Astros outfielder, Jose Siri, wins Dominican Winter League final.
With Major League Baseball not in session, many Latin-born players take their winters to the Dominican Republic to compete in LIDOM. The Houston Astros had a handful of current players and prospects look to LIDOM for more playing time this winter.
Of those, Jose Siri, Jeremy Peña and Ronel Blanco made it to the championship series, where Siri’s Gigantes del Cibao took home their second championship in their history after falling short in 2021.
Siri didn’t have the most productive play at the plate in the LIDOM championship series. The right-hander had 14 at-bats, hitting .143/.429/.357 with one home run. Siri also flashed five stolen bases in the series with seven runs and three RBI to his name.
The field is where Siri made most of his noise, other than on the base paths. While a Gold Glove winner in LIDOM last season, the center fielder continued to show his range into this season and the postseason.
While mostly compared to the likeness of former Houston outfielder Carlos Gomez, Siri is poised to be a better defender at the major-league level.
The 26-year-old showed some inconsistencies with common errors in his short major-league stint in 2021, but a quick turnaround will be need for the 2022 season.
With Jake Meyers’ return slated past the start of spring training, Siri will likely continue to play innings in a starting role for the Astros in 2022. The right-hander platooned with Chas McCormick in the postseason, following Meyers’ injury in the American League Division Series.
Peña and Blanco’s team finished second in LIDOM this season, while both could make major-league impacts this season. Peña has a better chance than Blanco, who is a candidate to be taken in the major-league Rule 5 Draft.