Jose Altuve is the face of the Houston Astros and that is crystal clear as the team locked him into a five-year extension earlier this week.
But, Altuve wasn’t always that player. He tried out for the Astros once in his native Venezuela and the Astros passed. After a second tryout, the Astros signed him for $10,000.
Altuve might be in the Baseball Hall of Fame one day.
But what happens when Altuve finally retires? Who will be that cornerstone player? Who will be the face of the franchise, so to speak?
In the wake of the massive contract extension the Kansas City Royals and shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. agreed to, MLB.com set out to try and answer the question.
There was criteria. The selection had to be a player 25 years or young and must have already made MLB debut, unless they’ve signed a long-term deal like Milwaukee’s Jackson Chourio.
That eliminated All-Star Yordan Alvarez, who turned 26 last year.
MLB.com selected catcher Yainer Diaz as the Astros’ next “budding franchise cornerstone.”
The Astros have already named Diaz their starting catcher for 2024, the successor to veteran Martin Maldonado, who became a free agent and signed with the Chicago White Sox.
The Astros appeared to be OK with allowing Maldonado to walk after an impressive rookie season in which he batted .282 with 23 home runs and 60 RBI in 104 games. He ended up finishing fifth in American League Rookie of the Year voting and was also named to the Baseball Digest/eBay All-Star Rookie Lineup.
His play last year endeared him to Astros fans and former manager Dusty Baker’s continued use of Maldonado frustrated them as Maldonado was a sub-.200 batter his final three seasons with Houston. But the Astros are hoping Diaz can continue to develop as a game-caller while giving them more offense behind the plate.
Diaz may never be Altuve, but he certainly looks like a star of the future for this franchise.
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