MLB Power Rankings: The League's Most Underrated Player at Every Position

Everyone has there favorite player and some guys, such as Derek Jeter seem to get all of the attention. Many people will make the argument that many of the popular players in today's game are overrated.

Baseball also has its fair share of underrated players as well. There are guys that put up great numbers but seem to get overlooked because of the team they play for or other players in their league.

The following lineup includes the most underrated player at every position as well as a starting pitcher and closer.

Catcher: Carlos Ruiz

With all of the stars on the Phillies roster, it is very easy to overlook Carlos Ruiz. In fact, Ruiz is one of the top five catchers in the National League. However, he often does not receive the credit that he deserves.

One reason that Ruiz gets overlooked is the fact that he does not hit for much power. He has only four home runs on the year and has also only driven in 19 runs.

What Ruiz does do is get on base. His .366 on-base percentage is sixth highest among catchers.

Ruiz has a higher walk rate than strikeout rate this year as well. His 1.7 WAR ranks higher than that of AL All-Star Russell Martin and Geovany Soto, two players who are much more talked about than Ruiz.

First Baseman: Casey Kotchman

Kotchman's biggest problem is that he is a first baseman in the American League who does not hit for power. While the likes of Adrian Gonzalez, Miguel Cabrera, Mark Teixeira and Paul Konerko also in the American League, it is no wonder that Kotchman has not been talked about this season.

The Rays first baseman has been strong defensively this year and has a 3.2 UZR. Kotchman has also been great at the plate. He may only have four home runs and 28 RBI, but Kotchman is hitting .340 on the year, one of the highest totals in the majors.

His wRC+ this season is 143, a mark which is higher than that of Teixeira and tied with Albert Pujols. The argument is made that Kotchman's average should drop off because of his BABIP.

With his average, Kotchman's .369 BABIP is not that out of line. He could end up as the American League batting leader this year.

Second Base: Daniel Murphy

The Mets utility man has been one of the many players who have played second base for New York this season. Injuries have caused him to shift around the infield and also play first and third.

However, when David Wright and Ike Davis return, Murphy should move back to second base.

There were initially concerns about Murphy's defense at second base, but he proved that he could play the position. He has a range factor of 4.85, which is higher than the league average at second base of 4.75. Murphy also has a 1.8 UZR this year.

Murphy's bat has been a big help to the Mets this season. He is batting over .300 on the year, and his .134 ISO is fairly good for a second baseman. Murphy has a 119 wRC+ putting him ahead of players such as Brandon Phillips.

Shortstop: Erick Aybar

It is well known that there tends to be an East Coast bias when it comes to sports. For this reason, players like Erick Aybar often do not receive the credit that they deserve.

Aybar has quietly been putting together a strong season for the Los Angeles Angels. He has a 117 wRC+, which is better than Jimmy Rollins, Elvis Andrus and Alexi Ramirez.

The argument could certainly be made that Aybar was deserving of a spot on the American League All-Star team this year. Aybar is having a career year, and since he is just 27, he should continue to get better.

Third Baseman: Chase Headley

Third base is typically a position that is home to big bats. Chase Headley does not hit for much power, as evident from his two home runs this season, but he excels at other aspects of the game.

Headley has done a great job of getting on base this season. He is hitting .300 and he is drawing a walk in over 12 percent of his plate appearances.

This production has led to Headley's 130 wRC+ this season. This puts him ahead of elite third basemen such as Evan Longoria, Adrian Beltre and David Wright.

Right Field: Matt Joyce

Nobody could have seen Joyce's breakout coming this year. Everyone was much more focused on the legend of Sam Fuld. Joyce also is not even considered to be the best outfielder on the Rays.

That honor goes to BJ Upton.

Without the spotlight on him, Joyce has been able to thrive this year. He already has career highs in home runs, RBI, and stolen bases. He has begun to get some of the recognition that he deserves as he was invited to the All-Star game this season.

Joyce has a 142 wRC+ this season and a .376 wOBP. These numbers are better than players who have gotten much more recognition than Joyce such as Mike Stanton and Jay Bruce.

Center Field: Andrew McCutchen

The first question that you may be asking is how can an All-Star like Andrew McCutchen be underrated. He has played a key part in leading the Pirates to one of the best seasons they have had in the past almost two decades.

McCutchen is actually one of the best players in the game, and yet he is not ranked as highly as he should be by many. His 5.1 WAR this season is third best in baseball behind just Jose Bautista and Jose Reyes.

owever, McCutchen is not considered by any to be a top-five or even top-10 player.

An outstanding fielder, McCutchen also has a chance to be a 30/30 hitter this year. Players like this don't come around often and when they do, they are considered to be stars. McCutchen should be seen in that same light.

Left Field: Brennan Boesch

Carlos Gonzalez is considered to be one of the best left fielders in baseball. Brennan Boesch is considered to be a slightly above average player at the same position.

However, if you look at the two side-by-side, there is not a significant difference between the two. Gonzalez steals more bases and Boesch is slightly better defensively.

The two players' lines are practically identical but Gonzalez gets much more recognition than Boesch.

Boesch has a 126 wRC+, one point better than Gonzalez and the two have both had 2.2 WAR seasons to date. The Tigers outfielder is definitely someone to keep an eye on the rest of this season.

Starting Pitcher: Madison Bumgarner

Many fans don't get past a pitcher's record and ERA before they will pass judgement on him. This explains why Madison Bumgarner has been underrated this season. He is 4-9 with a 3.74 ERA.

Bumgarner should actually be considered as one of the top 20 pitchers in baseball this season. He has an outstanding K/BB rate and has done a great job limiting home runs this season. Bumgarner has been hurt by the fact that batters have a .341 BABIP against him.

Statistics such as FIP and xFIP show that Bumgarner has been very unlucky this season. He has a 2.46 FIP and 3.11 xFIP this year. As a point of comparison, CC Sabathia has a 3.11 xFIP.

Bumgarner has put up a 3.4 WAR season so far this year, which is good for 11th in the MLB.

Closer: Fernando Salas

Ryan Franklin lost his job as the Cardinals closer very early on this season. The Cardinals needed someone to fill this role.

Fernando Salas has stepped up in his second season in the majors and has been able to do a fantastic job as the Cardinals closer. He has 17 saves on the year and has gotten the job done 85 percent of the time.

Salas has a K/9 ratio over nine and a K/BB ration over four. He strikes out a quarter of the batters that he faces and has held hitters to a .181 batting average this year.