Pittsburgh Pirates Prospect Watch: Outfielder Sammy Siani

After being drafted and making his professional debut in 2019, what could Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Sammy Siani look to accomplish in 2020?

With the 37th pick in the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft the Pittsburgh Pirates selected outfielder Sammy Siani. The 19-year-old Philadelphia native was slated to play college baseball for Duke University. However, after the Pittsburgh Pirates offered Siani an over slot value of $2.1 million, he selected to sign with the Pirates over attending college.

After signing, Siani was able to play 39 games for the GCL Pirates last summer. In these 39 games he accumulated 164 plate appearances. The left-handed hitter slashed .241/.372/.308 in these 39 games. He stole 5 bases, struck out at a 25% clip, but did own a phenomenal 15.9% walk rate.

Siani was one of the youngest players in last year’s draft, as he did not turn 19 until December. As a result, his frame still has a lot of filling out to do. He is currently listed at 6’0″. 195 pounds. As his frame fills out, Siani should be able to add power to his game.

One part of Siani’s game that is already top notch is his speed. He is also a strong defender. Siani has a strong throwing arm, and his speed allows him to cover a lot of ground in the outfield. MLB Pipeline rates his throwing arm (50) as average, while his speed (55) and overall defense (55) are rated slightly above average.

The best offensive tool Siani displayed in 2019 was his patience. A 15.9% walk rate is terrific for any hitter. For a young hitter like Siani, it is that much more impressive. Typically, hitters that young do not possess that type of patience at the plate.

Prospect W

Patience will be key in developing Siani. He is raw, and, as was covered above, his frame has filling out to do. Players like this can take a few years to really start to develop and flash their true potential.

So, what should people watch for with Siani in 2020? Siani will want to get his strikeout rate under 20%. Additionally, you want to see an uptick in power. It will be a few years until Siani gets to wherever he will be as a power hitter. That said, you want to see an increase in power from Siani in 2020.