Former SF Giants Acquisition With Huge Power Signs With Astros

The SF Giants acquired outfielder Jose Siri this year off waivers, but he has agreed to a minor-league contract with the Houston Astros for next season.

According to a report by Robert Murray of FanSided, free-agent outfielder Jose Siri has agreed to a minor-league contract with the Houston Astros. The SF Giants claimed Siri off waivers earlier this year, but he never played a game with the big-league team. He declared himself a minor-league free agent at the start of the offseason and reportedly drew “strong interest” on the open market.

When the Giants acquired Siri prior to the season, he was an obvious low-risk, high-reward target. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the minor-leagues, he spent the entire season at the Giants alternate site in Sacramento. Still just 25-years old though, there is plenty of time for him to tap into his potential.

Siri burst onto the prospect radar with a breakout 2017 in the Cincinnati Reds organization. He hit .293/.341/.530 with 24 doubles, 11 triples, 24 home runs, and stole 46 bases at Class-A. From that line, it’s easy to see why scouts have been enthralled with the outfielder. Siri has plus to plus-plus power and speed. Few prospects have the potential to post 20-20 or 30-30 seasons, but Siri does. Just 21-years old at the time, it was easy to overlook his concerning strikeout (130) and walk (33) numbers. Soon though, that would become a larger issue.

In the two years since, as Siri faced tougher minor-league competition, pitchers consistently took advantage of his inconsistent plate discipline. When he reached Triple-A in 2019, Siri hit .186/.252/.245 with five extra-base hits and 39 strikeouts over 112 plate appearances. Improving his ability to make contact and work walks more consistently will obviously be a pivotal part of his development going forward.

While the SF Giants never got to see Jose Siri at the major-league level, he remains relatively young with plenty of potential to be a big-time player. After agreeing to a minor-league deal with the Houston Astros, he will get another opportunity to continue his development in their organization next season. Given their track-record with position players, Siri is in a great place to take a step forward.