WA’s Miller eager to showcase talents
When it comes to Western Pennsylvania’s top two-sport stars, most tend to think of players who excel in football and basketball, such as Laurel Highlands’ Rodney Gallagher and New Castle’s Mike Wells.
But no discussion of the best multi-sport athletes in the area is complete without West Allegheny’s Gavin Miller.
An ace pitcher and outstanding shortstop for the No. 1 team in Class 5A going into the season, Miller also doubles as one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the WPIAL. The 6-foot, 195pound junior passed for 1,527 yards (seventh in the WPIAL) and 12 touchdowns in seven games in 2020, his first full year as a starter on the football field. He twice threw for more than 300 yards, including a 396-yard performance in a 40-7 win at Shaler in Week 3.
“Gavin is a special talent,” said Indians coach Bryan Cornell, who also serves as the football team’s defensive coordinator. “We’ve had guys who were multi-sport athletes that were very good, but I would say what sets Gavin apart is just his maturity and his poise that he has in both of those sports. It’s that calm demeanor — and he’s an extraordinary athlete.”
As talented as he is slinging a football across the gridiron, though, Miller’s future likely lies on the diamond — more specifically, the hot corner. Miller committed to Auburn not long after his freshman season ended, and he said he’s being recruited to play third base for the Tigers at the next level.
SEC programs don’t just go around handing out scholarship offers like tickets to a free raffle, but it’s not hard to see why Miller drew Auburn’s attention. Despite hitting seventh in a loaded West Allegheny lineup in 2019, Miller batted .341 with a .483 on-base percentage and scored 16 runs. He also went 7-1 with a 1.55 ERA on the mound.
Miller played a key role for a team that went 18-3 in 2019, only to lose its first playoff game in the WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinals — a 4-3 defeat in 11 innings vs. Mars, a game which Miller started.
“Coach Cornell always mentions it,” Miller said about the disappointing end to the 2019 season. “He always reminds us of it at practice, just that feeling.”
Although he has already waited almost two years to don a West Allegheny uniform again after having the 2020 season canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Miller will have to wait a little bit longer to take the field. He broke a bone in his left wrist while taking routine batting practice only a couple weeks before opening day — and it didn’t even happen while getting hit by a pitch.
“We were doing live atbats,” Miller said. “I swung and hit one and my hand went numb after. I thought it was just a stinger.”
Initially, he didn’t think anything of it, and neither did his coaches. But an examination about a week later revealed that he had suffered a “hook of hamate” fracture — a somewhat common occurrence among baseball players.
“The knob of the bat was right where the bone was, and the vibration of the bat caused it,” Miller said.
Miller had the splint removed from his wrist on Monday, and he is now cleared to begin throwing bullpen sessions as he undergoes physical therapy for the next few weeks. He said his hope is to be back to full strength as a hitter in about a month, although Cornell said Miller may take the mound sooner than that.
“I really couldn’t guess on when we’d see him back out there, but I think we will have him back out pitching before he’ll be able to hit,” Cornell said. “As long as he can tolerate the pain and his family feels comfortable — he’s trying to get a pad made for it and once he says he’s ready to go, we’ll do whatever we feel is best.”
In the meantime, Miller has taken on a new role as one of the team’s head cheerleaders from inside the dugout. He knows that in order to take part in meaningful games later this season, the Indians will need to find ways to win without the services of his top-notch arm, glove and bat.
And when he does make his return, opponents can expect Miller to be more motivated than ever to showcase his talents.
“It just makes me appreciate everything a little bit more,” Miller said. “I can’t wait for it.”