10 Underrated Atlanta Braves Players Since 2000
By Seth Carter
The Atlanta Braves have a rich and storied history. The names of the stars roll off the tips of our tongues. John Smoltz, Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones... It's easy to forget some of the fantastic players to don the classic uniform over the year. So, I compiled a list of 10 underrated players to hit you right in the memories. This isn't the 10 MOST underrated players or anything. I don't have that kind of time or authority.
Here are 10 players I think are underrated for their time with the Braves. Could have been a season, or could have been their entire tenure. For whatever reason, here are 10 players and why I think they deserve some credit for their efforts in Atlanta, since the year 2000 and in no particular order.
10. Nick Markakis
The Atlanta Braves won 96 games and the division in 2013. They had an injury-ravaged season in 2014 which led to a fire sale. As a part of the "rebuild" period they signed Nick Markakis to a four-year deal. It was Markakis and Freeman, that was about it. Markakis was a consummate professional in his time with the Braves. He ended up staying for a couple of extra years.
During his six-year tenure, he hit .283 and got on base at a .357 clip. While with the Braves, his walk rate of 10.2% was higher than those players like Jose Ramirez and J.D. Martinez. In 2018, he hit .297 with 43 doubles and a Gold Glove. He also earned his lone All-Star selection that season.
Markakis made it through the tough times and stuck around to see some success. Check out our tribute to Nick Markakis here.