Bullpen Move Works for Jared Miller

PHOENIX—When Jared Miller was first told he was moving to the bullpen, he took it as a demotion. But after the success he enjoyed this season, the Diamondbacks lefthander can’t really argue with the move, even if he still believes he could start.

“At first it was a pride thing,” said Miller, an 11th-round pick in 2014 out of Vanderbilt. “But I think they knew I was going to hit the ground running, and obviously I had a lot of success this year.

“Maybe a move to the bullpen was what I needed; maybe it wasn’t. But I’m the type of guy who is going to go compete, and they gave me an opportunity to move quick. I just kind of ran with it. Relieving has kind of been my new home.”

With appearances at each of the four full-season levels, Miller threw a combined 61.1 innings with a 2.64 ERA, striking out 80 while walking 23.

His fastball sits in the low 90s, but his go-to pitch is a cutter he learned last offseason while working out with fellow Vanderbilt product David Price.

“I noticed that he started throwing a cutter and was going to it in a lot of important counts,” Miller said. “I kind of picked his brain about it, and he showed me his grip and it was something that I thought I could throw.”

Miller carried his success from the minor league season into the Arizona Fall League. In 10 games for Salt River he worked 18 scoreless innings, giving up just six hits and four walks while striking out 30.

“His fastball spiked up a bit, and he throws a real hard cutter that he’s got good command of,” farm director Mike Bell said. “From spring training to what we’re seeing now in the Fall League, that’s been him.

“Those are legitimate numbers from a guy who has a chance to do something. He could help us next year.”

SNAKE BITES

• Injured righthanded relievers Breckin Williams (elbow) and Ryan Burr (groin, hip), the club’s fourth- and fifth-round picks in 2015, are expected to be fully healthy for the start of spring training. Neither had surgery for their injuries, Bell said.

• Lefthander Jordan Watson, the club’s seventh-round pick this year, had Tommy John surgery, Bell said, and is expected to miss most, if not all, of next season.