journeyman
n. C1 Advanced US //ˈdʒɝniˌmæn// UK //dʒˈɜːnɪmən// jour·ney·man
n. a player who is very good but not quite the best in their sport. You use this to describe someone who is a solid professional but not a star.
n. a professional athlete who is highly skilled but lacks the exceptional talent or status of a star. Often used in sports commentary to describe a reliable, consistent performer.
He is a journeyman player who never gets the headlines.
The team signed a journeyman center to provide depth and experience during the championship run.
While the rookie was the face of the franchise, the journeyman veteran provided the steady hand and defensive grit necessary to win the title.
From Middle English jorneman; from journe (from Old French jornee (“a day's work, a journey”)) and mon; equivalent to journey + -man.