The Viterbo University baseball program started in 1988 and Damian Miller was their first — and only — player to date to make it to the Major League level.

The Viterbo University Hall of Fame opened in 1992 and Damian Miller was inducted into their "Wall of Honor" in 2001. His entry reads as follows:

Damian Miller has carved out a place for himself in the V-Hawk history book. The first Viterbo baseball player to achieve major league status, Miller was drafted in the 20th round by the Minnesota Twins in 1990. in his professional debut with the Twins minor league team in Elizabethton, he hit a home run and drove in 3 runs in his first at-bat. After stops in a number of minor league cities, Damian finally broke through, playing for the Twins, and then, on to the Arizona Diamondbacks as the team's starting catcher.

The tenacious work ethic and, never-quit attitude that worked so well for Damian in the majors, was readily evident in his three seasons of play at Viterbo. In his first year in a V-Hawk uniform, the West Salem native was an unstoppable force en route to posting a .312 batting average. That was just the start. In his sophomore year, he hit .409 and in the following year that average skyrocketed to an astronomical .516.

In other honors, Damian was named NAIA District Player of the year in 1990. He holds the school record for highest career batting average (.423), highest single season batting average (.516), and most RBIs in a season (46).

In reviewing his career - high school through college play, and in the majors - the La Crosse Tribune awarded Damian Miller its most prestigious honor: 2000 Sportsman of the Year. At Viterbo, Damian has indeed set a standard of achievement that others will continuously aspire to attain.

Source: Viterbo University (link).

Did you know that there was only one former Viterbo University player who made it to "the show"? Send corrections or updates to Baseball Almanac.