Miguelangel Sierra
| AB | 1498 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .212 |
| OBP | .289 |
| SLG | .35 |
| HR | 41 |
- Full name Miguelangel Sierra
- Born 12/02/1997 in Guarico, Venezuela
- Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 201 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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There were few hotter hitters in baseball in 2016 than Sierra was during a month with rookie-level Greeneville. A $1 million signee in 2014, Sierra hit 11 home runs in only 31 games, which may have been the worst thing possible for his development. That surprising power surge led Sierra to believe he was a power hitter, which led to bad habits. He hit .140 in a promotion to Tri-City, then hit an equally frightening .178 in his return there in 2017. The Astros have to hope that Sierra can shorten up his swing. Offensively, he has some bat-to-ball aptitude when he stays shorter to the ball. While he's unlikely to become an impact defender, Sierra has a chance to stay at the position as at least an average shortstop, with an average arm and fringe-average speed. Sierra may eventually fill out to have 10-12 home run power, but only if he stays focused on being a contact hitter with gap power. -
When the Astros signed Sierra on the first day of the 2014 international signing period they knew they were getting a polished shortstop for the $1 million they were spending. What they didn't expect was he would turn into a top slugger in the Rookie-level Appalachian League in 2016. Scouts see Sierra as having fringe-average power potential, but he hit 11 home runs in 31 games at Greeneville while posting an unfathomable .331 isolated slugging percentage. As might have been expected, the power spike led to some bad habits as he morphed his swing from line drive-oriented to pull-heavy with a load-and-lift approach. Those poor habits were exposed in a late-season stint at short-season Tri-City. Power won't be what gets Sierra to the big leagues, but he has the bat speed to be an average hitter. Shortstop defense is his calling card. Sierra has gotten significantly bigger since signing, but he still shows plus hands and an above-average arm with excellent body control and feel for the position. He's not particularly quick-twitch and is an average runner. Sierra has the tools to be an everyday shortstop, but he'll need to go back to lining balls all over the field at low Class A Quad Cities in 2017. -
Given a choice between paying for loud tools and unimpressive production and lesser tools but better feel for the game when scouting Latin America, the Astros have focused on players with baseball savvy. Signed for $1 million in 2014, Sierra is an intelligent shortstop who positions himself well, takes a quick first step and always seems to know how much time he has to throw. He has average range and his arm has improved from below-average when he signed to slightly above-average now. He's light on his feet with quality hands and should stay at short as he moves up through the minors and matures. The questions about Sierra revolve around his bat. Sierra has very little power and he knows that. His swing is geared to hitting line drives to all fields, something that was apparent when he hit .302 in the Dominican Summer League. He needs to get stronger, which would help his bat speed and ability to control the barrel. If Sierra gets stronger and keeps hitting, he could be an everyday shortstop, but there are a lot of days in the weight room ahead for him to get there. He's ready for his first full season in the States, starting with a trip to extended spring training before an assignment to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Sierra signed with the Astros for $1 million in 2014 and ranked as the No. 25 prospect in the organization following the 2015 season. This summer, he showed surprising power production in the Appy League as he earned a promotion to short-season Tri-City. Despite his 11 home runs and .331 isolated slugging percentage at Greeneville, Sierra's power doesn't project to plus. He has average to slightly above-average raw power and bat speed, but he got pull-happy and sold out for power as his home-run total climbed. After striking out 28 percent of the time in the Appy League, his strikeout rate jumped to 33 percent in the New York-Penn League. He has the elements to hit, but he also has the supporting tools to buy his bat time to develop. What makes Sierra exciting is his defensive upside. He has lateral quickness and shows above-average range in either direction. He controls his body well and routinely shows above-average arm strength. His athleticism plays well on the basepaths, and he showed above-average speed. Sierra has gotten much more physical since signing and is likely heavier than his listed weight.
