive, he know exactly what to do with ball before he gets it & reacts very well at the moment, great feel for the position. He has a very good arm. Hard to find anyone at SS with Correa's arm. 3B yes but not SS.

[DJL44]

6 hours ago, MTV said:

Props to him for winning Gold Glove, but his offense needs to improve for him to become a serious prospect. Right now his ceiling looks like another Andrelton Simmons copy, I hope his offense can improve past that to become at least an adequate offensive player.

Andrelton Simmons had a very good major league career. That's actually a really high ceiling, one that Miller is quite unlikely to hit. Simmons was a productive minor league hitter and made his debut at age 22. Jack Wilson of the Pirates is a more likely ceiling.

[Trov]

Now lets hope he can develop even a little bit of a bat. He did grow a little bit of power, and still young.  Just turned 21.  He still has plenty of time to develop some bat, but if he can play elite defense with even a little bit of offense he should hopefully slot in to SS right around the time we need to move CC off. 

[saviking]

I remember going to see Cedar Rapids play Peoria at the beginning of the season and reported the team was loaded with talent. Bodes well for the team two to three years from now. Miller is young and has plenty of time for his hitting to come around. Most players get moved from short to second or third because their defense is not good enough to play in the bigs. 'good for him ..

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Congratulations to Noah Miller. Well deserved. He had impressed me with his fielding from the first time I saw him at spring training. His nickname should be "Smooth".

[Nashvilletwin]

Noah is probably one of our most underrated prospects.  In ‘26 (age 23) he could find himself playing an incredibly important role as an infield defensive specialist and injury fill-in starter for the best position player lineup in the majors.  That’s a big job and one of immense value.

[GNess]

If Lee takes over at 3B and Lewis plays 2B for the long haul where do the Twins move Correa to make room for the likes of Miller? Long way off, with a lot that can alter things, but worth speculating about?

This doesn't inclue where the Twins play Julien as well.

[Fatbat]

1 hour ago, GNess said:

If Lee takes over at 3B and Lewis plays 2B for the long haul where do the Twins move Correa to make room for the likes of Miller? Long way off, with a lot that can alter things, but worth speculating about?

This doesn't inclue where the Twins play Julien as well.

C4 would slot in as infield utility and part time DH if his bat still plays. Julien would be part time DH and 1st base. Thats 3 Years out…

[DocBauer]

Spring ball and hilights have shown me this kid is for real when it comes down to defense. I might be mistaken, but wasn't hid overall quad slash line better in the 2nd half of the year after a really bad 1st month? Does anyone have the breakdown?

Thing is, Gold Glove or not, offensive improvement or not, he just turned 21yo. He could play the entire 2024 season back at Cedar Rapids as a 21yo  to continue work on his offense, and would still be below league average age.

He's got a really bright future if he can just be about league average as a batter. And there remains some pop/power potential we're just starting to see.

[ashbury]

"When you shake the Baseball Tree, about 9 gloves fall out, for every 1 bat."

Miller's still just a baby, 21st birthday earlier this week.  Too soon to decide the bat won't play and give up hope.  Too soon to forecast success, either.  Maintaining the stats as he moves up the league levels is a form of progress and development that can escape notice. Though, the team might need to burn a couple of minor-league options after they have to add him to the 40-man, before he's really ready to contribute to a contending team.

Meanwhile, kudos on getting the recognition for defense, so that he can work toward being at least one of those 9 gloves that falls out.

[Doctor Gast]

17 hours ago, Fatbat said:

C4 would slot in as infield utility and part time DH if his bat still plays. Julien would be part time DH and 1st base. Thats 3 Years out…

Excellent foresight! One that  give us optimium production & results, one that I share & hope this FO shares but seems not.

Yes that's 3yrs away & most likely eased into it with C4's mentoring. I can get excited about Miller

We have a 1B dilema & where do we put Julien? Why don't we put him in his natural position? 1B. Problem solved.

[Dave The Dastardly]

My son and I had the pleasure of seeing Miller play at Cedar Rapids. The kid made three outstanding defensive plays in the game that just blew us away. Cat-like quickness, great range and a gun for an arm. Like others have mentioned, the kid reminds me of Greg Gagne. No surprise to us that Noah won a Gold Glove.

[stringer bell]

Miller's brother, Owen, is already in the majors. I think Noah will be a regular major league shortstop and develop his hit tool. It's a long way from high A to the majors, but he's young. 

[Linus]

One factor in play here is that two years ago he was playing Wisconsin high school baseball. It may take him awhile to adjust to the much higher level of pitching. 

[Mike Sixel]

Awesome for him. He's so young, still. Looking forward to the future

[TopGunn#22]

That kind of defense is eye catching.  I see Correa playing 2-3 more years at SS.  Imagine a future team with Correa at 3B, Noah Miller at SS, Brooks Lee at 2B and Kirilloff at 1B.  Cue the Hue and Cry at the thought of Royce Lewis moving to the OF but between Lewis, Wallner, Emmanuel Rodriguez and Walker Jenkins the OF is covered.  Lewis, Jenkins and Rodriguez can play CF even though all three could project to a corner.  Wallner is a COF with a cannon for an arm and power.

That leaves Julien and one of those OF for DH.  With the youth movement coming you can see why Kepler, Polanco and probably Larnach are getting traded.  Miller can spend the next 2 seasons (maybe 3) working on an offensive approach that favors contact and a good eye at the plate with strong hit and run and bunting skills.  If he can do that he's closer to A. Simmons than Jack Wilson.  But defense like he would bring always plays.  Mark Belanger was never an offensive juggernaut but he was solid.  Greg Gagne is probably a good comp minus the footspeed and occasional power.  Miller could finally ascend to the Twins once he's ready to become the regular SS or as an infield defensive replacement for his first year.  Correa will determine how long he stays at SS but to imagine a glove like that taking over for him in a seamless transition is exciting.   

[madtowntwin]

"If you shake the Baseball Tree - About 9 gloves fall out for every bat." That may be, but don't let those bats hit you. They really hurt!!!