Why Astros Superstar Made Recent MLB All-Quarter Century Team

These days one truly needs to look at the lineup card to keep track of Houston Astros superstar Jose Altuve.

The long-time second baseman has made the transition from being an everyday second baseman to being a left fielder most days. After a bump start in spring training and early in the season, he’s looking more comfortable at the position.

After this season he has four more years left on a contract extension, one designed to keep him an Astro for life. By that time, he may be ready to hang it up.

But, based on his body of work since he broke into the league, he’s considered one of the best players in the last quarter-century.

Why Jose Altuve is This Quarter-Century’s Best Second Baseman

The Athletic’s Jayson Stark (subscription required) recently put together an all-quarter century team for the Majors, spanning from 2000 to this season. The idea was to select the best player at each position.

Altuve made the cut at second base. He explained that he removed Robinson Canó from consideration due to Canó being suspended twice for using performance-enhancing drugs. From there, he wrote, it was a decision between Altuve and Chase Utley.

Stark didn’t turn a blind eye to Altuve’s presence on the Astros’ 2017 team, which won a World Series but became embroiled in a controversy over electronic sign-stealing two years later. But he also made this point in comparing Altuve to his main competition.

“Altuve has already passed Canó in FanGraphs’ calculation of WAR (58.0 to 57.5),” he wrote. “And I think his career offensive accomplishments outweigh Utley’s by almost any measure.”

The 35-year-old Altuve still has several years ahead of him. But he’s already been named an American League MVP and a nine-time AL All-Star. Along with the 2017 World Series championship, he led the Astros to another in 2022. He won an AL Gold Glove at second base, has three AL batting titles and seven AL Silver Sluggers. He’s also won the Major League player of the year award twice.

Only two Astros position players have more career hits than Altuve, who is closing in on 2,300 hits. Both are in the Baseball Hall of Fame — Craig Biggio, who is part of the 3,000-hit club and slugger Jeff Bagwell.

He is also in position to finish his career as a .300 hitter, as he is at .305 right now. Per baseball-reference, just 218 players finished their careers as .300 hitters based on 3,000 plate appearances.

Altuve appears on a path toward Cooperstown and the Hall of Fame. For now, he’s considered by one writer to be the best second baseman of the last 25 years.