Discover 2025’s Top 10 Underrated MLB Players: Adell & Bader

Each year, some MLB players have impressive seasons without getting the attention they deserve. The 2025 season is no exception.

This can be due to market size, an uncompetitive team, or being overshadowed by flashier, headline-grabbing teammates. 

Here are 10 MLB players having under-the-radar seasons in 2025

Jo Adell

A former 10th-overall pick and ranked the second-best prospect in baseball by Baseball Prospectus in 2019 and 2020, Jo Adell hasn’t lived up to the hype of being Mike Trout’s long-term running mate.

Adell has, however, seemingly figured out how to hit big-league pitching. He had a 79 OPS+ across 308 big-league games coming into this season. He’s 12% above average in 2025 and ranks in the 97th percentile in xSLG and the 99th percentile in bat speed.

His poor defense and woeful plate discipline give him a hard ceiling, yet this has quietly been a breakthrough campaign for a player many had disregarded.

Ryne Nelson

Just 32 starting pitchers have a better ERA than Ryne Nelson. That’s a very nice achievement for a pitcher who started the season in the bullpen and had a career 94 ERA+ before opening day.

The biggest change has been his fastball. It’s leapt from being an average pitch to elite, with more vertical break and less horizontal movement. His other pitches aren’t anything to get too excited about, but that’s acceptable when you factor in his unhittable fastball. 

Yandy Díaz

Perennially underrated, Yandy Díaz has a career 126 OPS+. He has been in Junior Caminero’s shadow on the non-contending Rays, but Díaz has amassed 2.3 bWAR with an .816 OPS.

A free agent at season’s end, Díaz is an interesting offseason story to follow. He doesn’t have elite raw power, and he was moved to DH for the 2025 season, but he’s quietly been one of the American League’s most reliable hitters over the last half-decade.

Garrett Cleavinger

In his age-31 season, Garrett Cleavinger has a 233 ERA+. Only four relievers have a better ERA than Cleavinger at the time of writing, and his 34% strikeout rate comes in ahead of some of the sport’s premier arms.

The southpaw has been one of the best relievers in the sport, let alone among left-handed options out of the bullpen. The Rays are experts at developing pitchers, and Cleavinger is their latest success story, with a 0.95 WHIP, and two truly elite pitches.

Edward Cabrera

This is finally a career year for Edward Cabrera. He’s got the walks under control at 7.7%, and he’s massively decreased his four-seam usage to focus on the changeup and curveball as above-average pitches.

Improving command hasn’t cost him stuff. Cabrera’s strikeout rate is a shade under 26% and his 105 location+ is by far the highest of his career. His 115 pitching+ is near the best in the NL. Into the top 40 in ERA, the Marlins look to have figured out how Cabrera can realize his All-Star potential. 

Harrison Bader

Traded from the Twins to the Phillies at the deadline, Harrison Bader is having the best offensive season of his career with a 118 OPS+.

Bader’s 3.6 bWAR is the second-highest of his career and his highest since 2021. He’s an elite outfield defender with great sprint speed and has his highest walk rate since 2020. With 14 homers and 10 stolen bases, his counting stats are as impressive as his rate numbers. 

Kyle Manzardo

A launch-angle specialist, Kyle Manzardo is in the 79th percentile in barrel rate. He’s also managed to produce a stark increase in his walk rate, which is a promising long-term sign for the Guardians, who will hope Manzardo can hold down DH or first base for the next couple of years.

Disappointing as a highly rated prospect in 2024, Manzardo hasn’t made any major changes to his approach. He’s swing-happy and strikes out more than you’d like for his power numbers, but this season seems to simply be a case of adjusting to big-league pitching. 

Maikel Garcia

Boasting elite bat-to-ball skills and a league-average walk rate, Maikel Garcia was named an All-Star for the first time and has been worth 5.1 bWAR. Perhaps that’s too high-profile a season to make this list, but it still feels like he hasn’t got the respect he deserves.

He leads all third basemen in fWAR. His 11 outs above average are among the best across all positions, and he’s got an outside shot at a 20-20 season. An All-MLB spot waits for Garcia, which might surprise some fans considering how little hype he has received (largely due to being in a small market). 

Cade Horton

With a 0.86 ERA over his last eight starts, Cade Horton isn’t as under-the-radar as he was. He’s getting some NL Rookie of the Year buzz, despite only amassing 1.1 bWAR so far.

A 2.92 ERA overall is the result of some batted-ball luck: Horton’s xERA is above 4.00 and he’s in the 14th percentile in barrel rate. It’s still been an encouraging rookie season, though, and he could yet have a big role to play in October.

Bryan Abreu 

Fifth in strikeout rate and 12th in ERA among relievers, Bryan Abreu has been one of MLB’s best relievers over the last four seasons. He has largely been overlooked when discussing the sport’s top bullpen arms, however, as he only has 13 career saves.

While he hasn’t been closing games, Abreu is having an utterly dominant campaign, putting him on course for a sub-2.00 ERA for the third time in four years. Only eight pitchers have more holds. 

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