Jai Miller
Encyclopedia
Randall Jai Miller is a Major League Baseball
outfielder
for the Oakland Athletics
.
Miller attended Selma High School in Selma,Alabama
in the 4th round (113th overall) of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft
. He made his professional career debut that year for the Single-A Jamestown Jammers
, playing in 11 games and batting .233 with no home runs.
In , Miller played for the Single-A Greensboro Bats. In 113 games, he batted .205 with 12 home runs. He basically put up the same stats in , playing for the Single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers
(the team changed their name after the 2004 season). In 115 games, he batted .207 with 13 home runs.
Miller played for the Single-A Jupiter Hammerheads
in . He batted .208 but his home run production dropped, producing no home runs for the Hammerheads in 2006.
In , he moved up a level, playing for the Double-A Carolina Mudcats
. For the Mudcats, he set career highs in batting average
(.261), home runs (14), RBIs (58), games played (129), hits (106), and doubles
(26).
On November 20, 2009, the Marlins purchased his contract, protecting him from the Rule 5 draft
. He was later designated for assignment on April 3, 2010. The Oakland Athletics claimed him on waivers April 8, 2010 and optioned him to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats
. Fourteen days later he was designated for assignment. And on April 26, 2010, he was acquired off waivers by the Kansas City Royals
.
On December 17, 2010 The Oakland Athletics once again signed Miller, this time as a free agent. He spent nearly the entire 2011 season with Triple-A Sacramento River Cats
, batting .276 with 32 homers and 88 RBIs in 110 games. On September 11, 2011 Miller was called up to join the Oakland Athletics team.
As a Royal in 2010 he got his first major league hit, a single, against the Detroit Tigers. Total, Miller played 20 games with the Royals, hitting 1 HR, 4 RBIs and a .236 Avg.
On September 11, 2011 Miller was called up to join the Oakland Athletics. He played in 7 games, hitting 1 HR, 2 RBIs and a .250 Avg.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
for the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
.
Miller attended Selma High School in Selma,Alabama
Minor leagues
Miller was drafted out of high school by the Florida MarlinsFlorida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
in the 4th round (113th overall) of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft
2003 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 3 and 4. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.Source: -First round selections:...
. He made his professional career debut that year for the Single-A Jamestown Jammers
Jamestown Jammers
The Jamestown Jammers are a minor league baseball team in Jamestown, New York, United States. The team is the Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Miami Marlins and plays in the New York - Penn League...
, playing in 11 games and batting .233 with no home runs.
In , Miller played for the Single-A Greensboro Bats. In 113 games, he batted .205 with 12 home runs. He basically put up the same stats in , playing for the Single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers
Greensboro Grasshoppers
The Greensboro Grasshoppers are a minor league baseball team in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA...
(the team changed their name after the 2004 season). In 115 games, he batted .207 with 13 home runs.
Miller played for the Single-A Jupiter Hammerheads
Jupiter Hammerheads
The Jupiter Hammerheads are a minor league baseball team based in Jupiter, Florida, named for the hammerhead shark.The team, which plays in the Florida State League, is the Class A Advanced affiliate of the Miami Marlins major-league club....
in . He batted .208 but his home run production dropped, producing no home runs for the Hammerheads in 2006.
In , he moved up a level, playing for the Double-A Carolina Mudcats
Carolina Mudcats
The Carolina Mudcats are a minor league baseball team based in the eastern suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the Carolina League, are the Single-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians major-league club beginning in 2012.-History:...
. For the Mudcats, he set career highs in batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
(.261), home runs (14), RBIs (58), games played (129), hits (106), and doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
(26).
On November 20, 2009, the Marlins purchased his contract, protecting him from the Rule 5 draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. He was later designated for assignment on April 3, 2010. The Oakland Athletics claimed him on waivers April 8, 2010 and optioned him to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats
Sacramento River Cats
The Sacramento River Cats is a minor league baseball team based in Sacramento, California. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League and is the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Oakland Athletics....
. Fourteen days later he was designated for assignment. And on April 26, 2010, he was acquired off waivers by the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
.
On December 17, 2010 The Oakland Athletics once again signed Miller, this time as a free agent. He spent nearly the entire 2011 season with Triple-A Sacramento River Cats
Sacramento River Cats
The Sacramento River Cats is a minor league baseball team based in Sacramento, California. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League and is the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Oakland Athletics....
, batting .276 with 32 homers and 88 RBIs in 110 games. On September 11, 2011 Miller was called up to join the Oakland Athletics team.
Major League
Miller made his big league debut with Florida in 2008 and went 0-for-1 in just one ballgame.As a Royal in 2010 he got his first major league hit, a single, against the Detroit Tigers. Total, Miller played 20 games with the Royals, hitting 1 HR, 4 RBIs and a .236 Avg.
On September 11, 2011 Miller was called up to join the Oakland Athletics. He played in 7 games, hitting 1 HR, 2 RBIs and a .250 Avg.