Los Angeles Dodgers: Is Dee Gordon the most underrated player in MLB?

April 26, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Dee Gordon (9) runs after he hits a triple in the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers are always a team to track closely. Whether it’s Clayton Kershaw‘s injury, Josh Beckett‘s pitching, or Yasiel Puig‘s lateness, there’s always something happening when it comes to LA.

These big stories and well-known players get covered extensively, but what about the guys grinding out solid performances game after game? There are plenty of underrated players in the big leagues, and one of them happens to occupy second base for the Dodgers.

Dee Gordon is a name you probably want to start paying a bit more attention to.

Gordon played the majority of his 2013 ball in AAA where he played as the Albuquerque Isotopes premier middle-infielder. In 374 at-bats, he notched 111 hits, putting his batting average at an impressive .297. This year in the big leagues with the Dodgers, Gordon is taking those numbers and putting them in the rear-view mirror.

This season, the 25-year-old is putting on a clinic, as he’s hitting .353 in his 85 at-bats. He’s played in 23 games thus far, stealing 13 bases in the process. You can look at Cincinnati Reds’ star Billy Hamilton for speed all you want, but if you’re looking for fireworks on the bases, Gordon is certainly your guy! He’s only been caught once this season and he leads the MLB in steals and attempts. Not to mention, his .353 average is good enough for 5th in the league amongst qualifiers, according to MLB.com’s stat lines.

Gordon has had a couple errors in the field this year, but I expect those to fade away once he has a few months of non-stop baseball under his belt. He is at the top of many statistical categories for the Dodgers, including on-base percentage (.385).

There’s no questioning Gordon’s red-hot start, but there is a bit of uncertainty about where the young infielder ranks around the league as a young player. Is it safe to say that his April is one of the best in the NL?

Sure, guys like Charlie Blackmon with the Colorado Rockies have had more notable outings, but Gordon is battling well not only on a good team, but against pretty respectable opponents. Blackmon and Co. get the media recognition, but it’s time for somebody to stand up for the special things that Gordon is doing in Los Angeles!