The Houston Astros have plenty of offense; anyone who follows baseball knows that. But as the lineup core starts to age, ever so slowly, they’ll need young players to continue to develop, too.
Meet Yordan Alvarez, Houston’s wunderkind rookie who is showing that when Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, George Springer and the rest either age or leave the team via free agency, there is plenty more to come for the 2017 World Series champions.
Alvarez had another big day Monday with a home run and two RBIs in an 11-1 win over the Oakland Athletics. That gives him 35 RBIs in his first 30 games, a Major League record.
With this 2B, Yordan Alvarez has set a new record for most RBI (35) in a player’s first 30 career games. 👏 pic.twitter.com/M5ygezo3w9
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) July 23, 2019
Some serious power
Alvarez is hitting a robust .342 with 40 hits in his first 117 at-bats, and his on-base percentage is an accordingly healthy .420.
But it’s the 22-year-old outfielder’s power that’s really turning heads. Alvarez has 10 doubles and 11 home runs, a rate of an extra-base hit every 5.5 at-bats. He also hit this mammoth shot the other day against the Rangers’ Mike Minor.
Yordan. Alvarez. Wow.
Alvarez’s 10th #MLB homer had a 112.2 mph exit velocity and went a ridiculous 474 feet, the longest #Astros‘ homer since @Statcast began tracking in 2015. pic.twitter.com/UOjeDHU23q
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 20, 2019
Adjustments needed
If there is a concern for Alvarez, it’s the same one that many young power hitters share: Strikeouts.
Alvarez has whiffed 36 times in his 132 plate appearances. It’s encouraging that he has also walked 15 times, but there’s no doubt he’d like to make contact a little more.
And of course, as he makes his circuit around the major leagues a second and third time, opposing pitchers will challenge him in different ways, forcing adjustments from Alvarez’s end.
But for now, the Astros appear to have another of the game’s great young hitters.
George Springer, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, Michael Brantley and Yordan Alvarez this season:
– .299 average
– .384 on-base %
– .551 slugging162 game averages:
– 39 home runs
– 110 RBIsThat’s MVP-caliber production, from six different dudes on the Astros.
— Matt Hammond (@MattHammondShow) July 22, 2019
(h/t ESPN.com)
