Baseball
Miller, AJ
AJ Miller
- Title:
- Hitting Coach and Recruiting Coordinator
- Email:
- ajm516@lehigh.edu
- Phone:
- 610-758-4315
Former Patriot League Player of the Year A.J. Miller '21G concluded his sixth season with the Lehigh baseball program and first as Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator in 2022.
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2022 saw the continuation of Casey Rother’s success at the plate under Miller’s tutelage, becoming the first back-to-back Patriot League Player of the Year since Navy’s Marcus Lee in 1993-94. In addition, five players were named All-Patriot League selections including sluggers Rother (First Team), Adam Retzbach (First), Joe Gorla (Second) and Tyler Young (Second). Miller played an integral role in Retzbach claiming the league’s home run title (11), ultimately being drafted in the 13th round of the MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles in July. Retzbach is the program’s first offensive player drafted since Mike Garzillo in 2016. Miller’s Lehigh offense once again paced the Patriot League in home runs (47), doubles (102), slugging percentage (.449) and finished second in hits (486) and RBIs (307).
Miller helped guide the Mountain Hawks to one of their best seasons in program history in 2021, earning the program's third-ever Patriot League Regular Season title and the first one outright, claiming the No. 1 seed in the Patriot League Tournament. Lehigh finished the year 24-19 with a winning record for the first time since 2014 and at 17, had the most Patriot League wins in program history. With Miller's help, Mason Black became the program's first Patriot League Pitcher of the Year selection since 2002 and Casey Rother was named Patriot League Player of the Year. Eight Mountain Hawks earned All-Patriot League selections, a new program-record total. In addition, two right-handed pitchers, Black and Matt Svanson, were selected in the 2021 MLB Draft.
Miller returned to coach the Brown and White in 2019, guiding the Mountain Hawks' offense back to the top of the Patriot League leaderboard in home runs (38) and ranked second in slugging percentage (.392). His offensive-minded coaching style helped obtain First Team All-Patriot League selections for both Tony Gallo and Ryan Malloy, as well as a Second Team selection for Jeff Shanfeldt.
In his second season with the Mountain Hawks, Miller's offense led the Patriot League in home runs with 53. Coming in second was Navy and Lafayette, who both hit 35 homers that season.
During his first season with Lehigh, Miller coached the Mountain Hawk bats to a .285 batting average that ranked second best in the Patriot League and a league-leading .424 slugging percentage. Four position players earned All-Patriot League laurels, including Patriot League Player of the Year Mike Garzillo.
A 2011 graduate of Lafayette, Miller brings a wealth of playing and coaching experience to the Lehigh dugout. The Leopards’ three-year starting catcher, Miller earned CollegeBaseballInsider.com Honorable Mention All-America status, a spot on the Johnny Bench Award Watch List that honors the top 50 DI catchers, as well as Patriot League Player of the Year and first team All-League honors as a senior in 2011 after hitting .385 with 52 RBI and a .705 slugging percentage. He was a .313 career hitter at Lafayette and is still tied for the program record with 22 career home runs. Miller earned his B.A. in Economics and Business.
Upon graduation, Miller went on to play professional baseball for the Normal Cornbelters of the Frontier League and Lincoln Saltdogs of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball. Miller also holds vast coaching experience, having spent time as a coach with the All-Star Baseball Academy and Condon’s Baseball.
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2022 saw the continuation of Casey Rother’s success at the plate under Miller’s tutelage, becoming the first back-to-back Patriot League Player of the Year since Navy’s Marcus Lee in 1993-94. In addition, five players were named All-Patriot League selections including sluggers Rother (First Team), Adam Retzbach (First), Joe Gorla (Second) and Tyler Young (Second). Miller played an integral role in Retzbach claiming the league’s home run title (11), ultimately being drafted in the 13th round of the MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles in July. Retzbach is the program’s first offensive player drafted since Mike Garzillo in 2016. Miller’s Lehigh offense once again paced the Patriot League in home runs (47), doubles (102), slugging percentage (.449) and finished second in hits (486) and RBIs (307).
Miller helped guide the Mountain Hawks to one of their best seasons in program history in 2021, earning the program's third-ever Patriot League Regular Season title and the first one outright, claiming the No. 1 seed in the Patriot League Tournament. Lehigh finished the year 24-19 with a winning record for the first time since 2014 and at 17, had the most Patriot League wins in program history. With Miller's help, Mason Black became the program's first Patriot League Pitcher of the Year selection since 2002 and Casey Rother was named Patriot League Player of the Year. Eight Mountain Hawks earned All-Patriot League selections, a new program-record total. In addition, two right-handed pitchers, Black and Matt Svanson, were selected in the 2021 MLB Draft.
Miller returned to coach the Brown and White in 2019, guiding the Mountain Hawks' offense back to the top of the Patriot League leaderboard in home runs (38) and ranked second in slugging percentage (.392). His offensive-minded coaching style helped obtain First Team All-Patriot League selections for both Tony Gallo and Ryan Malloy, as well as a Second Team selection for Jeff Shanfeldt.
In his second season with the Mountain Hawks, Miller's offense led the Patriot League in home runs with 53. Coming in second was Navy and Lafayette, who both hit 35 homers that season.
During his first season with Lehigh, Miller coached the Mountain Hawk bats to a .285 batting average that ranked second best in the Patriot League and a league-leading .424 slugging percentage. Four position players earned All-Patriot League laurels, including Patriot League Player of the Year Mike Garzillo.
A 2011 graduate of Lafayette, Miller brings a wealth of playing and coaching experience to the Lehigh dugout. The Leopards’ three-year starting catcher, Miller earned CollegeBaseballInsider.com Honorable Mention All-America status, a spot on the Johnny Bench Award Watch List that honors the top 50 DI catchers, as well as Patriot League Player of the Year and first team All-League honors as a senior in 2011 after hitting .385 with 52 RBI and a .705 slugging percentage. He was a .313 career hitter at Lafayette and is still tied for the program record with 22 career home runs. Miller earned his B.A. in Economics and Business.
Upon graduation, Miller went on to play professional baseball for the Normal Cornbelters of the Frontier League and Lincoln Saltdogs of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball. Miller also holds vast coaching experience, having spent time as a coach with the All-Star Baseball Academy and Condon’s Baseball.
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