jan 9, 2019 - JBJ is underrated ... and poised to break out

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Increased hard-hit rate from 39.7 percent to 50.4 percent in 2018It's possible that Jackie Bradley Jr. is the fourth-most-notable player in his own outfield, given the presence of J.D. Martinez, reigning American League Most Valuable Player Mookie Betts and postseason hero Andrew Benintendi.

That's partially due to the sheer quality of the players who reside alongside him in baseball's best outfield, and it's partially due to the up-and-down nature of Bradley himself. He's had star-level seasons, hitting a strong .262/.345/.489 (119 wRC+) in 2015-16, with 36 home runs across the two years, and good defense; he's also had two straight disappointing years, hitting only .240/.319/.403 (89 wRC+) in 2017-18. Even his sparkling defensive reputation was somewhat up for discussion in 2018, as he won his first Gold Glove, but also had 0 Defensive Runs Saved.

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