vertico-timer's preferred way of operation is choosing a candidate first, then the action.
The prep-key feature inverts that but vertico-quick already provides that workflow and somewhat more consistently at that. Since after action selection letters aren't needed for input they may as well serve for selection.
Only the delayed appearance of the letters could be an argument for sticking with digits even for this inverted workflow. But it seems the more rational choice to switch to vertico-quick in that case and it should be easy to implement and make it work with the action hint display.