Houston Astros: CTH’s Top-25 Astros All-Time Hitters

#23 Top Hitter

Jose Altuve by Eric Huysman

In the new breed of Astros players, Jose Altuve started the winning trend back in Houston. With his small size yet huge bat, Altuve has brought speed and stability back to second base.For the past two years especially, Altuve has been a fixture in the top part of the lineup for the Astros. He has led the American League in hits for the past two seasons with 225 in 2014, which broke Craig Biggio’s record of 210 in 1998, and 200 hits in 2015. In his first five seasons, he has a .305 batting average and averages 201 hits per 162 games.

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For the past two years especially, Altuve has been a fixture in the top part of the lineup for the Astros. He has led the American League in hits for the past two seasons with 225 in 2014, which broke Craig Biggio’s record of 210 in 1998, and 200 hits in 2015. In his first five seasons, he has a .305 batting average and averages 201 hits per 162 games.Altuve’s stats show that all he does is hit.

His walk to strikeout ratio is at 0.47 for his career. This concludes that Altuve’s on base percentage does not differ much from his original batting average. In 2014 in which he led the AL in batting average with .341, his on-base percentage was at .377. His career BABIP is .331 compared to his .305 career average.

Altuve’s stats show that all he does is hit. His walk to strikeout ratio is at 0.47 for his career. This rate concludes that Altuve’s on base percentage does not differ much from his original batting average. In 2014 in which he led the AL in batting average with .341, his on-base percentage was at .377. His career BABIP is .331 compared to his .305 career average.

Not only does Altuve use his bat to be successful. His speed is also a game changer for a team who has not had a so-called “speed guy” since Michael Bourn left. For the past two seasons, Altuve has led the AL in stolen bases with 56 and 38 stolen bases respectively. Based on his stolen base numbers, he averages 41 stolen bases every 162 games.

Altuve has only been in an Astros uniform for five seasons, and he has already made a lasting effect at the top of the lineup. I cannot wait to see how much of an effect he will have as his career continues.

Next: 22nd All-Time Astros Hitter