Pirates OF Prospect Continues Hot Bat in AFL
How Sammy Siani's bat would fare in the Arizona Fall League was among the most important questions facing the Pittsburgh Pirates prospect.
Through 10 games, Siani has done nothing but impress, and he continued to swing a hot bat on Friday. He went 3-4 with a walk and two runs scored in the Scottsdale Scorpions' 10-9 loss to the Surprise Saguaros.
With the performance, the Pirates' outfield prospect has 16 hits, a .410 batting average and nine runs scored, all of which are second on the team only to Detroit Tigers catching prospect Josue Briceño. Siani is tied for first on the team in stolen bases (2) with Pirates No. 3 prospect Termarr Johnson and Toronto Blue Jays infield prospect Adrian Pinto.
Johnson, who is MLB Pipeline's No. 75 prospect, was 1-5 with an RBI, one run scored and three strikeouts.
Siani continuing to improve at the plate is a more than welcome sign for a Pittsburgh farm system in need of more promising bats. MLB Pipeline's Jonathan Mayo noted Siani's improvements at the plate and how that complements his already strong speed and defense. Siani hit 9 home runs, drove in 48 runs and slashed .265/.338/.400 across High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona in 2024.
"Taken No. 37 overall in the 2019 Draft, the younger brother of Cardinals outfielder Michael Siani struggled for much of his two first full seasons of pro ball," Mayo wrote. "A change to his swing path -- he’s much less steep now -- led to his first prolonged success with High-A Greensboro, and he earned a promotion to Double-A. He’s making a lot more contact now and trying to carry over that success to the AFL, where his speed and above-average defense should also be on display."
Siani doubled to center field in his first at-bat in the top of the second inning before singling to right field during his second plate appearance in the fourth. Siani's single set the table for the Scorpions to tie the game 2-2 on an RBI single from San Francisco Giants infield prospect Charlie Szykowny, and they went on to score six runs to take a 7-2 lead.
Siani walked and scored in his next at-bat on a two-run home run from Szykowny, then was retired for the only time in the game on a groundout in the top of the seventh. The Pirates' farmhand later came up with the game-tying run on first base in the ninth inning and two outs and singled. Scottsdale couldn't sustain the late rally, though, as Szykowny struck out to end the game.
The Scorpions (5-10) will look to snap their three-game losing streak on Saturday when they face the Saguaros (10-5) at 3:30 p.m. ET.
