From start to finish, then No. 7 seed Michigan baseball team lasted just 72 hours in Omaha for the Big Ten Tournament — its season coming to an end with two losses in pool play. But in those 72 hours, redshirt freshman catcher Noah Miller made good use of the 18 innings played.
Entering the week with significantly fewer innings behind the plate, Miller’s performance at the plate and consistency behind the dish procured him a spot on the Big Ten All-Tournament Team. One of just four honorees whose teams didn’t advance past pool play, Miller stood out against a field of more experienced catchers — and made his case in just two games.
For most of the season, Miller and graduate catcher Matt Spear traded the starting job — Spear offering the stronger glove, Miller the livelier bat. But defensive lapses from Miller and offensive droughts from Spear often left the role unsettled.
Spear’s defensive capabilities gave him the nod from Michigan coach Tracy Smith’s defense to start in the teams’ first lineup against Illinois. But, after the Wolverines’ early tumble via a 3-0 deficit, Smith had to rev up his offense. And so in went Miller at the bottom of the fourth inning.
“I don’t think about it as coming off the bench,” Miller said May 20. “ I just think about coming into the game a little bit later than normal. As soon as I walk in, I’m like ‘What can I do to help the team?’ ”
After a hard line-out to left in his first at-bat, Miller returned two innings later and he found himself in the same exact situation. But this time, Miller found the contact he needed, roping a double into right field to score graduate first baseman Jeter Ybarra to cut the deficit to only one run.
After more back-and-forth, Miller took to the plate again, once more with the two outs and Ybarra on base. And again, Miller found the big hit — this time smashing a homer into the left stands tying the game 5-5. Though Michigan went on to lose, it was Miller’s bat that put it in contention in the first place.
He continued to produce against UCLA two days later, recording a single and a double during his four at-bats. The bottom of the lineup couldn’t convert his contributions into runs, but his output stood on its own.
Batting 0.500 for the tournament during his eight at bats, all while providing a consistent defensive showing, Miller locked down his spot on the All-Tournament Team. In a season defined by inconsistency, Miller brought clarity when it mattered most — proving he’s not just the catcher of the moment, but the catcher of Michigan’s future.
