The Astros likely got a little worse Tuesday with Jeff Keppinger’s departure, but they also got a little more interesting.
Jose Altuve is listed at 5-foot-7, but according to just about everyone who has seen him in person, he’s likely much closer to 5-foot-5. And now he’s the game’s most compact major leaguer after being called up from Double-A to take over at second base.
Altuve was absolutely tearing it up in the minors this season. He started out at Single-A Lancaster and batted .408/.451/.606 with five homers and 19 steals in what, admittedly, is a fantastic environment for hitters. He hadn’t slowed too much following the move up to Double-A, though. He was hitting .361/.388/.569 in 35 games for his new team. Overall, he was at .389/.426/.591 with 10 homers and 24 steals in 357 at-bats.
The Astros are almost certainly rushing Altuve. He’s just 21, and it’s not at all likely that he’s ready to hit for power in the majors. Still, he’s the most intriguing position player they’ve developed since Hunter Pence, and given that the Astros are in need of a little excitement, it’s not too surprising that they chose to give him a look.
