MLB: The 10 Most Underrated Players in Baseball

8- Jeff Keppinger, 3B, Chicago White Sox

2012 Stats: .325 AVG, 9 HRS, 46 RS, 40 RBI

To Giants fans the mention of Jeff Keppinger is likely to cause some bad days. San Francisco did not re-sign him after 2011 and he went on to have his best

September 18, 2012; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Jeff Keppinger (7) hits a single in the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field. Boston Red Sox defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 7-5. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

season.

Reds fans probably remember him as a failed prospect, and the Astros fan is too busy buying booze for the upcoming season to be bothered remembering Jeff.

Yes his defense has always be a bit under par and yes he hits for no power, as evidence by his career high being the nine bombs he hit last season, but he also has never hit below .256.

In 2011, the season that makes Giants fans sick, his line was .277 AVG, 6 HRS, 35 RBI in only 99 games. Keppinger has pretty much been the same hitter as Marco Scutaro; the big difference between the two has been defense, but had Jeff just reversed his hitting stats from 2011 where he hit over .300 as an Astro and only .255 as a Giant, you have to wonder if San Francisco keeps him and never makes a move for “Blockbuster”, and if it would have mattered.

7- Martin Prado, 3B, Arizona Diamondbacks

2012 Stats: .301 AVG, 10 HRS, 81 RS, 70 RBI, 17 SB

Sept. 19, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves left fielder Martin Prado (14) fields a base hit by Miami Marlins center fielder Gorkys Hernandez (not pictured) during the first inning at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Braves were perfectly comfortable with replacing the legendary Chipper Jones with their Swiss army knife Martin Pradon before he took the place of a top prospect in the deal to acquire Justin Upton from Arizona.

So Martin does get to replace a beloved player, but he will do so in the desert instead of the south. Since he started getting regular at bats the past four years Prado has hit over .300 three times and has launched at least ten homers a year. He is an above average defensive player in left, good at third, and in a pinch can even play up the middle. Martin is a manager’s dream; he is a jack of all trades and can bat anywhere without complaint.

It’s doubtful he will be able to match Upton’s offense swing for swing, but in his ability to plug any holes in the Diamondbacks roster, the trade with Atlanta could have actually make Arizona a better team.