St. Louis Cardinals Rookie Outfielder Michael Siani is proving to be a defensive weapon for the team. Siani has had the opportunity to play through a gauntlet of injuries and underperformance from other outfielders on the team. He has made himself indispensable to the team through his defensive play.
Cardinals Rookie Outfielder Is A Defensive Weapon
“He’s been unbelievable in center, one of the best center fielders in the game right now,” said Cardinals Manager Oliver Marmol after the team’s win over the Atlanta Braves on Monday. “His first step is incredible; he has saved us multiple times.”
Best Defensive Outfielder According To Advanced Stats
Pick an advanced statistic, and Siani is a league leader in it. He’s tied for the league lead in fielding run value with Washington’s Jacob Young at 10. He’s tied for the league lead with Texas’ Marcus Semien in Outs Above Average at 12. Siani also has the highest outfielder catch probability in MLB according to Baseball Savant.
“The plays that really impress me the most are when he’s inches from the ground. Because once it gets to that level it kind of goes out of eyesight,” said Cardinals outfielder Tommy Edman on Thursday. “So being able to know where the ball is going when it’s that close to the ground is really impressive.”
#STLCards CF Michael Siani did it again, making another sliding catch of a sinking liner.
Statcast metrics:
Exit velocity: 104.8 mph
Sprint speed: 24.2 FT/SEC
Distance covered: 49 feet
Opportunity time: 3.3 SEC
Catch probability: 10 percent pic.twitter.com/fdIPZnYn1K— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) June 26, 2024
Seeming to specialize in dazzling diving catches, Siani’s defensive play has held leads for the Cardinals and kept them in games at times.
“We’ve been playing really good baseball,” Siani said after the Cardinals series win over the Braves. “So, it’s good to be able to contribute in that way out in the outfield. I want to continue to do that and stay aggressive out there.”
Getting A Good Jump
Siani has the fourth best outfield jump in Baseball at 3.3 feet above average in the first three seconds off the bat. It’s a skill that gives him the chance to make the difficult catches. It’s also one he works on daily.
“I take jumps during batting practice,” Siani said this week. “Not necessarily chasing balls down and running all over the field for it, but just working on those first three to five steps. Couple hard breaks, making sure my direction is right and I’m putting myself in a good spot to go get the balls when the game starts.”
Michael Siani goes FULL EXTENSION!
pic.twitter.com/kaB6mfIQe4
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) June 24, 2024
Siani covers an average of 37.6 feet on his jumps. That’s the fifth best raw number in baseball. It’s something his teammates have taken notice of.
“He gets really good jumps, really good reads. Seems like he’s always off running right when the ball is hit,” Edman said. “So, it’s been fun to watch, I’ve learned a thing or two from watching him.”
Stepping Up For The Cardinals
The Cardinals started the season with their projected starting outfield all on the IL. Lars Nootbaar has missed further time, Dylan Carlson has struggled since his return to the team, and Edman has yet to play this season.
The outfield situation was further complicated this season after a slow start forced the team to send Jordan Walker down to Triple-A. The former top prospect has yet to return to the team after nearly two months in the minors.
The #STLCards have stuck to their mantra of being better defensively, and that’s exactly why Michael Siani is their starting CF. Statcast metrics on this catch:
Starting depth: 329 FT
Distance covered: 101 FT
Spring speed: 29.1 FT/SEC
Catch probability: 65%
Hang time: 5.4 secs pic.twitter.com/vKqwTN3LYh— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) April 27, 2024
Siani is among the best defensive center fielders in Baseball. Providing the team with security in the field. However, he has not been known for his hitting. In the past month that has changed. His season-long slash line is .234/.274/.323. In the past month he has improved, having a .270/.277/.397 slash line in the last 30 days.
“I think it’s just having better at-bats,” Siani said this week. “Going up there with a plan and sticking with it. Putting in a lot of work in the cages and making sure that I’m where I want to be with my swing and my approach. Just continue to do that and develop.”
Nootbaar is nearing a rehab assignment and Edman has resumed baseball activities. However, even when fully healthy, Siani has earned a spot as a key player on the playoff-contending Cardinals.
Main Photo Credits: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
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