In 2017, Siani committed to the Univ. of Virginia before his senior year at William Penn Charter School in Glenside, Pennsylvania.

July 2017: Hudson Belinsky interviewed Mike Siani before the Under Armour All-America Game.

Mike Siani is one of the top prospects in the 2018 draft class. He’s a plus-plus runner with natural instincts in center field, and he has raw power and bat speed from the left side of the plate.

Baseball America: What's your baseball history? When did you start playing?

Mike Siani: Probably like two or three years old. I've been playing most of my life. My dad introduced it to me. He played when he was younger. He played in college, he went to Penn State-Abington. It was kind of a tee-ball thing I started with. Pretty generic. And I guess I'm here now.

BA: Philadelphia baseball seems underrated, with a lot of players coming out and doing well at the next level in recent years. Do you have relationships with some of those guys?

MS:  I went to high school with Joey Lancellotti at Penn Charter. He just graduated and he's at North Carolina. Shane Muntz (from Malvern Prep) is also another guy. (Muntz will be a freshman at Wake Forest this fall.) Our league specifically—the Inter-Ac League, has been strong the last couple years. We were very successful last year. We won our league. We had nine or 10 guys go to college for baseball just from our team.

BA: Where do you like to go for a cheese steak in Philly?

MS: There are a couple places that I like to go to. There's one called Dalessandro's. It's in Roxbury, right near my school. It's really good. Small little corner spots, those are the best places to go. Not the big chains that everybody knows about. Steve's Prince of Steaks is pretty good. Jim's is good. Just the smaller spots, the places not everyone knows about.

BA: What's your go-to Chipotle order?

MS: I usually get a bowl with double steak, some mild salsa—can't get it too hot, white rice, black beans and some corn.

BA: When did you find out you were going to be an Under Armour All-American? What was that like?

MS: David Lax from Baseball Factory came to one of my high school games this year, towards the end of the season, to let me know that I was going to be invited, which was awesome. Watching the game last year, following everything that Baseball Factory does and the Under Armour game, and just knowing the kind of opportunity I'm going to have here, it's going to be special.

(In the summer of 2016, Siani played with USA Baseball's 18U National Team as an underclassman.)

BA: Had you talked with some of your teammates from Team USA about the experience of the Under Armour game?

MS: I roomed with Nick Pratto last year in Mexico. I talked with him, Shane Baz, all the big guys about what they did here, what they did with Perfect Game, the Area Code Games, all of that. They were letting me—along with Jarred Kelenic, Brice Turang and Triston Casas—know how things were going to go, how the experience was going to be here, and how much fun it would be.

Siani has one of the best outfield arms in this year's draft class, and he's also a prospect as a lefthanded pitcher.

BA: What are your thoughts on some of the modern training techniques for developing arm strength?

MS: The place that I work out at is in contact with Driveline and they're all about it. I've been on this program since I was like 14, so it's been implemented into what I do every day. It's the bands, it's the wrist weights, it's the weighted balls, it's lifting the right way, it's throwing—it's all kind of incorporated into one thing and it kind of has to do with hitting too. And following that routine has brought me to where I am today, so it's obviously doing something right. So I kind of just follow it and just go by what it is and the results have been. I've heard great things about it and I've heard people talk about it to. A lot of kids here use it.

BA: Your more of a prospect as a center fielder, but what are your thoughts on possibly being a two-way player in college?

MS: Yeah, I enjoy being on the mound. I've been in a relief position for my high school team the last couple years and I enjoy doing that and I would imagine Virginia sees the same thing in me that I could possibly do both.

BA: What was the recruiting process like for you?

MS: I was early. In the beginning of my freshman year, I was in Fort Myers and that's where they saw me that fall. I visited multiple times and they had me around and I got to meet some of the guys in practice. I went to a football game, a basketball game. And just something about the campus, the location and it's like a big college town, which is exactly what I wanted. And it's not too rural, it's not too urban, it's kind of something in the middle, which is cool. And the coaching staff is awesome. There's a lot of northeast kids going down there too. Everything about the school is exactly what I wanted.

BA: Your brother Sammy Siani is also a pretty good player too, right?

MS: He's here (in Chicago) as well with the USA 17U National Team Development Program. I think they finish up today. He got to play at Wrigley, he got to play at Miller Park, so he was all excited about that.

BA: Is he your only sibling?

MS: No, so I have another brother. He's younger. He'll be a freshman this year. So we'll all be in high school together. We all play the outfield, so maybe we'll all be in the outfield at the same time.

BA: What do your parents do for a living?

MS:  My dad owns a barber shop right down the street from our house. He's a third-generation barber. They've been there since my great grandfather came over from Italy and started it in the 1920s, I think. It's called Ralph's Barber Shop—he's the third, Ralph the third. They didn't keep the tradition going with me, but it's alright.

My mom stays at home. She was a teacher. She takes care of me and my two brothers.

BA: What are your walk-up songs?

MS:  For school, it was “Goosebumps,” by Travis Scott. I kind of stick with Travis Scott. There's a couple songs I like—”The End,” “Through The Late Night.” I saw him. He was in Philly last year and I saw him, which was crazy. Anything by him.

BA: What's the scouting report on Mike Siani?

MS:  The speed is big and then the arm. I've been trying to characterize myself as a five-tool player, which is what I want to be, to be able to hit for power and average. The power thing is developing, I've been working on that. But the hit tool—hitting for contact, working good at-bats—is definitely something I take pride in. And then the athletic ability in the outfield is important, too.

 BA: Are there any big leaguers you look up to or model yourself after?

MS:  Just because he's a local guy, I look up to Mike Trout and everything he does. He's a Jersey guy, played (travel baseball) for Tri-State Arsenal so I follow him. Whenever he comes back and plays the Phillies I try to get there and watch. He's the five-tool guy that I'd like to be like.

June 2018: The Reds chose Siani in the 4th round, out of William Penn Charter School in Glenside, PA. They signed him via scout Jeff Brookens for $2 million — well above the slot value of $512,800 for the 109th pick. 

A left-handed hitter, he batted .361 during his senior season and was named Pennsylvania's Gatorade Player of the Year. There was some negotiating leverage because he was committed to the University of Virginia and initially leaning towards playing college baseball. 

"I wasn't sure at all," Siani said. "I was kind of letting the situation play out for itself. Fortunately, the Reds came up with the amount of money that was going to make it happen. Going to bed the first night [of the Draft], I didn't get picked. I was unsure about what was going to happen. I didn't want to assume anything. It all worked out for the best."

Siani wore a Reds jersey and walked around the ballpark.  "I'm excited. It's been kind of a long month of waiting around," said Siani, who will report to Greeneville. "It's definitely pretty special to be able to walk out here and sign the contract and be part of this organization."  (Sheldon - mlb.com - 7/3/18)

In 2019, the Baseball America Prospect Handbook rated Siani as the 9th-best prospect in the Reds' organization. And he was still at #9 early in 2020. He was at #10 in 2021.

But he fell to #30 in the spring of 2022. He was at #18 before 2023 spring training.

2021 Season: Siani was the Reds top prospect assigned to the 2021AF League. An elbow issue at the end of last season in 2020 required some lengthy rehab for Siani, limiting him a bit (97 games played) and forcing him into the DH role more than he would have liked, especially since his defense is perhaps his best tool. He struggled to find a groove for most of the year with High-A Dayton and the hope is added reps this fall might get him ready for a jump to Double-A in 2022. The speedy lefty endured a tough regular season, posting a .648 OPS in 97 games for High-A Dayton.

We’re not sure what the Siani family is doing in eastern Pennsylvania, but it’s clear they know how to grow professional outfielders. Michael was a fourth-rounder of the Reds in 2018, getting close to first-round money to sign and spending the 2021 season in High-A. A year later, his younger brother Sammy went No. 37 overall to the Pirates and was in Low-A in 2021. Both have a way to go, but seeing some sibling rivalry in the NL Central would be fun.  (February 4, 2022 -Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo, Sam Dykstra)

Feb 18, 2022: The Reds’ No. 11 ranked prospect, outfielder Michael Siani, should be ready for early camp next week after he sustained Achilles tendon inflammation that cost him about two weeks during the Arizona Fall League.

“We went out and had a workout with [outfield prospect] Austin Hendrick and our new hitting coordinator. We met up in Pittsburgh, so I had a chance to see him,” Pender said. “[Siani] looks great, no complaints. He said there’s still a little stiffness on occasion, but that might have been the weather.” (M Sheldon - MLB.com - Feb 18, 2022)

2022 Season: It was a breakout season for Michael Siani as he set a new career high with 14 home runs. He entered the season with 14 home runs in parts of the previous three seasons, so it was a big step forward. But he also cut down on his strikeouts, helping him hit .253/.345/.405 on the season. Siani also stole an organizational best 52 bases in 129 games before he was called up to Cincinnati for the final few weeks of the season. Toss in that he’s also likely the best defensive outfielder on the farm and he put together the best year of his career.  (Doug Gray - October 8, 2022)

2023 Season: Stats (AAA): 493 PAs, .227/.347/.350, 15.4 BB%, 23.7 K%, .122 ISO, .293 BABIP, 81 wRC+

Scouting: 40/45 Hit, 30/30 Game Power, 40/40 Raw Power, 60/60 Speed, 55/70 Field

We’re almost a year late on that scouting report, and I can tell you his hit tool is definitely not that good. Also, to be more accurate to his position, he’s a true centerfielder. In my mind, he had to be put on this voting simply for the fact that his defense might make him a viable MLBer. That dude should be voted for on a top 20 list, at some point. (stlcardsfan4@thestlcardsfan4 - Mar 11, 2024)

TRANSACTIONS

Siani's s improved approach in 2022, helped put him back into the Reds’ long-term plans. He may not have the bat to be a regular, but his defense and speed make him a viable No. 4 outfielder. He has a 45 hit tool, but only 35 for power.

In 2021 in particular, Siani had bought into the launch angle and loft craze a bit too much, which led to too much power-sellout to his pull side and taking him out of his overall approach. He righted the ship a bit in the Arizona Fall League following that year, and that carried over to 2022, when he got back to being more of a line-drive, hit-the-gaps, use-his-speed kind of a hitter. He did get to some of his power more naturally with 14 homers, all coming to his pull side, while cutting his strikeout rate down and continuing to draw walks. (BA - Spring 2023)

In 2022, Michael took a step forward because he tried to do less. He toned down his swing, aiming less to lift the ball for home runs and focusing more on making contact. That helped him dramatically reduce his strikeout rate, but he found the gaps more as well, helping make his below-average power get into play more regularly. (JJ Cooper - BA Prospect Handbook - Spring, 2023)

Questions arise when it comes to what kind of hitter he might be. He likely profiles better as a line-drive, all-fields player, one who can drive the ball to the gaps and use his legs. In the past, he’s bought too much into the launch angle and loft movement, selling out for power to his pull side, without much to show for it. If he can settle into being an average hitter who gets 12-15 homers over the fence, and he took steps in that direction in the Fall League, he still can develop into a big league regular with Gold Glove potential. (Spring 2022) 

“There have been a few things I’ve been working on discipline-wise, but also at the same time being aggressive early in the count on strikes.” Siani said. “Just being competitive, keeping my bat in the zone as long as I can, limiting the strikeouts—that was a big deal for me.

“I wasn’t really focused on hitting for power," Siani said. "I think that just kind of comes with maturity and getting a better approach and more discipline.” (Doug Gray - Baseball America - Nov 2022)

Questions arise when it comes to what kind of hitter Siani might be. He likely profiles better as a line-drive, all-fields player, one who can drive the ball to the gaps and use his legs. In the past, he’s bought too much into the launch angle and loft movement, selling out for power to his pull side, without much to show for it. If he can settle into being an average hitter who gets 12-15 homers over the fence, and he took steps in that direction in the Fall League, he still can develop into a big league regular with Gold Glove potential.  (Spring 2022) 

One thing Siani has worked on has been to not just hit the ball on the ground and let the plus speed that led to 45 steals in 2019 work for him. He’s using more of the field, with gap power showing up more consistently. If that trend continues, he has every chance to be a starting center fielder in the big leagues. 

But he hits for neither average nor power. Siani tries to drive the ball with a pull-heavy approach that relies on getting balls he can drive on the inner third of the plate. He doesn’t really do much when he gets those pitches thanks to below-average power and the length to his swing. He was surprisingly bad against righthanders in 2021. (JJ Cooper - Baseball America - Spring 2022)

Siani faces questions about his bat. He has a direct swing path but tends to over-swing. He has a little bit of gap power that will likely improve as he matures and gets stronger, but he’s better suited to be a table-setter who uses the entire field and takes advantage of his plus speed on the bases. (J.J. Cooper - Baseball America Prospect Handbook - Spring, 2021)

The questions were more about how much he would impact the baseball offensively. He showed the ability to make adjustments in the second half of the 2019 season and that continued in 2020. He’s using his legs more effectively and staying back more while showing overall improvement with his bat path. One thing Siani has worked on has been to not just hit the ball on the ground and let the plus speed that led to 45 steals in 2019 work for him. He’s using more of the field, with gap power showing up more consistently. (Spring 2021)

Mike's bat path stays direct to the ball, he tends to overswing, which causes his contact ability to suffer. As he matures, his bat should develop to make more consistent contact and take advantage of his average raw power. (Justin Coleman - Baseball America Prospect Handbook - Spring, 2020)

Siani is still growing into his 6-foot-1 frame but has reached 195 pounds. He is still discovering himself as a hitter, which isn’t unusual for a high school player from the northeastern part of the country (Philadelphia). The lefty hitter has bat speed and some natural power and will have to learn how to manage his swing through the process of development and more reps. Otherwise, Siani is a good baserunner and has received kudos for his competitiveness, makeup and work ethic. That should help him continue to make the most out of his considerable tools as he continues to move up the Reds ladder. (Spring 2020)

Mike has growing raw lefthanded power. He can hit the ball to all fields. He uses a small leg kick with minimal loading to stay short to the ball, though his contact ability suffers from a tendency to get big and swing for the fences. Siani’s bat is relatively well refined for a young hitter, and he projects to have average productive power to go with an average bat. (Justin Coleman - BA Prospect Handbook - Spring, 2019)

Mike's wrists and forearms are very strong. He has a 55 grade hit tool. And 50 grade power is inevitable.

Some evaluators have concerns about his wing-and-miss tendencies. Others project overall above-average hitting ability and believe his tool set will allow him to become an all star-caliber player. (April, 2019)

Mike has a narrow stance with a big stride to contact. He lifts and separates with serious intent. He has a big hip torque that provides bat speed for excellent power.

Scouts love Siani’s makeup and admire his grinder, no-holds-barred style of play.

Feb 22, 2022: The best defensive outfielder in the Reds’ system, center-field prospect Michael Siani, often appears in videos online that show him taking hits away from opposing batters with spectacular catches.

As important as defense is, the key for Siani to reach the Major Leagues will be to show that he can hit. The 22-year-old left-handed hitter hasn’t rated as highly with his bat since he was a fourth-round selection by Cincinnati in the 2018 MLB Draft.

But that could soon change. The organization’s No. 11-ranked prospect, per MLB Pipeline, played for Surprise in the 2021 Arizona Fall League and slashed .300/.451/.450 with one homer over 14 games. In 51 plate appearances, Siani walked 10 times against nine strikeouts.

“I was trying to simplify it, not trying to do too much,” said Siani after Tuesday’s workout at Reds early Minor League camp. “I stuck to one kind of plan and trusted that the bat to ball is going to be all right. The strike-zone awareness needs to be where it is.

“Having more walks than strikeouts in the Fall League was a big deal for me. Those little things and being quick to the plate and having good discipline was important, especially in the Fall League. You’re going to see arms that are really talented, whether it’s high velo or really good spin. You have to take that into this season and go from there.”

Siani missed two weeks in the Arizona Fall League because of a right Achilles tendon strain, but he recovered in time to play a couple of games by the end of the season. Overall, the AFL experience was a plus after he batted .216/.321/.327 with six homers over 97 games with High-A Dayton in '21.

“It was definitely big to get out there and reset in a way,” Siani said. “I got to be around a lot of really good players and the staff was great. There’s definitely some changes I kind of messed around with out there, and they started to develop pretty well. It’s a good starting spot to work off of for the season coming up.”

Siani has excellent speed, which enabled him to steal 30 bases for Dayton last season and 45 bases in '19. He’s not falling back to being a ground-ball hitter and outrunning defenses for hits, instead striving to be a gap-to-gap hitter.

“Hard line drives are where you have to live,” Siani added. “You’re going to hit home runs, but that’s not the goal. I want to be an extra-bases hitter — doubles. Get on the bases and do what I can do. I want to continue to hit the ball hard all over the field. You don’t want to get shifted.”

During the offseason, the Philadelphia-area native continued to work at home and in Tampa, Fla. He also traveled to Pittsburgh with Reds vice president of player development Shawn Pender, a fellow Philadelphia resident, to meet new hitting coordinator Jim Rickon.

Siani and outfielder Austin Hendrick, Cincinnati’s No. 4-ranked prospect, did some hitting for Pender and Rickon.

“He looks great, no complaints,” Pender said of Siani. “He said there’s still a little [Achilles] stiffness on occasion, but that might have been the cold weather.”

“Honestly, I’ve had a bunch of different hitting coordinators during my time here. It was good to get to meet him and get a feel for where Rickon is at and swing a little bit with Austin and see and talk to Shawn,” Siani said.

Defensive effort will remain vital to Siani, who likes working on reading balls off the bat and taking a quick first step in the outfield each day during batting practice. He also has solid instincts, a plus left-handed throwing arm and the benefit of 60-grade speed to make catches from center field.

“Obviously, offensively you want to continue to improve and get better. That’s what will take you to the big leagues. But defense is a big deal,” Siani said. “I definitely like laying out in the gap or reaching over my head for a ball. It’s just as good as getting an extra-base hit at the plate. You just try to help out your pitcher as much as you can.” (M Sheldon - MLB.com - Feb 22, 2022)

Mike is a superb outfielder. He has excellent range, taking great routes to the ball and fielding the ball cleanly. He has excellent baseball instincts. He does great in center field and has a 70 grade for his fantastic defense. And, he has 60 grade arm.

Getting on base more allowed Siani to steal more bags, and he led the Southern League with 49 steals. That speed, along with his natural feel for reads and routes, also continues to help him cover ground in center field, with his strong arm a plus as well. He’s trending toward being a defense-and-speed fourth outfielder at best, but considering he turned 24 in July before the DFA, there’s still some time for development. (BA - Spring 2023) 

The center fielder uses his plus speed to his advantage and his arm plays well. Siani was a plus defender in high school and nothing has changed. He could play center field defensively in the big leagues right now, with his plus speed enhanced by his outstanding instincts and good reads and routes, not to mention his plus arm. He’s used that speed on the basepaths as well, swiping 75 bases in 2019 and 2021 combined, then 10 more in the AFL. (Spring 2022)

Siani is an exceptional center fielder defensively. He is fearless and has the mentality that any ball hit anywhere near center field should end up in his glove. His plus-plus defense would make him the Reds best defensive center fielder since Billy Hamilton was in his prime. He’s also a plus runner and has a plus arm. (JJ Cooper - Baseball America - Spring 2022)

Siani is a keenly self-aware young man.

"I know I'm still developing," Mike said. "Obviously, my strengths are my defense, and stuff like that."

Asked whether the decision was tough to turn pro or go to college, Siani replied, "It was very close. It happened very fast on draft day, because I didn't get drafted until the second day in the fourth round. We were unsure how much money I was going to get, and I had a great relationship with the coaches at Virginia.

"It all worked out with the Reds stepping up, though. It wasn't predetermined where I knew I was going to play pro ball before the draft." (Robert Martinez - Reds Report - Dec., 2021)

Siani entered pro ball known especially for his defensive work in center field, and he’s done nothing but solidify his reputation as the best defensive outfielder in the Reds’ system, especially in terms of his reads and routes, not to mention his plus speed and strong arm. He has every chance to be a starting center fielder in the big leagues. (Spring 2021)

It's easy to see a Gold Glove in Siani's future.  HIs arm is also above average with a 60 grade. Siani is years away from being ready for the majors as a hitter. His defense will buy him time to make the necessary approach and strength improvements. (J.J. Cooper - BAPH - Spring, 2021)

Arguably the best defender in the Reds’ system, Siani was often caught on video making tremendous diving catches in center field for Dayton in 2019. That wasn’t just for show or because he was late on balls off the bat. The 20-year-old is a good athlete, has strong defensive instincts, a quick first step and has been remarkable with his reads and breaks on the ball. He also has an accurate arm.

Mike has great instincts and tools on defense.  He is athletic with excellent body control and gets good jumps into both gaps, closing on balls quickly. (Spring, 2020)

Siani has an excellent arm and gets impressive carry on his throws, which always seem to be accurate. His arm was clocked at 94 mph. It grades a 60.

Mike shows an advanced understanding of the game, especially when he roams center field. He stays under control and shows poise. He gets a good first step on his reads and takes solid routes. He is very athletic, and it shows on both sides of the ball. Siani’s plus arm and speed make him a safe bet to remain in center field.

2022: Reds Best Defensive Prospect - Michael Siani, OF

Siani looked like a big league center fielder as an amateur and has continued to play plus defense in center field since the Reds drafted him in 2018. He has great instincts, with an outstanding first step helping his plus reads and routes. (Mayo, Callis, Dykstra - MLB.com - Feb 24, 2022)

May 7-14, 2019: Siani was on the IL.

2021 Season: An elbow issue at the end of season required some lengthy rehab for Siani, limiting him and often forcing him into the DH role for several games.

Sept 2021: Siani suffered Achilles tendon inflammation that cost him about two weeks during the Arizona Fall League.

Aug 3-Sept 1, 2024: Siani was on the IL with right oblique strain. Siani felt pain in his midsection after fouling off a pitch during the fifth inning of the Cardinals' 5-4 win over the rival Cubs.

Aug 5, 2024: Manager Oliver Marmol described the strain as “moderate” and said he expects Siani to miss three to four weeks.