This year has been highlighted by great teams like the Yankees, Dodgers, Astros, and Mets, and teams who have caught fire like the Orioles, Braves, Mariners, and Phillies. It has also been highlighted by the best players like Judge, Trout, Alcantara, and Kershaw. We all know these players/teams are good and we all know the stats behind them. Today I would like to highlight some players who have been having really solid years on teams that are not necessarily good or well covered.

Parameters

Let me set some ground rules for these players. They have to be on teams that are either 4th or 5th in their division or over 8 games out of the WC. They also need to have not made the all-star team this year or the past three years, so no all-star nominations from 2019 on. Lastly, they need to be players who have just not been talked about a lot.

Carl Edwards Jr. (RP Washington Nationals)

Edwards is most known for being an RP on the 2016 Cubs and for winning a ring with the Braves last year despite just pitching a third of an inning for them. Looking deeper into his career though, he was drafted in the 48th round in 2011. Edwards eventually turned into a very solid RP with the Cubs from 2015-2018. In that time he logged 159 IP and a 3.06 ERA with a 3.12 FIP and also striking out 12.3 per 9. After that, though, he played 3 injury-riddled seasons in which he pitched badly when he was on the field. From 2019-2021 Edwards played for 5 different teams and pitched 27.1 innings with a 7.90 ERA and 5.76 FIP and striking out just 10.2 per 9.

At the start of 2022, Edwards was all but forgotten, he was a washed-up RP whose best days were long gone. He was scheduled to pitch for a Nats team that was pretty much expected to be one of the worst teams in baseball (and has been). However, Edwards has quietly been putting together one of the better seasons of his career so far this year and NO ONE is talking about it.

Carl Edwards 2022 Stats as of 7/22:

29 Games

34.1 IP

3.15 ERA

3.90 FIP

1.019 WHIP

126 ERA+

95th Percentile Avg Exit Velo

87th Percentile Hard Hit%

91st Percentile xwOBA and xERA

97th Percentile Fastball Spin

94th Percentile xBA and xSLG

87th Percentile Barrell%

According to MLBNerds, the Mets reached out about possibly acquiring Edwards Jr.

Nico Hoerner (SS Chicago Cubs)

Hoerner was a highly sought-after prospect, as he was drafted in the first round out of Stanford in 2018. He made his debut in 2019 and only played 20 games. He then logged 48 games played in the COVID shortened 2020, and then played just 44 games in an injury-shortened 2021. In this stretch from 2019-2021, Hoerner posted a slash of .272/.342/.349 with an OPS+ of 87. Heading into 2022 Hoerner was seen as a defensive middle infielder, but still had a lot to prove due to the fact he had just played 112 games in his first 3 years. He was also becoming a full-time SS for the first time which some people had questions if he could do. 2022 was set to be a major make or break for Hoerner and he has quietly put together a very good year for the Cubs and it has flown under the radar.

Nico Hoerner 2022 stats as of 7/22:

77 Games

291 PA

.307 BA

.344 OBP

.423 SLG

115 OPS+

10.7% K%

93rd Percentile xBA

97th Percentile K%

94 Percentile Whiff%

91st Percentile Sprint Speed

99th Percentile Outs Above Average

Alexis Diaz (RP Cincinnati Reds)

Diaz is a former 12th-round pick by the Reds in 2015 and is the brother of Mets all-star closer, Edwin Diaz. Diaz played in the minors from when he got drafted to when he made his debut this year. As a 12th-round pick and being a reliever, he had next to no expectations. However, Diaz has put together a very good season this year for a Reds team that has had very few bright spots.

Alexis Diaz 2022 Stats as of 7/22

32 Games

33.1 IP

2.16 ERA

3.77 FIP

214 ERA+

11.6 K9

0.8 HR9

71st Percentile Average Exit Velo

75th Percentile Hard Hit%

74th Percentile xwOBA and xERA

98th Percentile xBA

88th Percentile xSLG

95th Percentile Whiff%

100th Percentile Fastball Spin

Hunter Dozier (OF/1B/DH Kansas City Royals)

Dozier is a former 1st round pick and was drafted 8th overall in 2013. He was expected to be the future of the Royals but never played a full season until 2018. From 2018-2021 he was a league average hitter while being a below average defensive player. His slash line in this stretch was .242/.312/.438 with an OPS+ of 99. Heading into 2022 it was expected to be another average year for the 30 year old Dozier however he has put together one of the best years of his career so far with the Royals. With his defensive versatility and his good bat, he has become a very solid player and could see himself getting traded to a better situation.

Hunter Dozier 2022 Stats as of 7/22

77 Games

309 PA

.265 BA

.327 OBP

.445 SLG

117 OPS+

72nd Percentile Max Exit Velo

59th Percentile xwOBA

58th Percentile xBA

65th Percentile xSLG

62nd Percentile Barrell%

67th Percentile Sprint Speed

Patrick Sandoval (SP Los Angeles Angels)

Sandoval is easily the biggest name on this list as he was expected to be a vital part of the rotation on an Angels team that was supposed to be a playoff contender. However, with the historically bad downfall of the Angels, everyone has pretty much written them off except for Trout and Ohtani. With this happening Sandoval has been looked over this year. He is a former 11th Round pick out of HS in 2015 and had next to no expectations. However after a solid 2021 season, he was seen as a good 3rd pitcher for a good Angels team, but as I said earlier with the disappointment of the Angels Sandoval has been looked over.

Patrick Sandoval 2022 Stats as of 7/22

15 Games Started

81 IP

3.00 ERA

3.05 FIP

132 ERA+

9.7 K9

0.4 HR9

78th Percentile Average Exit Velo and Hard Hit%

62nd Percentile Barrell%

77th Percentile Whiff%

66th Percentile Chase Rate

86th Percentile Curve Spin

Christian Walker 1B Arizona DiamondBacks

Walker is a former 4th round pick in 2012 by the Orioles but only played 13 games with the Orioles. He then went over to Arizona where he became a very solid player, but he was never anything special about him. From 2018-2021 he had a slash line of .252/.330/.438 with an OPS+ of 102 and hit 49 HRs. Going into 2022 he was expected to be another decent player on a very bad DBacks team. However, Walker has been playing amazing so far for the DBacks and has been a very consistent bat in the middle of their order while also playing an amazing 1B.

Christian Walker 2022 Stats as of 7/22

90 Games

370 PA

.204 BA

.319 OBP

.460 SLG

120 OPS+

22 HRs

83rd Percentile Max Exit Velo

93rd Percentile xwOBA

94th Percentile xSLG

91st Percentile Barrel% and Chase%

95th Percentile BB%

99th Percentile Outs Above Average

A.J. Puk (RP Oakland A’s)

Puk is yet another former first round pick as he was picked in 2016, 6th overall out of Florida. He ended up moving to the bullpen and the hype died down real quick from him. Puk only lasted 24.2 innings from 2019-2021 and was mediocre at best. Heading into 2022 the 27 year old had little to no expectations as did the A’s team he was playing for. However, Puk has put together a very good year in the bullpen for the A’s and he could get traded to a contender or become a mainstay in the A’s bullpen.

A.J. Puk 2022 stats as of 7/22

35 Games

39.1 IP

2.29 ERA

2.93 FIP

162 ERA+

0.992 WHIP

96th Percentile Average Exit Velo

94th Percentile Hard Hit%

71st Percentile xwOBA and xERA

77th Percentile Barrel%

95th Percentile BB%

89th Percentile Fastball Velo

73rd Percentile xSLG