MLB is full of stars. The league has made an effort to better market their top-tier talent and players such as Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, and Aaron Judge have entered celebrity territory. With that being said, there are plenty of talented players who don't receive near the attention that they deserve. Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara certainly fits that billing.

The right-hander has been electric for the Marlins in 2022. But Alcantara has been a model of consistency for a number of seasons now. He has not posted an ERA of over 4 since being traded to Miami in 2018. He made a name for himself in 2019 when he had an ERA of 3.88 with over 150 strikeouts. But his breakout season came in 2021 when he posted a 3.19 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with 201 strikeouts.

However, Sandy Alcantara is taking his game to new heights so far during the 2022 campaign. But he is still not receiving the attention he deserves.

So is Alcantara the most underrated player in MLB? Tampa Bay Rays ace Shane McClanahan undoubtedly is in the conversation, but he gets a bit more exposure given that Tampa Bay is a good team.

There are other options as well, but many people don't know the name “Sandy Alcantara” even though he is a legitimate Cy Young candidate.

Here are 3 reasons the Marlins' Sandy Alcantara is MLB's most underrated and under-appreciated pitcher.

3 Reasons Sandy Alcantara is MLB's Most Underrated Pitcher

Durability

Sandy Alcantara is a rare breed of pitcher in today's game. He consistenly works into the 7th inning or later and is no stranger to throwing more than 100 pitches.

Most pitchers are limited to 6 or less innings and are immeditaely removed prior to throwing 100 pitches. Teams live in fear of injuries and don't let their starters get all the way stretched out.

But the Marlins and Alcantara have a mutual trust in one another.

As of this story's publication, Alcantara has thrown at least 7 innings in his previous 5 outings. He has worked into the 7th on seven separate occasions, and has thrown 8 or more innings four times.

Alcantara even said he could throw “130-150” pitches in a game if needed.

He is an old-school flame thrower. And that leads into our second point.

Worth the Price of Admission

Sandy Alcantara is exciting to watch.

He features a fastball and sinker that both consistenly reside in the 97 MPH range. He can even get his velocity up to over 100 MPH.

I mean, imagine trying to square up this 100 MPH sinker with 18 inches of arm side run.

Additionally, he features a quality change-up and nasty slider.

Alcantara is well-liked by his Marlins teammates and would receive more national attention if he pitched in a bigger market. His tenacity and energy on the mound makes him worth the price of admission alone.

Sandy Alcantara is a Cy Young Candidate

As of this story's publication, Sandy Alcantara has a 1.81 ERA and 0.98 WHIP with 71 strikeouts. He is third in the NL in strikeouts and second in ERA.

He will have a legitimate chance of leading baseball in both strikeouts and ERA if he keeps pitching as well as he has over the past few weeks.

Alcantara is also leading a young and promising Marlins pitching staff that features names such as Pablo Lopez and Trevor Rogers.

Miami could develop a winner in the near future with Sandy Alcantara leading the charge.