Baseball is a sport full of legends. Household names like Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Ted Williams are synonymous with the game and its rich history. Their prodigious stats and iconic moments have cemented their places in Cooperstown and baseball lore. However, there are many other players throughout MLB history who put up Hall of Fame-worthy numbers but never quite got the recognition they deserved. They are the most underrated stars of America's pastime.
When analyzing the most underrated players in baseball history, one must look beyond just the superstars. Several factors come into play, such as the era they played in, the teams and cities they played for, and whether they played in the shadow of other legends. Longevity and consistency are also important measures of greatness. While some underrated players had relatively short but highly productive careers, others put up excellent stats year in and year out but were overshadowed by flashier contemporaries.
Taking all these factors into account, here are 10 of the most underrated players in MLB history:
10. Harry Heilmann
Harry Heilmann played his entire 17-year career (1914–1932) for the Detroit Tigers. The lefty-swinging Heilmann won four American League batting titles while hitting over .390 each time. He also led the AL in hits, doubles, triples and RBIs at various points of his career. Heilmann compiled a .342 lifetime average, 2,660 hits and 1,539 RBIs. Despite this impressive statistical resume, he lacks the name recognition of other hitters from his era. Playing in the shadow of legends like Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth certainly contributed to Heilmann’s underrated status. Nonetheless, he was one of the best pure hitters of the early 20th century.
9. Edgar Martinez
One of the most feared hitters of the 1990s and early 2000s, Edgar Martinez spent his entire 18-year career with the Seattle Mariners. The prolific designated hitter batted .312 for his career while smacking 309 home runs and 514 doubles. His career .418 on-base percentage and .515 slugging percentages are extremely impressive considering the pitcher-friendly confines of the Kingdome and Safeco Field. Martinez was also an excellent postseason performer, most famous for his iconic double that defeated the Yankees in the 1995 ALDS. "Gar" belongs in Cooperstown, but poor defense and the bias against DHs has kept him out thus far.
8. Ralph Kiner
Though his career was short, Ralph Kiner dominated the power hitting ranks of the late 1940s and early 50s. The slugging outfielder led the National League in home runs for seven consecutive seasons (1946–1952), twice hitting over 50 homers. Kiner also led the league in slugging and walks three times apiece. He compiled 369 career home runs and 1,015 RBIs in just 10 seasons. Back and shoulder injuries forced Kiner's early retirement, depriving him of an opportunity to reach 500 homers and cement his Hall of Fame legacy. Nonetheless, Kiner's elite power numbers make him one of the most underappreciated sluggers ever.
7. Al Simmons
A member of two famed A's teams in Philadelphia and Detroit, Al Simmons was a hitting machine. He batted over .300 in 13 seasons, winning two AL batting titles along the way. Simmons thrice topped 200 hits and finished his 20-year career with 2,927 hits and a .334 average. He also socked 307 home runs at a time when the long ball was a rarity. Playing alongside legends like Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Cochrane and Lefty Grove meant Simmons never got the credit he deserved. Nevertheless, "Bucketfoot Al" was one of the greatest pure hitters of the 1930s.
6. Pete Alexander
Grover Cleveland Alexander, better known as Pete, is one of the most dominant yet overlooked pitchers ever. The intimidating right-hander won 373 games over his 20-year career, third all-time behind only Cy Young and Walter Johnson. Alexander led the NL in ERA five times and strikeouts six times. He also tossed 90 shutouts, 16th most all-time. However, Alexander pitched in the shadow of rotation mate Christy Mathewson on the great Giants teams of the late 1910s. Later, shoulder problems hampered him throughout the 1920s. Alexander deserves more recognition for his brilliance during baseball's deadball era.
5. Paul Waner
Paul Waner, nicknamed "Big Poison," was an elite hitter who consistently batted over .320 during his 20-year career from 1926–1945. He collected over 200 hits in a season eight times and won three batting titles with a career average of .333. Waner also belted 133 home runs and 605 doubles as part of his 3,152 career hits. Though he put up Hall of Fame numbers, Waner was overshadowed by Babe Ruth and other sluggers of the time. Playing mostly for mediocre Pirates teams also contributed to his underrated status. Regardless, Waner was one of the most prolific hitters baseball has ever seen.
4. Carl Hubbell
The legendary screwballer Carl Hubbell anchored the New York Giants pitching staff for 16 seasons from 1928–1943. He won 253 games and posted a 2.98 ERA during an era dominated by offense. Hubbell also delivered in the clutch, winning an MVP in 1933 and 1936. His most iconic moment came in the 1934 All-Star Game when he struck out five future Hall of Famers – Ruth, Gehrig, Foxx, Simmons and Cronin – consecutively. Despite general obscurity today, Hubbell was the ace of National League pitching before World War II. He deserves to be remembered among the all-time great hurlers.
3. Lefty Grove
Lefty Grove dominated as a pitcher from 1925–1941, mostly with the Athletics and Red Sox. He led the American League in ERA a record nine times as the ace of some stacked Philadelphia A's teams. Grove also captured the pitching Triple Crown four times, leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts. Though arm troubles bothered him by the mid-1930s, he finished with 300 wins and a 3.06 ERA. Grove's sky-high peak is right there with the all-time greats, but he often gets lost among the bigger pitching names of the era like Walter Johnson and Christy Mathewson. Make no mistake – Lefty Grove is one of the most dominant pitchers MLB has ever witnessed.
2. Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson doesn't have the name recognition of Hank Aaron and Willie Mays, but he should. The fearsome slugger was a two-time MVP who made 21 All-Star Games in his 21 seasons. Robinson clouted 586 home runs, scored 1,829 runs and knocked in 1,812 more. He also compiled over 2,900 hits and a .294 career average. Robinson famously won the Triple Crown in 1966, leading the Orioles to a World Series title that year. Always producing on both sides of the ball, he remains one of the most well-rounded players in baseball history. Robinson deserves more acclaim for his sustained excellence.
1. Stan Musial
No player in history is more criminally underrated than Cardinals legend Stan "The Man" Musial. The consummate professional compiled 3,630 hits and 475 home runs over his 22-year career from 1941–1963. Musial won three MVPs, seven batting titles and made 24 All-Star teams along the way. His career marks of .331/.417/.559 give him one of the greatest hitting lines ever. Yet playing in small-market St. Louis meant Musial was never revered nationally like contemporaries Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams. Any knowledgeable fan understands Musial is an inner-circle Hall of Famer on par with the all-time greats. His understated brilliance makes The Man the most underrated player in MLB history.
Conclusion
Determining baseball’s most underrated players requires looking beyond just the legendary names ingrained in the sport’s consciousness. Several factors must be weighed, including the era they played in, teammates they were overshadowed by, longevity, consistency, and playing in small markets or for losing teams. Using those criteria, players like Harry Heilmann, Edgar Martinez, Ralph Kiner, Al Simmons, Pete Alexander, Paul Waner, Carl Hubbell, Lefty Grove, Frank Robinson and Stan Musial emerge as the most underappreciated in MLB history.
Though not household names today, these players put up statistics and on-field accomplishments that are on par with the all-time greats at their respective positions. Their prodigious numbers indicate these overlooked stars deserve far more credit and recognition as some of the best to ever play America’s pastime. While fame and notoriety are hard to come by, the stats speak for themselves – these players are undoubtedly among the most underrated in baseball history.
