Pirates Outfielder Named Sleeper of Arizona Fall League
While top-rated prospects like Termarr Johnson for the Pittsburgh Pirates draw much of the headlines in the Arizona Fall League, there are always a few under-the-radar names to keep tabs on.
MLB.com listed one "sleeper" player to keep an eye on for every team and for the Pirates named outfielder Sammy Siani.
"Sammy was the Pirates’ selection at No. 37 overall in the 2019 Draft and he struggled at the plate over his first two full seasons of pro ball due mostly to an extremely steep swing path that left holes he couldn’t cover," MLB.com writes. "He worked to revamp his swing and cut down his in-zone miss rate considerably, enabling him to move from High-A to Double-A this season. He finished off strongly there, leaving the Pirates a little bullish about his offensive upside while feeling very confident about his above-average outfield defense."
Siani, 23, is batting .300 through two games in the AFL for the Scottsdale Scorpions and has hit a solo home run, which also accounts for his lone RBI. The Pirates' outfielder's home run tied the game up for the Scorpions on Tuesday and they went on to win 9-7 over the Salt River Rafters.
Siani hit nine home runs, drove in 48 runs and slashed .265/.338/.401 in 116 games across High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona last season. The Pirates' outfielder played 96 games in Double-A and 20 in High-A.
If nothing else, Siani's defense would be a welcome addition for the Pirates if or when he arrives to the big leagues. Pittsburgh's defense was ninth in errors last season. And if Siani's bat can continue to ascend, him sliding in at a corner outfield spot wouldn't be out of the question.
The Scorpions (1-2) will look to snap their two-game losing streak when they face the Glendale Desert Dogs (2-1) on Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET.
