4 Underrated Sluggers We'd Rather Have Than Giancarlo Stanton

Giancarlo Stanton used to be MLB's golden boy, but after trading for him in 2018, the New York Yankees haven't exactly gotten what they paid for. He was plagued with injuries last season and only played in 18 games. Stanton is getting a little too fragile, and there are plenty of low-profile players who are better sluggers right now.

4. Miguel Sano

Sano made one All-Star appearance in 2017 but has mostly flown under the radar since. He hit a career-best 34 home runs last year and posted a phenomenal .576 slugging percentage. Sano's slugging is unquestionably impressive, and he found a groove at third base last year, too. He's showing that he's on an upswing from a 2018 slump, while Stanton is moving further downhill.

3. Matt Olson

Olson, who was a first-round draft pick, may not be a true no-namer, but he is criminally underrated. He had a .545 slugging percentage in 2019, which is far better than Stanton's .492 last year and his .509 in 2018. Olson also suffered an injury early last season, but still managed to crack 36 homers.

2. Eric Thames

Thames will have a big act to follow batting behind Juan Soto in Washington this season, but he's a solid slugger in his own right. Thames had a .505 slugging percentage last season, and at 33 years old, he played a career-high 149 games last year. Not only is he leading Stanton in slugging stats, but he's proving he has durability over the 30-year-old too.

1. Franmil Reyes

Reyes is a straight up powerhouse, and he's just getting started, having only played two seasons in MLB. He posted a strong .512 slugging percentage in 2019 and he kicked off spring training looking stronger than ever. In 10 games, he hit five home runs and had 11 RBI. Stanton played in just one game during spring training, so it's obvious who's dominating this matchup.