The 3 Most Underrated Position Players in Baseball

The 2023 MLB season has brought lots of storylines- rookies taking over the game, veterans finding their mojo back, and unexpected teams on the path to make the postseason. Amongst all of this, there have been many players who have flown under the radar, and have quietly put together strong seasons. In this blog, I will talk about 3 of these players who have taken the next step in their games, and are still being slept on.

Brandon Marsh (OF, Philadelphia Phillies)

This season, Brandon Marsh has a 126 OPS+ to go along with a 124 wRC+. His OPS+ ranks 30th in all of baseball, ahead of household names such as Pete Alonso and Paul Goldschmidt. To go along with his stellar offensive production, Marsh has been nothing short of elite in the field this season, shown by his 2.6 fWAR. Thus far, he has posted 6 Outs Above Average (94th Percentile) and 6 Defensive Runs Saved while playing LF and CF. At only 24 years old, he projects to become even better, and is primed to become a Phillies staple in the outfield for many years to come.

Ha-Seong Kim (2B, San Diego Padres)

Like Marsh, Ha-Seong Kim is also in his 3rd MLB season, and has subsequently ripped the cover off the ball. He has posted a 135 wRC+ and a 136 OPS+, to go along with 15 HR. While Kim has always been known for his defense, he has finally taken the next step offensively in the form of increasing his walk rate, as he now has a better OPS than Rafael Devers and Austin Riley.

Kim’s defense hasn’t taken a step back either, as he has a 4.1 fWAR (8th highest in baseball) and is in the 94th percentile in OAA. Kim also has a 6.3 Def (Defensive Runs Above Average and Positionally Adjusted), placing him 3rd amongst 2B in that category. Kim is still under contract through the 2025 season, and projects to be the 2B through that season. After 2025, though, he will hit free agency and is expected to earn a hefty contract.

T.J. Friedl (OF, Cincinnati Reds)

The Cincinnati Reds have had a ton of unexpected success this year, and while much of the praise is going to rookies Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, and Spencer Steer, there remains a player flying under the radar- T.J. Friedl. Friedl has a 108 OPS+ and a 107 wRC+ this season. While these numbers signify that he has only been slightly above league average, Friedl has proven valuable due to his low chase rate (75th percentile) and his low Whiff rate (85th percentile). He has consistently put the ball in play, and this has paid dividends for him in 2023.

For Fridel, however, it is his defense that makes him one of the more valuable players in the game. Friedl has 3 Defensive Runs Saved and 3 OAA, putting him in the 81st percentile in that category. Furthermore, he has a 1.2 Def, placing him 14th amongst outfielders, ahead of players such as Mike Trout and Corbin Caroll.

Like Marsh, Friedl still has many years left of team control, and projects to be a part of the Reds young core for the foreseeable future.