Players pick their most underrated peers

During Spring Training, MLB.com beat writers surveyed their clubhouses, asking players for their opinions on a range of topics. Well over 100 players participated, in exchange for anonymity. In the leadup to Opening Day, MLB.com is publishing a series of stories based on the results of that survey.

Today’s topic: Who is the most underrated player in MLB?

MLB players know it’s not always easy to get the respect they deserve. Whether it’s from a teammate or an opposing player, a strong performance can often fly under the radar. And when it comes to which players are often unheralded, opinions can certainly vary: The players MLB.com surveyed offered nearly 60 different responses.

Here are the most underrated players across the Majors, according to their MLB compatriots -- including a tie at the top.

1-T. Yandy Díaz, Rays
Few people projected Díaz to win the 2023 American League batting crown, but that’s exactly what he did. With a .330/.410/.522 slash line, Díaz finished sixth in AL MVP Award voting, earned his first All-Star nod and helped the Rays to 99 wins and a Wild Card spot.

It was certainly a breakout year for Díaz, but according to some players, the Tampa Bay first baseman is still being overlooked.

"Nobody talks about Yandy, and the guy's winning batting titles,” one American League starting pitcher said.

Rated by Statcast as well as conventional statistics as one of MLB’s elite hitters in 2023, Díaz can do serious damage at the plate -- and one pitcher whose team went up against the Rays in 2023 certainly knows it.

“We only played the Rays twice last year, and you're looking at his numbers -- swings at quality pitches, good swing decisions, does damage,” an AL reliever said. “Playing in Tampa, it's not an everyday name for the average fan, but he's an absolute stud.”

1-T. José Ramírez, Guardians
Few players have been as consistently good as Ramírez, who has finished in the top 10 of AL MVP voting in six of the past seven seasons. The Guardians' third baseman hasn’t finished a season with an OPS below .800 since back in 2015, and he has averaged 27 homers and 25 steals per 162 games for his career.

But in the eyes of MLB players, Ramírez -- like Díaz -- doesn’t seem to be getting the love he deserves. The two AL infielders each received nearly twice as many votes as any other player.

"I feel like if you put Ramírez in a New York or an L.A., he'd be one of those guys we're talking about all the time,” an AL shortstop said.

3-T. Ozzie Albies, Braves
Albies receives far from top billing in a Braves lineup featuring Ronald Acu?a Jr., Matt Olson and Austin Riley. But the Atlanta second baseman had a career-high 33 homers and an impressive .849 OPS in a bounce-back 2023.

Despite being a three-time National League All-Star and a key piece of one of MLB’s best teams, Albies often goes unnoticed -- but he’s had some big moments for the Braves.

3-T. Corey Seager, Rangers
A future Hall of Famer? That’s what Seager is in the eyes of one AL relief pitcher, who views the Rangers' shortstop as MLB’s most underrated player -- a commonly held view.

“He gets some attention, but I still feel like he's overlooked a lot,” an NL first baseman said of Seager.

Seager hit an AL-best 42 doubles and smashed 33 home runs in just 119 games for the World Series champion Rangers in 2023, posting a career-high 1.013 OPS.

“Everyone knows he's really, really good, but I feel like he's not always in the spotlight, so he's underrated,” an AL second baseman said.

5-T. Matt Olson, Braves
Is it possible to hit 54 home runs and still be underrated? If you’re Olson, apparently. Batting in the same lineup as Acu?a, the 2023 NL MVP, can make it hard for the Braves' first baseman to stand out.

But if Olson can build on his 2023 -- in which he set a single-season franchise record for homers and led the NL with a ridiculous .604 slugging percentage -- he might not stay underrated for long.

5-T. Austin Riley, Braves
Sensing a theme? Riley is the third Braves hitter to appear on this list, maybe because it’s hard to give the requisite love to everyone in Atlanta’s potent lineup.

But Riley, who has hit 108 home runs over the past three seasons and owns a career .850 OPS, deserves the accolades as much as any hitter.

“Every year, he's putting up ridiculous numbers, but he's not talked about as much as some of the other players,” an American League starting pitcher said.

5-T. Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
The former top prospect made Royals history in 2023, becoming the first Kansas City player with a 30-homer, 30-steal season (and finishing with 49 steals for good measure.) One of MLB’s best fielders, Witt has developed into an all-around star at just 23 years old -- and one National League outfielder thinks Witt could do even more.

In February, Witt signed a huge contract extension with 11 guaranteed seasons that could be the best way to propel him onto the national stage.

"He's a little bit more well known now that he's signed his megadeal, but he's really good,” one AL reliever said.

5-T. Ketel Marte, D-backs
A talented second baseman with experience at shortstop and in center field, Marte has done it all for the D-backs for a long time. He bounced back from a subpar 2022 to slug 25 homers and post an .843 OPS for Arizona.

As one NL third baseman put it, Marte quietly puts up solid numbers every year. That continued in the 2023 postseason, in which Marte was named the NLCS MVP after going 12-for-31 with four doubles and a triple against the Phillies.

Others receiving votes: Adam Duvall, Braves; Alec Bohm, Phillies; Anthony Santander, Orioles; Bo Bichette, Blue Jays; Brandon Nimmo, Mets; Bryce Harper, Phillies; Bryson Stott, Phillies; Chas McCormick, Astros; Chris Taylor, Dodgers; Christian Walker, D-backs; Cole Ragans, Royals; Dansby Swanson, Cubs; David Bednar, Pirates; Devin Williams, Brewers; Evan Phillips, Dodgers; Freddie Freeman, Dodgers; Gleyber Torres, Yankees; Ha-Seong Kim, Padres; Hunter Renfroe, Royals; Isaac Paredes, Rays; J.D. Martinez, Mets; J.P. Crawford, Mariners; James Outman, Dodgers; Jazz Chisholm Jr., Marlins; Jhoan Duran, Twins; Jordan Romano, Blue Jays; Josh Lowe, Rays; Justin Turner, Blue Jays; Ke’Bryan Hayes, Pirates; Kyle Tucker, Astros; Lane Thomas, Nationals; Logan Webb, Giants; Luis Arraez, Marlins; Luis Robert Jr., White Sox; Marcus Semien, Rangers; Matt McLain, Reds; Merrill Kelly, D-backs; Michael Massey, Royals; Reese Olson, Tigers; Richie Palacios, Rays; Sal Frelick, Brewers; Sean Murphy, Braves; Sonny Gray, Cardinals; Tommy Edman, Cardinals; Tommy Pham, free agent; Trea Turner, Phillies; Vinnie Pasquantino, Royals; Will Benson, Reds; Will Smith, Dodgers; Xander Bogaerts, Padres; Yordan Alvarez, Astros