During Spring Training, MLB.com's beat reporters 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?
A year ago, we asked this same question, and seven players (including ties) finished in the top five.
Only one repeated the feat this time around. In fact, he has become such a poster child for underappreciation that every time we think we¡¯ve captured his greatness, he takes it to another level.
Here are the most underrated players across the Majors entering 2025, according to their MLB contemporaries.
1. Jos¨¦ Ram¨ªrez, Guardians
Somehow, after falling just short of the second 40-40-40 season in MLB history, Ram¨ªrez became even more underrated, at least according to our poll.
Last year, Ram¨ªrez was tied atop this list with Tampa Bay¡¯s Yandy D¨ªaz. But after collecting 41 stolen bases, 39 home runs and 39 doubles in 2024, Ram¨ªrez ran away with the top spot in 2025, garnering nearly five times more votes than anyone else.
¡°He always posts, plays every day, is always performing and is a really hard out,¡± one American League starting pitcher said of the longtime Guardians third baseman. ¡°He's a quieter guy in a small market, so I feel like he doesn't get as much attention as he should.¡±
At some point, Ram¨ªrez's colleagues might spare him from this list while fully accepting that his All-Star selections (he¡¯s up to six) and top 10 Most Valuable Player finishes (seven, after finishing fifth in 2024) are simply rites of summer.
Or maybe Ram¨ªrez, now 32, will continue elevating his game and keep fans and players saying, ¡°I knew he was good, but not this good.¡±
¡°He's not underrated, but he still doesn't get talked about enough,¡± another AL starting pitcher said. ¡°Shoo-in Hall of Famer. The year he had last year was nuts, and nobody talked about it.¡±
2. Lawrence Butler, Athletics
Butler turned 24 on July 10 and never stopped celebrating.
Between his birthday and the end of the regular season, Butler was one of the game¡¯s best hitters, belting 17 of his 22 home runs, cracking 18 doubles and posting a .938 OPS. He did all of that in a 66-game stretch of his first full MLB season.
Butler¡¯s youth and rapid ascent have fellow players simultaneously noting his budding stardom and recognizing his potential for greater heights.
"He gets overlooked a lot, but he really did his thing last year,¡± a National League outfielder said.
The A¡¯s rewarded Butler last week with a seven-year, $65.5 million extension that includes a club option for 2032, banking on continued excellence from their young right fielder.
3. Christian Walker, Astros
Walker, like Ram¨ªrez, is one of those Lifetime Achievement of Underratedness award winners.
While he may not receive his allotted attention from year to year, at some point you can¡¯t avoid noticing that Walker has been stacking seasons of standout power and superb defense at first base.
The Astros certainly noticed Walker¡¯s consistency, signing him to a three-year, $60 million contract during the offseason.
¡°Elite defender. I think coming into his own later in his career has kind of stolen some of the shine from how excellent he's been over the course of his time,¡± an NL relief pitcher said. ¡°I think he's definitely one of the more underrated players.¡±
It¡¯s true that Walker didn¡¯t become an everyday player until his age-28 season with the Diamondbacks, at which point he was in his fourth organization. But since then he has averaged 29 home runs per 162 games, and he¡¯s captured the Gold Glove Award in each of the last three seasons.
4. Jarren Duran, Red Sox
With the star power of Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr. and Juan Soto using up so much oxygen in the conversation about top AL players last year, anybody who finished within shouting distance of them in the MVP race had an argument for being on this list.
Ram¨ªrez was one of those players ¨C he finished fifth. Duran, who finished eighth, was another. And if he puts together another season like the one he had last year, any talk of him being underrated should greatly diminish.
The Boston outfielder was all over the AL leaderboards last season with 191 hits, 48 doubles, 14 triples and 111 runs scored. He featured an impressive all-around skill set, ranking above the 85th percentile in Statcast¡¯s batting run value, baserunning value and fielding run value.
That vaulted Duran out of "underrated" territory and into a leadership role for a Red Sox team that added the likes of Garrett Crochet, Alex Bregman, Walker Buehler and Aroldis Chapman this offseason with designs on being part of a different conversation ¡ª American League contenders.
5. Kyle Tucker, Cubs
Speaking of conversations about the game¡¯s best players, Tucker¡¯s name is coming up more often.
One National League second baseman noticed some similarities between Tucker, who was traded from the Astros to Chicago in December, and another outfielder who switched leagues this offseason.
¡°Look at his numbers compared to [Juan] Soto,¡± the second baseman said. ¡°They're not that different.¡±
Indeed, over the last four seasons, Tucker has outpaced Soto, now with the Mets, in slugging percentage. Last year, albeit in 79 fewer games, Tucker had a higher slugging percentage and OPS than Soto.
Among players with at least 250 plate appearances in 2024, Tucker ranked fourth in weighted on-base average, third in walk rate and 13th in isolated power. Soto ranked just above Tucker in each category, but putting yourself in Soto¡¯s air space is an accomplishment in itself.
Staying there over a full season would surely keep Tucker's name in circulation during his final season before free agency.
Others receiving multiple votes: Ketel Marte, Steven Kwan, Ozzie Albies, Luis Arraez, Brandon Nimmo, Brent Rooker, Andr¨¦s Gim¨¦nez, Corbin Carroll, Nico Hoerner, Vinnie Pasquantino, Brenton Doyle, Cal Raleigh, Kerry Carpenter, Marcus Semien, Patrick Bailey, Brice Turang