MLB 2021 All Underrated Team
- Jeremy
- Jun 24, 2021
- 7 min read
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This "team" consists of a player at each position that I consider to be underrated, whether it be because they are on a below average team, they've had ups and downs in their careers, or just generally aren't talked about enough. This is all subjective and shouldn't be taken as the best players at each position list, rather an opportunity to highlight some less talked about ballplayers.
C: Max Stassi (Los Angeles Angels)
Starting off with the Catcher position, the weight of a Catcher’s ability to hit in grading his overall ability is much different than any other position. Max Stassi has been a fairly solid defensive catcher throughout his MLB career, but he had yet to put together a long stretch of above average offense. The 2018 season had the most games Stassi played in a year (88) and he put up a .226/.316/.394 slash line with an exact league average 100 wRC+. Come 2020, Stassi got more consistent ABs as a member of the Angels and burst out with a .278/.352/.533 slash line and a 137 wRC+. It would be foolish to put so much stock into the performance of a player from such a shortened season, but Stassi has continued to hit the cover off the baseball in 2021, slashing .329/.404/.570 with a 170 wRC+. Those numbers might not be entirely sustainable, but an above average bat mixed with an above average glove enters Stassi into the conversation as one of the better backstops in baseball. Gary Sanchez has ranged from overrated to underrated throughout his career, and in terms of 2021 performance, he was also considered for this spot.
1B: Jared Walsh (Los Angeles Angels)
I promise these won’t all be Angels, but Jared Walsh’s rise to success in the big leagues cannot go unnoticed. A two-way player in the minors, Walsh was abysmal in his first MLB stint in 2019, striking out at a 40.2% rate and producing a measly 58 wRC+. Flip the page to 2020, Walsh looked like a seasoned veteran at the plate, slashing .293/.324/.646 with a 153 wRC+ and a K% down to 13.9. Walsh hasn’t skipped a beat in 2021, improving his walk rate and hitting .290/.353/.575 with a 151 wRC+. It takes a very good hitter to unseat a legend like Albert Pujols, but Walsh simply outhit “The Machine” and subsequently packed his bags for him. Another AL West 1B was considered for this spot, that man being Yuli Gurriel of the Astros. After an awful 2020, Gurriel is walking more often than he’s striking out and has produced a 150 wRC+.
2B: Adam Frazier (Pittsburgh Pirates)
It’s hard not to be overlooked as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, so it’s no surprise that Adam Frazier’s stellar season has gone unnoticed. Frazier’s the ultimate contact hitter, a guy that rarely whiffs. He’s produced two seasons with a wRC+ north of 100 (2016 and 2018), but had largely been a slightly below average hitter through 2020. After his worst year to date in 2020, Frazier’s been one of the toughest outs in baseball, ranking 2nd in hits (89) and slashing .322/.390/.460 with a 138 wRC+. He’s probably not the best 2B in the National League in general, but his numbers thus far indicate that he deserves to start at 2B in the All-Star Game. Looking to the NL West, Chris Taylor (Dodgers) and Jake Cronenworth (Padres) have absolutely raked while being able to play a slew of positions.
SS: Isiah Kiner-Falefa (Texas Rangers)
Shortstop is a loaded position so it’s tough to find many underrated options, but look no further than the former Catcher Isiah Kiner-Falefa. His offensive numbers aren’t special, hitting .284/.318/.405 with a nearing league average 99 wRC+. What boosts IKF is his stellar defense at SS, where he owns a +10 DRS and 1.8 UZR. Kiner-Falefa isn’t a top of the order type of guy, but his great defense elevates his value from more than just an average bat. Miguel Rojas of the Miami Marlins was also in consideration for this spot, as he has a 110 wRC+ with 4 DRS, 2.9 UZR, and an OAA in the 88th percentile.
3B: Yoán Moncada (Chicago White Sox)
Once a showstopping prospect involved in the Chris Sale trade, Yoán Moncada has had his ups and downs in the bigs. After struggling in the COVID season, Moncada has re-found his stroke from his breakout 2019 season, slashing .274/.399/.397 with a 130 wRC+ in 2020. He doesn’t hit for a ton of power, but he’s established himself as a steady presence in the talented White Sox lineup. He’s not particularly known for his defense, and different metrics will tell different stories, but a 0 DRS and 3.2 UZR indicate that he’s not a liability in the field. Braves 3B Austin Riley struggled deep into 2019 and 2020, but has found himself with consistent playing time in 2021 to the tune of a .273/,357/.463 slash line and 123 wRC+.
LF: Mark Canha (Oakland Athletics)
Here lies perhaps the most underrated player in baseball, Mark Canha of the Oakland A’s. Canha’s wRC+ has been 115+ every year since 2017 and that hasn’t stopped in 2021. In 2021, Canha is hitting .257/.379/.455 with a 138 wRC+. Of qualified Outfielders, his OBP, wRC+, and BB% all rank in the top 10. He also can competently play all three OF spots and the corner IF spots if needed. His DRS sits at -2 and UZR at exactly 0.0, but he ranks in the 92nd percentile of OAA and above average in his outfield jump. Headlined by the Matt’s (Chapman and Olson), Canha is one of the most important members of the A’s team. The honorable mention for LF goes to San Diego’s Tommy Pham, who’s overcome an injury-riddled 2020 and poor start this season to slash .250/.375/.391 with a 120 wRC+ and elite plate discipline.
CF: Bryan Reynolds (Pittsburgh Pirates)
Another Pirate, Bryan Reynolds has been phenomenal in 2021. After a rookie season that concluded with a .317/.377/.503 and 130 wRC+ line, Reynolds was horrendous in 2020 with a .189/.275/.357 and 72 wRC+ line. 2021 would show who Reynolds truly is, his 2019 version or his 2020 version, and thus far he’s been reliving his great rookie year. At .302/.395/.528 and a 154 wRC+, Bryan is poised to be invited to his first career All-Star Game. Another future All-Star I considered here is Cedric Mullins of the Baltimore Orioles, who’s been spectacular this season at .310/.379/.538 with a 151 wRC+.
RF: Teoscar Hernández (Toronto Blue Jays)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette steal the show for Toronto, but Teoscar Hernández has been a phenomenal power bat during his time as a Blue Jay. Since 2017 (his first full season), Hernández’s wRC+ hasn’t dipped below 100. After really breaking out in 2020 with a .289/.340/.579 line and a 143 wRC+, it’s been more of the same for Teoscar in 2021. He’s hitting .300/.345/.488 with a 126 wRC+. His power numbers are slightly down from 2020, but his K% has also been cut down to the lowest of his career at 25.6%. Not to be overlooked, the slugger also ranks in the 90th percentile of sprint speed. Kyle Tucker of the Houston Astros also deserves some recognition here, as Tucker is an XBH machine who’s produced a 128 wRC+ in 2021 and owns a career 115 wRC+. Don’t forget the glove, where Tucker has a 7 DRS, 2.0 UZR, and 92nd percentile OAA.
SP: Trevor Rogers (Miami Marlins)
On the pitching side, there are a number of under the radar performers thus far, but perhaps no one is more deserving of the underrated crown than rookie Trevor Rogers. Rogers threw 28 innings in 2020 (few enough to maintain rookie status for 2021) that weren’t very good on the surface with a 6.11 ERA, but encouraging peripherals in a 3.53 xERA and 4.33 FIP. Come 2021, Rogers has been not just one of the best rookies in baseball, but one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. The LHP has a 10.47 K/9, a much improved 2.87 BB/9 and 0.44 HR/9, culminating in a 1.87 ERA. Trevor’s 2.87 xERA and 2.50 FIP validate that, although his ERA will likely rise as the season moves along, he’s legit. To put context to his brilliance, his 1.87 ERA is good for 4th amongst qualified pitchers, ahead of studs such as Brandon Woodruff, Lance Lynn, and Max Scherzer. Four spots behind Rogers on that ERA list is Kyle Gibson, who’s been great for Texas this season with his 2.17 ERA and 3.41 xERA as the ultimate pitch to contact pitcher. Watch out for a contender to try to pick up Gibson at the deadline.
RP: Tejay Antone (Cincinnati Reds)
After starting games in the minor leagues, Tejay Antone has found himself as a phenomenal reliever for the Reds. In 2020, Antone posted a 2.80 ERA with a 2.92 xERA and 3.64 FIP in 13 appearances, 9 of those from the bullpen. Now in 2021, Antone holds a 1.38 ERA with a 2.83 xERA and 2.73 FIP in 21 appearances, all out of the bullpen. Through his full transition to the bullpen, Tejay’s average fastball (sinker) sits at 97.1 MPH, up from his 95.6 MPH mark in 2020. Throw in a curveball that spins in the 95th percentile with that 97 MPH heater and you have yourself a lockdown reliever. Also up for contention for this honor is the former headliner of the Corey Kluber trade, Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Indians. Clase’s primary pitch is a cutter that can hit 102 MPH, which he mixes with a devastating slider that has culminated in a 0.88 ERA, 2.42 xERA, and 2.28 FIP.
If you've made it this far, thanks for reading! Who do you think is the most underrated player in baseball? Should Adam Frazier start in the All Star Game? Will Trevor Rogers continue his domination? Let me know in the comments down below!
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