MLB: Unveiling the All-Underrated team of the decade

As the decade comes to a close, people are crowning their team of the decade. However, who were the most underrated MLB players of the 2010s?

As the decade comes to a close, the baseball community is beginning to look back at the 2010s. It was an era in baseball defined by power. The pitchers threw the ball harder, and the sluggers hit the ball further than any previous decade.

We saw some crazy statistics emerge, alongside studs at every position. We saw record home runs in both quantity and distance. We saw pitchers reach impossible velocities. And most of all, we changed the way we think of baseball with the introduction of Statcast and all its insane metrics.

While the perennial MVP candidates attract all the headlines (and are rewarded with record-breaking contracts), there’s a crop of unsung heroes that have consistently made their teams better throughout the decade. These aren’t the players who are breaking records or winning MVPs but have quietly found ways to maintain long term success in the major leagues.

Whether it’s with their stellar defense, ability to get on base or timely hitting, the game’s top underrated players have impacted the decade far more than can be seen by the untrained eye. So, let’s take a closer look at the numbers in order to pick the most underrated players at each position this decade.

First, let’s set some ground rules. The All-Decade Underrated team will consist of one player at each position, including one starting pitcher and one relief pitcher. Next, each player must play over 70% of their games at the position they are selected for (Sorry, Ben Zobrist). Lastly, every player must be actively playing in the MLB as of the 2019 season.

So, without further ado, let’s reveal who earned their spots on the MLB All-Underrated Team of the Decade.

2010s MLB All-Underrated Team

First Base: Carlos Santana

Stats for the decade: .250/.367/.450, 232 HRs, 20.9 WAR

The first base position in the 2010s saw some of the game’s best sluggers dominate the position. From the future Hall of Famers like Joey Votto, Albert Pujols, and Miguel Cabrera, to current superstars like Freddie Freeman, Anthony Rizzo, and José Abreu, there was no shortage of offensive and defensive greatness throughout the decade.

Thus, the first base position is full of household names, and Carlos Santana was not one of them. The 33-year-old has spent almost his entire career with the Cleveland Indians, where he has been one of their most consistent run producers in the last 10 years. However, with the presence of the likes of Francisco Lindor, José Ramirez, and Corey Kluber, he has remained outside the spotlight and thus has never quite gained the recognition he deserves.

Santana has been great, and even more valuable to his team than the glamor stats reveal. Santana has always been a slugger, smacking 232 home runs and driving in 766 runs in the 2010s. However, his ability to get on base is perhaps the most underrated aspect of his game. His .367 OBP ranks him 7th among active first basemen, and his 15.4% BB% is second only to Joey Votto.

Santana’s defense has been widely underrated as well. Perhaps this is because he started the decade as a catcher, where he was not particularly good defensively. However, after he made the transition to first, his defense has improved. He finished the decade with a 5.6 UZR, which indicates he was well above average.

Despite his productive play on both sides of the field, Santana has been sorely underrated. He finally made his first all-star team in 2019, where he also came away with his first silver slugger award after a career year.

Santana has quietly put together a very respectable, productive career in Cleveland. Minus the off-year he spent in Philadelphia, his play makes him the best choice for the 2010s All-Underrated team at first base.

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.

2010s MLB All-Underrated Team

Third Base: Kyle Seager

Stats for the decade: .256/.324/.443, 198 HRs, 666 RBIs, 30.7 WAR

The hot corner was a hotbed for superstar talent throughout the 2010s. From seasoned vets like Adrian Beltre, Josh Donaldson, and Evan Longoria, to bright young stars like Alex Bregman, Nolan Arenado, and Matt Chapman, third base was arguably the best position of the decade. Thus, if you are on a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2001, it is easy to get lost in the weeds.

That would be the case for Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager. Seager began his career in 2011 and has quietly been one of the most consistently productive third basemen in the entire league. Since his first full season in 2012, he has never hit below 20 home runs in a season and averages a wRC+ of 112.

He is also a stellar defender. He posted a total UZR of 31.1 thus far in his career, which is well above average. He won a gold glove in 2014, and probably would have won more if he didn’t share a league with Beltre and Longoria.

Much like the other names on this list, he has been incredibly durable as well. Besides this past year, he has played in at least 154 games in each of his full seasons in the league. His 1261 total games trails only Longoria and Mark Reynolds since 2010.

Despite his durability and offensive productivity, Seager remains relatively unknown to the casual baseball fan. He only made one All-Star appearance in 2014, but probably deserves more recognition. It is tough when his younger brother Corey garners all the attention as the shortstop of the Los Angeles Dodgers, even though Kyle has been in the league much longer.

Kyle Seager remains one of the most underrated players of the decade, and he seems to embrace this role (his player’s weekend nickname was “Corey’s Brother”). Hopefully, he can continue his excellence in the 2020s, and hopefully, the Mariners can finally break their 18-year playoff drought and give Seager the recognition he deserves.

2010s MLB All-Underrated Team

Catcher: Francisco Cervelli

Stats for the decade: .268/.361/.382, 40.1 FRM, 17.5 WAR

Great catchers are hard to come by. Some are known for their powerful arms, while others are elite framers. Some sacrifice defense for offensive productivity, while others are a liability at the plate. Therefore, catchers with the complete package are rare. However, the 2010s were blessed with the likes of Buster Posey and Yadier Molina, both of whom are likely to be enshrined in Cooperstown when they hang up the cleats.

Others had great decades, like Brian McCann and Russell Martin, and have been rewarded with large contracts as a result. Therefore, they cannot be considered underrated. However, Francisco Cervelli can.

Cervelli is a rather unconventional pick at the catcher position, mainly because he spent the first half of the decade as a backup for the New York Yankees. However, when he has been behind the plate in the 2010s, he has been one of the most valuable catchers defensively. He is known as one of the better game managers in the league. Pitchers and managers alike have praised Cervelli for his knowledge of the game, which eventually earned him a starting gig in Pittsburg.

Furthermore, his 40.1 FRM is an impressive statistic that shows his elite ability to frame pitches. While he has never had a great arm, he has been a plus defender behind the plate throughout this decade.

Offensively, Cervelli does not have flashy statistics. He only hit more than 10 home runs in a season once in his career and has never been a big run producer. However, he does all the little things right. He has always hit for average and has an elite ability to draw walks and get on base. His .361 OBP is third only to Joe Mauer and Buster Posey. That’s pretty good company to be in.

When a catcher can hit and call a good game behind the plate, they are met with widespread praise by the baseball community. However, players like Francisco Cervelli deserve more credit for what they can bring to the table at the catcher position.

2010s MLB All-Underrated Team

Left Field: Brett Gardner

Stats for the decade: .260/.344/.405, 121 HRs, 810 runs, 228 SBs, 33.6 WAR

The left-field position is a tough one to rank, given the generational shift that occurred midway through the 2010s. The first half was highlighted by the dominance of players like Josh Hamilton, and Matt Holiday, while the second half has seen players like Christian Yelich and Michael Brantley take aim at the throne.

Ryan Braun and Justin Upton were two consistent offensive powerhouses in left field throughout the entire decade. However, they lacked the complete package that Brett Gardner routinely brought to the table, without gaining nearly the same recognition as the other two. How has Brett Gardner remained one of the most underrated players of the decade while playing on a team as high-profile as the Yankees?

The answer is simple: Gardner chooses to lead by example without attracting media attention to himself. And his numbers tell the story of his under-appreciated greatness. Gardner is tied with only Christian Yelich for first in WAR among active left fielders with 33.6. While he did not start showing off his power until the end of the decade, he was still a very important part of the Yankees’ lineup. He was third in stolen bases with 228, and second in runs scored with 810. His plate discipline is also an underrated part of his game. Since 2010, he has the second-lowest swing percentage at 36.3%, which only trails his former teammate Bobby Abreu. Simply put, Gardner gets on base and runs the bases well.

His defense was also amongst the top in the league in left field. While he doesn’t have a great arm, he has the ability to track down almost any ball. Since 2010, he boasts the highest defensive WAR of any qualified left fielder with a 35.5 mark. He also has a 74.9 UZR and 97 defensive runs saved (DRS).

Gardner has managed to stay outside the New York spotlight for over a decade while becoming the de facto captain inside their clubhouse. Still, he has only been an all star once in his career in 2015, while taking home only one gold glove award the following season. He remains one of the most underrated players in the game.

2010s MLB All-Underrated Team

Center Field: Lorenzo Cain

Stats for the decade: .288/.347/.413, 78 HRs, 175 SBs, 28.8 WAR

When crowning the best center fielder of the decade, there is one man that is leaps and bounds above the rest of the competition. If you’ve made it this far in the article, you probably can guess who that is. Mike Trout‘s dominance not only casts a large shadow over other center fielders in the league but over the entire league.

Thus, people often forget that there were other elite center fielders this decade. The next man up after Trout is Andrew McCutchen, who had his own streak of dominance in the national league. But after him, the competition gets increasingly thin. There were those who excelled offensively, but lacked elite defense, like George Springer and Charlie Blackmon. Then, there were others like Jackie Bradley Jr. and Kevin Kiermaier who dominated defensively but lacked consistent offensive productivity.

However, Lorenzo Cain was quietly the full package out in center field throughout the 2010s. Cain reached the peak of his fame in 2015 with the Royals, where he helped lead his team to a World Series title. He made his first all-star team and finished third in MVP voting following a stellar all-around season. However, besides one more all-star season in 2018, Cain’s performance has been largely underrated.

While he has never been a home run hitter, he has consistently gotten on base and produced runs. His mixture of speed and contact ability has made him a staple in the middle of the lineup for both the Royals and the Brewers throughout his career. Shortly put, he is an offensive catalyst when he is at his best.

His defense has perhaps been the best part of his game. Since the beginning of the decade, he has an incredible 56.6 total UZR, as well as 113 defensive runs saved. He was finally rewarded for his defensive prowess in 2019 with his first career gold glove award, which was highlighted by some of the best catches of the year.

2010s MLB All-Underrated Team

Right Field: Nick Markakis

Stats for the decade: .284/.354/.405, 111 HRs, 735 runs, 14.9 WAR

Right field is a position defined by power in the 2010s. Players like Giancarlo Stanton, Mookie Betts, Bryce Harper, and Jose Bautista embodied the explosion of offensive productivity at this position. Thus, there were plenty of great players that slipped through the cracks of the public eye.

Because of the surplus of talent in right field throughout the decade, it was a difficult call, as there were many underrated players who could be deserving of a spot on this squad. One popular choice here is Josh Reddick. The 32-year-old has been consistently underrated throughout his career, despite excellent play for some good teams. He has been a valuable asset to the Astros throughout their years of dominance but enjoyed his best year on the Athletics in 2012. He broke out for 32 home runs and won a gold glove in right field. However, while he has been a useful asset to good teams, he has never replicated his excellence that year.

Thus, consistency is key when crowning the most underrated right fielder of the 2010s. That is why Nick Markakis deserves the nod over the rest of the candidates. Markakis has been remarkably durable and consistent throughout his career and is still playing at a high level at 35. Since 2010, he has played over 155 games eight times. His 1,491 total games and 6,520 at-bats are second to none by a wide margin over that same timespan.

Furthermore, he has been one of the best contact hitters in the entire league this decade. His 12.5 strikeout rate is the lowest among active right fielders. He has quietly amassed 2,355 career hits, and he does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon. Lastly, he has been one of the best defenders of the decade as well. Since 2011, he has taken home three gold glove awards in right field.

Markakis seems content with letting others take the spotlight. The baseball community came together to reward Markakis with his underrated play in 2018 by granting him his first all-star game appearance. Markakis has perhaps built the quietest hall of fame case of any player in recent history, and a few more productive years could grant him legitimate consideration.

2010s MLB All-Underrated Team

Starting Pitcher: Gio Gonzalez

Stats for the decade: 122-88 W-L, 3.50 ERA, 3.55 FIP, 31.7 WAR

The 2010s saw some of the best starting pitchers of all time. Starters threw harder, had sharper breaking balls, and struck out more batters than ever before. Pitchers like Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, and plenty of others appear poised to become enshrined in Cooperstown one day.

Others lacked the firepower of their peers, but still somehow found long term success in a decade defined by velocity. A perfect example of this is Gio Gonzalez. Gonzalez broke out in 2010 with Oakland and proceeded to have two of the best seasons of his career in 2011 and 2012. He was an all-star both years and finished third in Cy Young voting in 2012. That year, he lead the league in wins (21), and FIP (2.82).

However, for the remainder of his career, he fell into the shadows of his teammates Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg in Washington. Despite being a number 3 starter, he continued to put in quality work as a starter. Without the elite velocity of his teammates, he continued to strikeout countless batters, and be the most underrated pieces in one of the best rotations of the decade.

In recent years, Gio Gonzalez has fallen out of favor by MLB teams. The Nationals traded him to the Brewers in 2018 after having two down years in a row. However, Gio bounced back for the Brew Crew, pitching to a perfect 3-0 record in 5 starts with a 2.13 ERA. The following year, he was signed by the Yankees, but never made it to the majors with them. After they released him, the Brewers picked him up once again, and Gonzalez proved to be a valuable back-of-the-rotation starter with for them.

It is clear that Gio Gonzalez is past his prime, but his consistent effectiveness as a starter should continue to land him jobs in major league rotations. He had some elite, ace-like years, and deserves the spot as the most underrated starting pitcher of the 2010s.

2010s MLB All-Underrated Team

Relief Pitcher: Sean Doolittle

Stats for the decade: 111 saves, 10.60 K/9, 3.02 ERA, 2.69 FIP, 457 Ks

Today in the MLB, elite relief pitchers have crazy stuff. Flamethrowers like Aroldis Chapman, Craig Kimbrel, and Kenley Jansen have changed what it means to be one of the game’s top relievers. They ushered out a 2000s decade that was dominated by Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman, who used more precision than power to overwhelm their opponents.

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However, like every other position on this list, there were those who were less innovative in the 2010s but still proved to be very effective throughout the decade. Nobody epitomizes this more than Sean Doolittle.

Doolittle entered the league in 2012 with the Athletics, and since then, he has posted great numbers in various roles across different periods of his career. Some years, he was his team’s primary closer, like in 2014 with the A’s, and 2017-2019 with the Nationals. Other years, he was a setup man. Regardless of his role, Doolittle has quietly been one of the most effective relievers in the league, without the overpowering stuff.

Throughout his career, his average fastball velocity is an even 94 mph and has never reached a mark higher than 94.8 mph in a season. However, he relies heavily on his fastball, throwing it 88% of the time during his eight-year career. He mixes in a slider and changeup into his arsenal, but he lives and dies by his fastball.

It is impressive that a guy that has never thrown a fastball harder than 95 mph for a season has found so much success in a league that is highlighted by monsters who consistently break triple digits in velocity. Now, Doolittle hoists up a World Series trophy after playing an integral role in a Nationals bullpen that stepped up big time in the postseason. Perhaps, people won’t overlook Sean Doolittle anymore.