Owen Miller Reunites with Craig Counsell, Joins Cubs on Minor League Deal
Owen Miller is heading back to the NL Central - but this time, he’s switching dugouts. The Wisconsin native and former Milwaukee Brewer has signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs, reuniting with manager Craig Counsell, the same skipper who oversaw the best stretch of Miller’s young career.
For Miller, it’s a full-circle moment with a twist. Born in Mequon, Wisconsin, and a product of Ozaukee High School and Illinois State University, Miller’s baseball roots run deep in the Midwest.
Drafted in the third round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Padres, he never suited up for San Diego. Instead, he was part of a blockbuster deal that sent Mike Clevinger to the Padres and landed Miller in Cleveland, where he made his major league debut in 2021.
But it was Milwaukee where Miller really found his stride - at least for a while. Acquired by the Brewers ahead of the 2023 season, Miller turned heads in Spring Training and parlayed that strong start into a regular spot in the lineup.
Under Counsell’s leadership, he became a Swiss Army knife in the field, logging innings at first, second, third, and both corner outfield spots. That kind of defensive flexibility is gold for a manager like Counsell, who thrives on matchup-driven lineups and positional creativity.
Offensively, Miller looked like a breakout candidate early in 2023. Through the end of May, he was batting .331, spraying line drives and giving Milwaukee a steady presence in the order.
But the hot streak didn’t last. July brought a steep decline - he hit just .178 that month - and the Brewers eventually sent him back to the minors.
After Counsell departed Milwaukee at the end of 2023 and Pat Murphy took over as manager, Miller found himself on the outside looking in. He never found his footing with the 2024 Brewers and was traded to the Rockies before the 2025 season. His stint in Colorado was brief - just nine games - and he entered free agency looking for a fresh opportunity.
Now, that opportunity comes in Chicago, where Counsell is building a new culture and already has a few familiar faces from his Brewers days. For Miller, the fit makes sense.
He knows the manager. He knows the division.
And he’s shown - albeit in flashes - that he can contribute at the big-league level when given the right role.
This is a classic low-risk, high-upside move for the Cubs. If Miller can recapture even a portion of the form he showed during that early 2023 surge, he could become a valuable depth piece - someone who can fill in all over the diamond and give Counsell options late in games or during injury stretches.
And let’s be honest: there’s always a little extra juice when a former Brewer suits up in Cubbie blue, especially under Counsell. It adds another layer to a rivalry that’s already seen its fair share of crossover storylines in recent years.
For now, Miller will have to earn his way back to the majors. But don’t be surprised if we see him back at Wrigley before long - doing what he does best: filling gaps, making plays, and giving his team a little more flexibility than they had the day before.