Anderson thinks Miller has the goods to be a high MLB draft pick

BALTIMORE — Former Lancaster High School pitcher Allan Anderson understands maybe better than anyone what Liberty Union senior pitcher Jacob Miller is going through.

Way back in 1982, Anderson was a star pitcher for Lancaster High School, and like Miller, he was being coveted as a standout Major League Baseball pitching prospect.

Anderson was a crafty left-hander, who had committed to play college baseball at the University of Kentucky. Miller, a right-hander, who has had a stellar high school career, committed to Louisville before his freshman year.

The similarities don’t stop there. Anderson had tons of major league scouts at his games, and he impressed them enough and was taken as the first pick in the second round of the Major League Draft. He was the 32nd overall pick.

Anderson had a decision to make, and he eventually turned down going to Kentucky and signed with the Minnesota Twins in August, four days before he was to report to Kentucky.

Miller is in the same position. There have been tons of scouts at every game he pitches, and while he has impressed them with a mid-90s fastball, it is his off-speed pitches that have them drooling. Because of that, he is projected to go to be a first-round pick in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft in July. Like Anderson, Miller will have a decision to make if he is drafted. Attend college or sign a professional contract.

Anderson, who now umpires high school baseball games, was behind the plate with Miller pitching at a recent game, and with several scouts looking on, Anderson was able to get a first-hand look at Miller. He liked what he saw and feels like he has the goods to be a high draft pick.

“When I went through high school, it seemed like we had more scouts in the stands than fans, so I understand what he is going through,” Anderson said. “During my senior year, the writing was on the wall that I was going to be a high draft pick. I had a Minnesota Twins scout tell me that if you have an opportunity to get drafted early, you need to take it. As a player, that’s all you want, an opportunity.

“The opportunity this young man (Miller) is going to get, I think he can take advantage of it. Ability-wise from when I saw him pitcher earlier in the year to now, I made a point after the game to tell him if they give you an opportunity, he needs to take it. He has all the ability to be a big-league pitcher.”

Anderson played 12 years of professional baseball and had the most success with the Minnesota Twins. For his career, he compiled a 49-54 record in 148 appearances, with a 4.11 ERA and 339 strikeouts.

His best years were in 1988 and 1989. In 1988 he was 16-9 and led the American League with an ERA of 2.45. The following year he was 17-10 with a 3.80 ERA. But Anderson had a labrum tear in his shoulder and it all but ended his career as he did not achieve the same success after those two outstanding seasons.

Anderson has seen a lot of talent at the high school level because of him umpiring so many games, and while many he has seen are talented enough to play in college, not many are good enough to be drafted right out of high school. He feels that Miller, who in 24 high school starts, has 343 strikeouts in 154 innings pitched, is one of those rare players.

“I’ve seen a lot of high school players from umpiring so long, a lot of talented kids, but to actually take that step to where (Miller) is now to make it as a professional baseball player, he has it,” Anderson said. He will have to continually step up his game, but from what I saw that impressed me was his two off-speed pitches, as far as the rotation on those, it is exactly what he needs.

“Whatever he is doing right now, it’s obvious he is getting good tooling. He can throw as hard as he wants, but to make it, you have to be able to pitch. By that, I mean being able to throw your fastball to both sides of the plate and being able to change speeds. Location, change of speed, and movement are what he needs to do to be successful at the next level.”

Lancaster Post 11 Drafted Players

1982: Allan Anderson, Lancaster (Minnesota Twins)

1983: Jim Nicolson, Fairfield Union (Pittsburgh Pirates)

1983: Scott Parrish, Lancaster (Oakland A’s)

1989: Tom Engle, Fairfield Union (New York Mets)

1989: Tim Graham, Lancaster (Boston Red Sox)

1989: Alan Beavers, Lancaster (Montreal Expos)

1990: Brian Young, Fairfield Union (Boston Red Sox)

1990: Ryan Maloney, Lancaster (Boston Red Sox)

1990: Dan Ruff, Fairfield Union (Detroit Tigers)

1991: Craig Bush, Lancaster (Boston Red Sox)

1991: Dan Ruff, Fairfield Union (Detroit Tigers)

1992: Alan Beavers, Lancaster (St. Louis Cardinals)

1993: Brian Mast, Fairfield Union (New York Mets)

2002: Mike Siefert, Berne Union (Toronto Blue Jays)

2006: Anthony Gressick, Fisher Catholic (Cincinnati Reds)

Tom Wilson is a sports reporter for the Lancaster Eagle Gazette. Contact him at 740-689-5150 or via email at twilson@gannett.com for comments or story tips. Follow him on Twitter @twil2323.

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Anderson thinks Miller has the goods to be a high MLB draft pick