Major League Baseball has been around a long time, which means many great players have played the game. But for every household name, there have been dozens of underrated players that many baseball fans have forgotten about over the years.
Hal Morris 1988-2000
Hal Morris was drafted by the New Yankees but didn’t play his first full season until 1990 as a member of the Cincinnati Reds. In 1990 Morris hit .340 and helped the Reds beat the Oakland A’s in the World Series. For his career, Morris hit over .300 six times. Morris has a .304 career batting average, 1,216 hits, and 76 home runs. Morris played 13 years for the Yankees, Reds, Kansas City Royals, and Detroit Tigers.
Omar Vizquel 1989-2012
Omar Vizquel was known for his defense, winning 11 Gold Gloves in his 24 years as a player. Vizquel wasn’t too shabby at the plate either hitting .280 or better eight times in his MLB career. However, it was easy for Vizquel to be overlooked at the shortstop position because he played against many big-name shortstops. Nomar Garciaparra, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Miguel Tejada, were just a few of his contemporaries. Vizquel finished his career as a .272 hitter and recorded 2,877 total hits. The versatile shortstop also stole 404 bases and had a fielding percentage of .985. Vizquel played for the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, and the Toronto Blue Jays.
Brett Butler 1981-1997
Brett Butler was one of the best lead-off hitters who received some of the least fanfare in the game. He was known for his ability to drag bunt and slap the ball to the opposite field. In 1990, Butler led the National League in hits with 192 while playing for the Giants. He also led the NL in runs scored twice and triples four times. Butler batted .300 or better five times in his career. The center fielder made one all-star team in 1991 and played for the Atlanta Braves, Indians, Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Mets.
John Olerud 1989-2005
John Olerud is one of the most underrated players of all time. He batted over .300 four times in his 17-year career, including a batting title in 1993 when he hit .364. Olerud also hit .359 in 1998. With the Blue Jays, Olerud won two World Series rings and was a pivotal contributor to the team. The first baseman was a two-time All-Star and won three Gold Gloves; Olerud finished his career with 2,239 hits and 255 home runs and had a career batting average of .295. Olerud played for the Blue Jays, Mets, Mariners, Yankees, and the Boston Red Sox.
Dave Stieb 1979-1993, 1998
Dave Stieb was one of the toughest and most durable pitchers of his era. He won over 15 games six times in his baseball career. Stieb won 176 games with a 3.44 ERA, 103 complete games, and 30 shutouts. He made the All-Star team seven times in his 16-year career, and also threw a no hitter in 1990. The 1985 AL ERA leader recorded 1,669 strikeouts in a career that saw stints with the Blue Jays and White Sox. The 64 year old righty was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005.
-LaMarr Fields
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