When you think of Jose Altuve, you might think of a man in a kid's body. It is no secret that Altuve doesn't possess the size we typically equate with success in baseball. Listed at a mere five foot, six inches, Altuve gets the most out of his frame. This year, Altuve is fourth in WAR (5.2) according to FanGraphs, and is establishing himself as one of the best players in baseball.
Altuve has taken off in a new dimension this year -- hitting for power. Prior to the 2016 season, he had 36 career home runs, and only reached the double-digit plateau with 15 homers in 2015. Altuve has already matched his 2015 total in 261 fewer at-bats. He is also hitting third on an Astros team that features sluggers such as Carlos Correa and George Springer.
While the power has gone up, the other aspects of his game have not diminished. Altuve currently leads the Majors in batting average (.358), hits (135) and OBP (.427). He is still the stolen base threat of years past, swiping 25 bags in 29 attempts. Even with the power surge, Altuve has kept his strikeout numbers down, and has more walks (44) than strikeouts (40).
On the defensive side, Altuve is second among AL second baseman with a .992 fielding percentage. He has committed only three errors this season, and has totaled only eight since the start of the 2015 season.
Altuve is more than just a contact hitter, he is the whole package as a player. He plays the game with a refreshing energy, and proves that size doesn't matter. He is on pace to have a career year, and with 66 games left in the season, only time will tell if Altuve will emerge as the 2016 American League MVP award winner.
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