FanSided

Reds prospect Michael Siani robbed of MLB Pipeline's first-team All-Defense

By Drew Koch |
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto's (19) shoes, bat and hat rest on the field.
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto's (19) shoes, bat and hat rest on the field. / Kareem Elgazzar, Cincinnati Enquirer via

While MLB Pipeline viewed Cincinnati Reds prospect Michael Siani as the team's best defensive prospect, the former fourth-round pick was robbed of a spot on the outlet's first-team All-Defensive squad.

Siani landed among the outfielders on the second-team with the Philadelphia Phillies Johan Rojas and Carroll Corbin of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Corbin is the website's No. 26 overall prospect while Siani and Rojas don't crack their team's Top 5 prospects.

Reds OF Michael Siani should have made first-team All-Defense.

The top three outfield spots went to Chicago Cubs prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong, and the Atlanta Braves duo of Christian Pache and Michael Harris. Like Corbin, both Pache and Harris are ranked among the Top 100 prospects in baseball per MLB Pipeline.

I have no problem with Pache receiving the nod over Siani. The Atlanta Braves outfield prospect, who's found his way onto the postseason roster the past two seasons, has the chops to patrol center field for the next decade. Like Siani, his bat is questionable, but there's no way to question Pache's defense. He is elite.

The Braves other outfield prospect, however, is a different story. Harris was a pitching prospect throughout most of his career, but as it turns out, he's a pretty good outfielder. But he's not better than Siani. Even MLB Pipeline's own grading system (scouting scale of 20-80) has Harris (50) rated lower than Siani (60) on defense. Both were given a 60 grade for their speed and their arm.

As for the Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong, while he has the potential to be a terrific defender, the former New York Mets draft pick has just six minor league games under his belt. After tearing his labrum in the spring of 2021, Crow-Armstrong was sidelined for nearly all of last season.

3 Reds on the minor league roster who'll make some noise. dark. Next

While Crow-Armstrong may eventually be a great defender, it's foolish to put him ahead of the already established Siani. The 22-year-old Reds prospect has over 250 minor league games under his belt and had 18 outfield assists during the 2019 season. All of the aforementioned prospects are great defenders, but only Christian Pache deserves to be rated ahead of Michael Siani.

Home / Reds Prospects

Schedule