Batting Around: Who is the most underrated player in baseball?

Jose Ramirez and Cal Raleigh have gotten their appropriate validation, so who's left?

Throughout the season, the CBS Sports MLB experts will bring you a weekly Batting Around roundtable breaking down pretty much anything. The latest news, a historical question, thoughts about the future of baseball, all sorts of stuff. Last week we discussed how long it takes for a hitting streak to get our attention. This week we're going to debate the most underrated player in baseball.

Who is the most underrated player in baseball?

R.J. Anderson: I think it might be Nico Hoerner. Public-facing defensive metrics are what they are, but here's a statistic that might catch you off guard: he ranks 22nd overall in Wins Above Replacement since the start of the 2022 season.  The only individual honor he's received was a Gold Glove Award a few years ago. For comparison's sake, Andrés Giménez has made an All-Star Game and won three Gold Gloves and a Platinum Glove. Hoerner is a better hitter than his glove-first second basemen peers Giménez and Brice Turang; he's posted an OPS+ between 100 and 110 every season since 2021. He's also a skilled thief who adds value on the basepaths. Add it all together, and you have a pretty valuable player who gets overshadowed on that Cubs roster.

Dayn Perry: Coming into this season, I probably would've said Cal Raleigh. However, I think because of his early-season power outputs this year he's verging on "amply appreciated." Instead, I'll stick with the AL West and say Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña. He's enjoying a breakout year at the plate, and his excellent fielding at the premium position of short has been a foundation of value for his entire career. Across that four-year career in the majors, Peña has averaged 5.4 WAR per 162 games, and he has 16.4 WAR for his career. I feel like he doesn't quite get enough attention for what he's meant to the post-Carlos Correa Astros. Right now, he's in line for his first career All-Star selection and a high finish in the AL MVP balloting. 

Matt Snyder: I wanted to bring up Pete Crow-Armstrong or James Wood, but they are more new superstars than underrated and I understand that it takes time for newer stars to totally sink into global consciousness. I know many believe the answer is José Ramírez and I agree that he's somewhat underappreciated, but I also think there are enough fantasy baseball players, gamblers and die-hard fans who know he's an elite-level talent and has been for a decade. I'll go with a teammate of his in Steven Kwan. He's just an all-around baseball player, probably even a throwback. He does everything well -- hits for average, makes contact, hits for some power, runs the bases well including stolen bases, plays great defense in left field and has a cannon for an arm. He's just a quiet, solid, 5-win (WAR) player.

Mike Axisa: Like Dayn said, Cal Raleigh would have been a good answer the last year or two, but that cat is fully out of the bag now. I'm also with Matt in thinking José Ramírez is no longer underrated. I think even casual fans know how great he is. I know he plays in Cleveland, but I don't think Ramírez is some hidden secret anymore. He's just a great, great player. Not underrated.

To answer the question, I'll go with Brendan Donovan. He's been a consistently above-average hitter since breaking into the league in 2022 (career 119 OPS+) and he's having his finest season yet: .314/.381/.445 with some of the best strikeout and overall contact rates in the league. Donovan has settled as a most-of-the-time second basemen this season, though he's played all over the infield and some outfield too, and he plays all those positions well. Just a rock solid all-around player who helps his team in every aspect of the game. At the plate, in the field, and on the bases.