Reds fans should temper their expectations for outfield prospect Mike Siani

Mike Siani was called up to the big leagues on Wednesday, and it's very likely that Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell will insert the club's outfield prospect into the starting lineup tonight versus the Milwaukee Brewers.

While it's always exciting for the fanbase to see a new and upcoming prospect make his major league debut, fans should temper their expectations in regards to Siani's debut with the Reds.

Siani was Cincinnati's fourth-round selection in the 2018 MLB Draft and has spent the majority of the 2022 season at Double-A Chattanooga. While the potential is there, don't let it be forgotten that Siani has only played eight games at Triple-A.

Reds fans should temper their expectations for OF prospect Mike Siani.

Sports fans can be very fickle. They see prospect rankings and scouts' opinions attached to a young player's draft status and automatically assume that said player should be the second coming of Babe Ruth. Oftentimes that could not be further from the truth.

Reds Country has a great example in Jose Barrero. The young shortstop prospect hd been labeled as the "shortstop of the future". While that may yet be true, Barrero's lack of success this season has wedged a great deal of doubt into the minds of the Cincinnati faithful. Barrero is hitting just .167 and has 63 strikeouts in 137 at-bats.

Mike Siani should be given the benefit of the doubt during the final two weeks of the 2022 season. Having just 38 plate appearances at Triple-A before receiving the call-up to the major leagues is not typical. Siani has also struggled to hit consistently at all levels of the minor leagues.

While Siani's defense may be unmatched within the Cincinnati Reds organization, he's slashed just .248/.336/.364 in four minor league seasons. The fanbase should not expect Siani to hit for much power, as he's averaged just seven home runs and 24 extra base hits during those four seasons.

But, what fans can expect is to see from Mike Siani top-notch defense in the outfield and high-octane speed on the base paths. Siani is a bottom-of-the-order hitter who may be able to make a play for next year's Opening Day roster. But during the final couple of weeks of this season, the fanbase should keep their expectations to a minimum.