Jose Altuve signed with the Houston Astros as a 17-year old in 2007 as an amateur free agent. Small in stature, the 5’6″ second baseman was an afterthought as a prospect, but all he did was hit at every level of minor-league ball. In 2011, the then 21 year old Altuve hit .408 in 52 games at high A-ball and .361 in 35 games at Double-A when the Astros decided they had seen enough and called him up to make his MLB debut. He debuted on July 20, 2011, and went 1-for-5 in his first game.
Houston Astros 2015 Season Recap: Jose Altuve
