10 Underrated Atlanta Braves Players Since 2000

Take a trip down memory lane and take a look at a few Atlanta Braves players who may not have gotten as much love as they should have.

Washington Nationals  v Atlanta Braves
Washington Nationals v Atlanta Braves | Todd Kirkland/GettyImages
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9. J.D. Drew

JD Drew
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When Braves fans think about J.D. Drew we tend to gravitate toward the fact that we gave the Cardinals Adam Wainwright in exchange for him. Wainwright was a highly touted prospect and the Braves didn't end up winning a World Series in 2004. Naturally, we look back and think about how we lost that trade. However, J.D. Drew had a heck of a season for the Braves in 2004.

RELATED: Revisiting the J.D. Drew/Adam Wainwright trade

Drew slashed a phenomenal .305/.436/.569 with 28 doubles, eight triples, and 31 homers. He drove in 93 runs and scored 118 times while also walking 118 times. J.D. Drew's 2004 is the 27th greatest offensive rWAR season in franchise history.

8. Paul Maholm

Paul Maholm
Cleveland Indians v Atlanta Braves | Kevin C. Cox/GettyImages

Paul Maholm might be a little harder to recognize as an underrated player if you only look at the surface stats. Maholm came to the Braves at the trade deadline in 2012 and posted a 3.54 ERA in the second half.

He started the 2013 season with three consecutive scoreless outings, two of which were seven innings or more. Over the first three months of the season, Maholm went 9-6 with a 3.69 ERA. Maholm was part of a killer rotation that included Tim Hudson, Kris Medlen, Mike Minor, and Julio Teheran.

The Braves won 96 games and a division title that season. Maholm's solid first half was a big factor. He began battling injuries in July and made just seven starts in the second half of the year.

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