Most Underrated MLB Players of All Time

Maybe they didn't make the Hall of Fame, but these underrated MLB players had great careers.

Most Underrated MLB Players of All Time

For the next class of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, we’re thinking Graig Nettles. Yes, the great third baseman who played the bulk of his career with the New York Yankees, won two world championships and has been retired for over 30 years.

He missed his window for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame, and at this point, it’s unlikely he'll be considered for alternate induction via the veterans. But during the Yankees' era of Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson, Ron Guidry, Sparky Lyle, Goose Gossage, et al., Nettles was often unappreciated.

Go ask the Los Angeles Dodgers if they thought Nettles was unappreciated or underrated in Game 3 of the 1978 World Series. Now go take a look at his career stats.

Nettles is just one example of a bevy of Major League Baseball players who had outstanding careers but were considered underrated, especially, in retrospect, when they did not make the Hall of Fame, baseball’s unofficial arbiter of separating transcendent careers from "merely" great ones.

Here’s our look at the game's most underrated players of all time.

25. Scott Rolen, Third Base

Career: 17 seasons (1996-2012)

Teams: Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Cincinnati Reds

Stats: 2,038 games, .281 BA, 316 HR, 1,287 RBI, .364 OBP, .490 SLG

World Series titles: 1 (2006)

Bottom Line: Scott Rolen

Cincinnati Reds third baseman Scott Rolen

Scott Rolen was among the best third basemen in the game during the first decade of the 2000s. In fact, from 2000 through 2009, Rolen had 127 defensive runs saved.

At 245 pounds, Rolen was still a nimble third baseman. He also was a Rookie of the Year award winner and seven-time All-Star.

24. Dwight Evans, Right Field

Career: 20 seasons (1972-91)

Teams: Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles

Stats: 2,606 games, .272 BA, 385 HR, 1,385 RBI, .370 OBP, .470 SLG

World Series titles: None

Bottom Line: Dwight Evans

A great contributor to some very good Red Sox teams. Dwight Evans was an anomaly — he produced far better in his 30s than when he first came up in his 20s.

For comparison’s sake, he hit more home runs than fellow teammate and Hall of Famer Jim Rice, and his OBP is 18 points higher than Rice. The hits are comparable.

So when will the Veterans Committee consider Evans?

23. Rick Reuschel, Pitcher

Career: 19 seasons (1972-91)

Teams: Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants

Stats: 358 games, 214-191, 3.37 ERA, 102 CG, 26 SHO, 5.4 K/9 IP

World Series titles: None

Bottom Line: Rick Reuschel

A career total of 214 wins, and barely being over .500 at that, doesn’t necessarily jump out at you. But it should be noted that the big right-hander threw 12 years for some of the worst Chicago Cubs teams in franchise history.

Except for his first season in 1972, when the team was over .500, Rick Reuschel never knew another winning season nor any National League East finish over third place during his tenure at Wrigley.

22. Larry Walker, Right Field

Career: 17 seasons (1989-2005)

Teams: Montreal Expos, Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals

Stats: 1,988 games, .313 BA, 383 HR, 1,311 RBI, .400 OBP, .565 SLG

World Series titles: None

Bottom Line: Larry Walker

Larry Walker swung a classic left-handed bat. The knock against Walker is he was able to pad his stats in the thin air of Colorado.

He shouldn’t be penalized for playing where he did any more than players who call the Green Monster or the short porch at Yankee Stadium home. That said, Walker was ultimately inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

21. Kenny Lofton, Center Field

Career: 17 seasons (1991-2007)

Teams: Houston Astros, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers

Stats: 2,103 games, .299 BA, 130 HR, 781 RBI, .372 OBP, .423 SLG

World Series titles: None

Bottom Line: Kenny Lofton

Nearly a career .300 hitter, Kenny Lofton was a premier base stealer with 622 career steals.

Moreover, he was one of the best — if not the best — defensive center fielders of his time.

Lofton was a six-time All-Star who won four Gold Gloves in leading the renaissance of the Indians' franchise.

20. John Olerud, First Base

Career: 17 seasons (1989-2005)

Teams: Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox

Stats: 2,234 games, .295 BA, 255 HR, 1,230 RBI, .398 OBP, .465 SLG

World Series titles: 2 (1992, 1993)

Bottom Line: John Olerud

Here’s John Olerud’s problem, or, rather, the problem that voters have with Olerud — perception.

He played first base, and when you play a corner infield position in Major League Baseball, the perception is that you’re supposed to deliver a lot more than 255 home runs in 17 years.

Other than dramatic power, Olerud was as solid as they come.

19. Dick Allen, First Base/Third Base/Outfielder

Career: 15 seasons (1963-77)

Teams: Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics

Stats: 1,749 games, .292 BA, 351 HR, 1,119 RBI, .378 OBP, .534 SLG

World Series titles: None

Bottom Line: Dick Allen

Philadelphia Phillies baseball player Dick Allen

What do baseball critics have against Dick Allen? In all his years and all his positions, he was never very good defensively. Then again, he wasn’t paid to prevent runs but to manufacture them.

Known as a slugger, Allen had a good OBP and finished his career with a .292 batting average.

He also was the league MVP in 1972.

18. Tommy John, Pitcher

Career: 26 seasons (1963-74; 1976-1989)

Teams: Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, California Angels, Oakland Athletics

Stats: 760 games, 288-231, 3.34 ERA, 162 CG, 46 SHO, 4,3 K/9 IP

World Series titles: None

Bottom Line: Tommy John

New York Yankees right-hander Tommy John

Tommy John is sometimes referred to as an "accumulator." That is, he got to an impressive number of wins by hanging around for 26 seasons.

Then again, you have to remember that he really had two careers — 12 to start his career and then 14 with a brand new arm after being the first person to have the eponymous "Tommy John surgery."

17. Luis Tiant, Pitcher

Career: 19 seasons (1964-82)

Teams: Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, California Angels

Stats: 573 games, 229-172, 3.30 ERA, 187 CG, 49 SHO, 6.2 K/9 IP

World Series titles: None

Bottom Line: Luis Tiant

Luis Tiant was a dominant pitcher.

Although most people remember him for his eight seasons with the Red Sox, he had a phenomenal 1968 season with the Indians (21-9, 1.60 ERA) and pitched the Twins into the American League Championship Series in 1970.

People also forget he was 2-0 in three starts, including two complete games, in the epic 1975 World Series between Boston and Cincinnati.

16. Roger Maris, Right Fielder

Career: 12 seasons (1957-68)

Teams: Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Athletics, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals

Stats: 1,463 games, .260 BA, 275 HR, 850 RBI, .345 OBP, .476 SLG

World Series titles: 3 (1961, 1962, 1967)

Bottom Line: Roger Maris

What would you call a two-time Most Valuable Player, seven-time All-Star, seven-time World Series participant and the man who still owns the American League record for most home runs in one season? Underappreciated, that’s what you’d call him.

Maris was never beloved in New York, breaking Babe Ruth’s record for most home runs in a season at a time when most fans wanted Mickey Mantle to break it.

He also had a relatively short career. But he was a big-time contributor and a fine defensive player on three world champions.

15. Keith Hernandez, First base

Career: 17 seasons (1974-90)

Teams: St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets, Cleveland Indians

Stats: 2,088 games, .296 BA, 162 HR, 1,071 RBI, .384 OBP, .436 SLG

World Series titles: 2 (1982, 1986)

Bottom Line: Keith Hernandez

Keith Hernandez is one of the finest defensive first basemen who ever played the game.

His statistics might not scream offensive domination, but he was one of the great clutch hitters of his time.

He won a batting title and an MVP with the Cardinals, and led the league in walks in 1986, the year he helped the Mets to a seven-game World Series title over the Red Sox.

14. Steve Garvey, First Base

Career: 19 seasons (1969-87)

Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres

Stats: 2,332 games, .294 BA, 272 HR, 1,3-8 RBI, .329 OBP, .446 SLG

World Series titles: 1 (1981)

Bottom Line: Steve Garvey

Steve Garvey was the face of some outstanding Dodger teams, leading Los Angeles to 1974, 1977, 1978 and 1981 World Series appearances, and San Diego to a berth in the 1984 Series.

A two-time MVP, Garvey also was a 10-time All-Star.

Always clutch, he batted .338 in 11 postseason series.

13. Dave Parker, Right Fielder

Career: 19 (1973-91)

Teams: Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers

Stats: 2,456 games, .290 BA, 339 HR, 1,493 RBI, .339 OBP, .471 SLG

World Series titles: 2 (1979, 1989)

Bottom Line: Dave Parker

Dave Parker was always dangerous at the plate, a threat to go yard at any time but someone who also hit for average, reached base, and scored almost 1,300 runs.

An MVP, Parker was a seven-time All-Star and two-time World Series champ.

More than anything, he was also one of the most feared outfielders in the game because of his incredible arm, saving countless runs by turning would-be doubles and triples into outs.

12. Dave Stieb, Pitcher

Career: 16 seasons (1979-1993, 1998)

Teams: Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago White Sox

Stats: 443 games, 176-137, 3.44 ERA, 103 CG, 30 SHO, 5 K/9 IP

World Series titles: None

Bottom Line: Dave Stieb

Kansas City Royals batter Willie Wilson, left, hits first base with Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dave Stieb

Maybe Dave Stieb isn’t Hall of Fame worthy, not with just 176 wins, but he was one of the toughest pitchers of his era. If not Hall of Fame, then certainly underrated.

Stieb’s ERA was solid, he was durable — never made less than 31 starts in 10 of 11 seasons between 1980 and 1990 — and was terrific in fielding his position.

11. Jim Edmonds, Center Field

Career: 17 seasons (1993-2010)

Teams: California/Anaheim Angels, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, Cincinnati Reds

Stats: 1,105 games, .284 BA, 393 HR, 1,199 RBI, .376 OBP, .527 SLG

World Series titles: 1 (2006)

Bottom Line: Jim Edmonds

Certainly one of the premier defensive center fielders of his time with enough highlight-reel plays to keep you busy through lunch and dinner.

Jim Edmonds won eight Gold Gloves in his 17-year career and hit 30 or more home runs five times, batted .300 or better five times, and knocked in 100 or more runs four times.

He also had home run seasons of 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29, and RBI seasons of 91, 89 and 89.

10. Omar Vizquel, Shortstop

Career: 24 seasons (1989-2012))

Teams: Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays

Stats: 2,968 games, .272 BA, 80 HR, 951 RBI, .336 OBP, .352 SLG

World Series titles: None

Bottom Line: Omar Vizquel

Chicago White Sox shortstop Omar Vizquel

Shortstops, at least during the era when Omar Vizquel started his career, weren’t supposed to produce corner infielder numbers. Vizquel didn’t.

What he did accomplish was becoming the premier defensive shortstop of his generation, with 11 Gold Gloves — including nine in a row from 1993 through 2001 — and three All-Star appearances.

9. Sal Bando, Third Baseman

Career: 16 seasons (1966-81)

Teams: Kansas City Athletics, Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers

Stats: 2,019 games, .254 BA, 242 HR, 1,039 RBI, .353 OBP, .408 SLG

World Series titles: 3 (1972, 1973, 1974)

Bottom Line: Sal Bando

On a team filled with no less than four Hall of Fame players during its early 1970s dynasty – and certainly filled with wild, outsized personalities such as Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers and Vida Blue — Sal Bando was the quiet leader.

A four-time All-Star, he averaged 22 home runs and 92 runs batted in during the three consecutive World Series championships.

He spent the last five years of his career in Milwaukee, where he helped mentor two other eventual Hall of Fame players — Paul Molitor and Robin Yount.

8. Lou Whitaker, Second Baseman

Career: 19 seasons (1977-95)

Teams: Detroit Tigers

Stats: 2,390 games, .276 BA, 244 HR, 1,084 RBI, .363 OBP, .426 SLG

World Series titles: 1 (1984)

Bottom Line: Lou Whitaker

Lou Whitaker, Detroit Tigers' second basema

Many believe Lou Whitaker should be in the Hall along with his double-play partner, Alan Trammell.

He was a key contributor to the Tigers’ unbelievable 35-5 start and eventual world championship in 1984, one of the most dominant seasons in baseball.

Whitaker also had a 75.1 WAR over the course of his career.

7. Tony Oliva, Right Fielder

Career: 15 seasons (1962-76)

Teams: Minnesota Twins

Stats: 1,676 games, .304 BA, 220 HR, 947 RBI, .353 OBP, .476 SLG

World Series titles: None

Bottom Line: Tony Oliva

After cups of coffee with the Twins in 1962 and 1963, Tony Oliva burst on the scene and won the American League Rookie of the Year award in 1964. He slugged 32 home runs, 43 doubles and 94 RBI.

A six-time All-Star, Oliva’s cumulative stats might not be as impressive as others, but consider the fact that he played the bulk of his career during an era when pitching was far more dominant.

In 1973, at age 34 and after having missed virtually the entire 1972 season, he batted .291 with 16 home runs and 92 RBI. Oliva was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022.

6. Graig Nettles, Third Baseman

Career: 22 seasons (1967-1988)

Teams: Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, Montreal Expos

Stats: 2,700 games, .248 BA, 390 HR, 1,314 RBI, .329 OBP, .471 SLG

World Series titles: 2 (1977, 1978)

Bottom Line: Graig Nettles

San Diego Padres third baseman Graig Nettles

When Graig Nettles retired in 1988, he had hit the most home runs of any third baseman in the American League. Think about that for a moment as you contemplate some of the more underrated players.

From 1976 to 1978, when the Yankees went to the World Series for three consecutive years and won two, Nettles hit 96 home runs and drove in 293 runs — a key cog, to be sure.

And his defense was unparalleled, as evidenced by his World Series-turning performance in Game 3 against the Dodgers in 1978.

5. Shoeless Joe Jackson, Outfielder

Career: 13 seasons (1908-1920)

Teams: Philadelphia Athletics, Cleveland Naps, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox

Stats: 1,332 games, .356 BA, 54 HR, 792 RBI, .423 OBP, .517 SLG

World Series titles: 1 (1917)

Bottom Line: Shoeless Joe Jackson

There is so much debate around Shoeless Joe Jackson and the true depth of his role in the 1918 Black Sox scandal that people forget what an incredible player he was.

In 1911, he batted .408 with an OPS of 1.011 for Cleveland in a dynamic season in which he also accumulated 331 total bases.

In 1920, at the age of 32, he batted .382 with an OPS of 1.033 before being suspended by MLB commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis for his role in throwing the World Series.

4. Bobby Grich, Second Baseman

Career: 17 seasons (1970-86)

Teams: Baltimore Orioles, California Angels

Stats: 2,008 games, .266 BA, 224 HR, 864 RBI, .371 OBP, .424 SLG

World Series titles: 1 (1970)

Bottom Line: Bobby Grich

Bobby Grich was one of the finest defensive second basemen ever in the game. And not too shabby at the plate, either.

In fact, at age 32, Grich was leading the American League with 22 home runs and a .543 slugging percentage during the strike-shortened 1981 season.

Over his 17 seasons, he had two successful careers — one with the Orioles, appearing in two World Series and winning one, and one with the Angels.

He was a four-time Gold Glove winner and a six-time All-Star.

3. Amos Otis, Center Fielder

Career: 17 seasons (1967-84)

Teams: New York Mets, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates

Stats: 1,998 games, .277 BA, 193 HR, 1,007 RBI, .343 OBP, .425 SLG

World Series titles: None

Bottom Line: Amos Otis

Amos Otis, Kansas City Royals outfielder i

Drafted by the Boston Red Sox, Amos Otis played his first two pro seasons with the New York Mets and his last with the Pittsburgh Pirates. But he was best known for his 14 seasons with the Royals.

The five-time All-Star still ranks in Kansas City’s top five in every offensive career category except batting average.

Otis was part of an up-and-coming group of players that helped the Royals to five American League West division titles.

2. Norm Cash, First Baseman

Career: 17 seasons (1958-74)

Teams: Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers

Stats: 2,089 games, .271 BA, 377 HR, 1,104 RBI, .374 OBP, .488 SLG

World Series titles: 1 (1968)

Bottom Line: Norm Cash

Norm Cash, left, of the Detroit Tigers and Stan Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals

Norm Cash played in the shadows of the great Al Kaline, but at the time of his retirement, there were only three players in American League history that hit more home runs as a left-handed batter — Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Lou Gehrig.

Cash was a highly regarded defensive first basemen as well, leading the league in putouts (in 1961), fielding percentage (1964, 1967) and assists (1965–67).

A five-time All-Star, Cash was the 1961 batting champion with a .361 average.

1. Dave Concepcion, Shortstop

Career: 19 seasons (1970-88)

Teams: Cincinnati Reds

Stats: 2,488 games, .267 batting average, 101 HR, 950 RBI, .322 .357 SLG

World Series titles: 2 (1975, 1976)

Bottom Line: Dave Concepcion

National League's Dave Concepcion of the Cincinnati Reds

In a star-studded "Big Red Machine" lineup that includes names like Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Ken Griffey Sr., George Foster and more, Dave Concepcion was the glue of the Cincinnati infield.

Over the course of his career, Concepcion was a nine-time All-Star and a five-time Gold Glove winner. He also stole 321 bases in his career.

A native of Venezuela, Concepcion was considered a clutch player — as evidenced by the .300-plus batting average in all three of the World Series that he appeared.