MLB: Unveiling the All-Underrated team of the decade

2010s MLB All-Underrated Team

Second Base: Ian Kinsler

Stats for the decade: .266/.332/.427, 174 HRs, 152 SBs, 34.8 WAR

When crowning the best second baseman of the decade, it is really a two-horse race. José Altuve and Robinson Canó are leaps and bounds above the rest of the field. However, that does not mean there weren’t others who deserve some props.

There was no second baseman more consistently underrated than Ian Kinsler. Kinsler started his career in 2006 with the Texas Rangers and has been one of the most consistent players in the league. He broke out offensively in 2011, where he hit 32 home runs and 30 stolen bases at the top of the lineup. His mixture of speed and power has been greatly undervalued throughout his career. Since 2010, he ranks second behind Altuve in stolen bases with 152 and leads all in runs with 879. He is third in home runs with 174.

More impressively, he has managed to stay on the field throughout this decade. He ranks only third behind Starlin Castro and Robinson Canó in games played at second base with 1373 since 2010.

From an offensive perspective, there are arguments for other habitually underrated players at this position, most namely Howie Kendrick. Kendrick has also been stellar this decade, slashing an impressive .292/.339/.430 with 112 wRC+. However, what separates Kinsler from Kendrick, and others, is his defense. He finished the decade with 105 DRS and a staggering 53.4 UZR. For his incredible defense at second base, he has been rewarded with two gold gloves award, one in 2016 and the other in 2018.

Now 37, Kinsler is well past his prime. He is not the offensive player he used to be, but his defense still makes him a valuable asset to any major league ball club. While he had the worst offensive season of his career in 2019, people should not forget how underrated Kinsler has been throughout his career.