FoxSports.com: D-backs OF David Peralta remains underrated

A.J. Pollock and Paul Goldschmidt have had their fair share of being called underrated, but neither were the Arizona Diamondback to receive the honor of the term from FoxSports.com’s JP Morosi.

That would be outfielder David Peralta, who is coming off a blistering post All-Star break performance in 2015.

A couple other candidates from the Diamondbacks’ 2015 outfield could have fit here — A.J. Pollock or Ender Inciarte, now with Atlanta — but Peralta is a classically underrated performer. His backstory is part of the reason: He began his pro career as a pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals system and was released before signing with the Diamondbacks out of independent baseball on the recommendation of scout Chris Carminucci.

Now projected to be Arizona’s everyday right fielder, Peralta should be looked upon as an All-Star candidate entering 2016. He posted an .893 OPS last year and led the National League with 10 triples.

In 68 games after the All-Star break, Peralta hit .360 with nine HR and 39 RBI. Only Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto hit the ball better in that period (.362).

If Peralta were to reach his first All-Star game, he would surely join the likes of Pollock and Goldschmidt, who are both coming off seasons that received MVP votes.

Although Goldschmidt is coming off another MVP-caliber season, the mass majority of casual baseball fans still view the Diamondbacks first baseman as underrated.

Paul Goldschmidt, for example, remains under-appreciated by our country’s larger sports culture. But it’s difficult to argue that baseball writers and diehard fans are unfamiliar with him; he was the runner-up in National League Most Valuable Player voting in 2013 and 2015.

Morosi notes the list was geared more towards knowledgeable baseball fans or else Goldschmidt would have made the rankings.

Follow @AZSports