Former Valparaiso University baseball pitcher
Jake Miller has been added to the Detroit Tigers 40-man roster.
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Miller is believed to be the first Valpo product on a 40-man roster since Lloyd McClendon retired in 1994. Â
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Miller, a left-hander who is ranked the No. 19 prospect in the Tigers organization according to MLB.com, was drafted by Detroit in the eighth round of the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft out of Valpo. The Chester, N.Y. native has pitched in 47 professional games including 23 starts over four minor league seasons, reaching as high as Double-A and owning an overall ERA of 3.66 with a record of 10-8.
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Other Valpo alums who were active professional players during the 2025 season include right-handed pitcher
Trent Turzenski, right-handed pitcher Colin Fields, outfielder
Kyle Schmack, infielder/outfielder Chase Dawson and right-handed pitcher
Harry Deliyannis.
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Turzenski, who signed as an undrafted free agent with the Orioles organization in 2024, has reached as high as Class-A Advanced. Fields, who signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022 with the Detroit Tigers, has reached as high as Triple-A. Dawson finished his seventh professional season, spending time with Leon of the Mexican League and Schaumburg of the Frontier League in 2025. Schmack played independent ball with the Chicago Dogs of the American Association and Great Falls of the Pioneer League this past summer. Deliyannis is playing professionally overseas in Belgium.
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