15 Underrated AL Players from the 2024 MLB Season
15 Underrated AL Players from the 2024 MLB Season
The National League will be posted very soon!
One of my favorite things to write about baseball-wise is the underrated player. The over-looked guy in the clubhouse who isn’t getting enough love, but is still making important impacts daily.
Here is an underrated contributor from each American League club in 2024.
Orioles - Robert Suarez
After an abundance of injuries plagued Baltimore’s pitching staff, Suarez, who hadn’t chucked in an MLB game since 2017, stepped up big time.
He finished the year with a 3.70 ERA, and 1.29 WHIP over 133.2 innings, winning 9 games across 24 starts. The Orioles may not have made the playoffs without the 34-year-old to eat innings weekly.
Yankees - Luke Weaver
I’m not sure any Yankees fans viewed Luke Weaver as their bullpen darling back in March. Nevertheless, the 30-year-old played a crucial role in the Bronx all year long.
Weaver threw 83 innings, appeared in 61 games, and posted a stellar 2.93 ERA, and 1.0 fWAR. His 30.9 K% was the highest on the team (minimum 40 innings pitched). He’s surely known around New York now.
Red Sox - David Hamilton
Things looked bleak at the shortstop position for Boston when Trevor Story went down on April 5. Enter David Hamilton. The speedster provided depth and versatility the Sox desperately needed in the infield.
Hamilton swiped 33 bases, the 11th best in all of baseball. Most impressive of all? He did it in just 98 games. Nifty with the bat also, he clubbed 8 home runs and drove in 28. Credit Chaim Bloom for finding this gem.
Rays - Zack Littell
It was a known fact that the Rays pitching staff was banged up before the 2024 season even started. But nobody had Zack Littell leading the club’s pitching staff in fWAR by season’s end on their bingo card.
Littell, a 28-year-old journeyman had never thrown over 90 innings in a season. He threw 156.1 in ‘24 and did well. A 3.63 ERA, 21.5 K%, 4.7 BB%, 3.88 FIP, and 2.3 fWAR comfortably earned him a spot on this list.
Blue Jays - Spencer Horowitz
Taking on the role of Davis Schneider (to an extent) this year, Horowitz found himself as a regular for the first time. The 26-year-old played 96 games for a Toronto club that never hit the ground running.
He was excellent during those 96 games, the utility infielder hit 12 homers, clubbed a 128 wRC+, and walked at a 10.6% clip.
White Sox - Jonathan Cannon
I’ll admit it. It was difficult finding an “underrated” player on a team that lost 121 games this season, but 23-year-old Jonathan Cannon is who I landed on.
It wasn’t always pretty, but the youngster provided a solid chunk of innings — 124.1 to be exact. This was third on the squad, Cannon racked up a 4.49 ERA across 21 starts, munching on outs that were so desperately needed for this historically bad White Sox club.
Tigers - Tyler Holton
Detroit didn’t squeak into the playoffs for no reason. It was a combination of great management, timely hitting, belief, and young guys stepping up. Tyler Holton was nails for the Tigers pitching staff in 2024.
Holton collected the club’s best ERA (minimum 60 innings), at a stout 2.19 ERA. The right-hander became a Swiss army knife, as he started nine games for the club, yet carved out eight saves in relief. He was fun to watch.
Twins - Willi Castro
Making his first All-Star game appearance in 2024, Willi Castro was a rock-steady force in Rocco Baldelli’s lineup all season long.
The super-utilityman played in 158 games, the most of any Twins hitter this season. He finished with a 3.1 fWAR, with 12 HR, 14 SB, and a 108 wRC+. One of the most under-appreciated players in the game. Get familiar.
Royals - Michael Wacha
At this rate, if you don’t know who Michael Wacha is, you’re not a real baseball fan. He’s been around forever. However, the crafty veteran arm was very underrated for these playoff Royals.
Seth Lugo this, Cole Ragans that — Wacha was terrific as well. He started 29 games for Kansas City, and punched in a 3.35 ERA, along with a 21.2 K% and 3.65 FIP. A tremendously vital arm for them come October.
Guardians - Cade Smith
What if I told you that Emmanuel Clase will get some Cy Young votes, but didn’t have the highest fWAR in his own bullpen? Cade Smith burst onto the scene quickly this spring, and never really stopped.
The Cleveland setup man posted a 1.91 ERA across 75.1 innings, along with a stellar 1.40 FIP. He limited damage to perfection, as his.303 BABIP against proved his ERA probably should have been even lower.
Rangers - Wyatt Langford
How can a top prospect be underrated? You begin April and May as one of the worst hitters in all of baseball. Langford turned things on in the second half, hitting 11 of his 16 homers during that span.
The power threat also stole 19 bases for Texas and finished with a 2.8 fWAR despite being in the negatives for some time. He looks to be quite the lock for a 20 HR/20 SB season in 2025, it just took him time to get comfy.
Astros - Yainer Diaz
If I could go back in time and write this same blog for the 2023 season, I probably would have chosen Diaz. Lo and behold, he did the batting average thing again.
Diaz hit .299, good for the 8th highest BA among qualified hitters — as a catcher. He collected a 3.0 fWAR and clubbed a 117 wRC+. He still grades out as an above-average blocker behind the dish and can nab runners.
Angels - Jose Soriano
The 25-year-old proved to be a dependable arm in Anaheim’s staff during his first full season of MLB action, surprising many.
Soriano led a shaky Angels staff in fWAR with 1.7, he started 20 games yet appeared in 22, posting a 3.42 ERA and 20.7 K% across 113 innings. I’m very interested to see what the future holds for this Angels arm. Please stay healthy.
A’s - Hogan Harris
Lots of uncertainty was brought about in Oakland’s last season before the big move. This Athletics club played their hearts out on a nightly basis and were fun to watch. Hogan Harris was involved.
Much like Holton being a Swiss army knife within the Tigers’ staff, Harris served a similar role during Moneyball’s last ride. He started nine games, yet appeared in 21, posting a sharp 2.86 ERA in 72.1 innings. Get the walk rates down, and I’ll be a believer.
Mariners - Victor Robles
Sometimes, all it takes is a change of scenery. Stuck in DC, Robles was struggling and close to being out of the league. Dipoto and Seattle stepped in and saved him.
While I won’t mention his bases-loaded stealing home blunder (oops), Robles was an awesome fit with the Mariners. He clubbed a 154 wRC+ over 77 games and stole a whopping 30 bases for the club that just missed out on a postseason birth.