The first part of the decade was not exactly the stuff of legend for the Houston Astros but the page has turned. A complete rebuilding project is now paying dividends thanks to a short player who has blossomed into a potential long-term big league star and one collectors have embraced. Jose Altuve rookie cards are among the hottest in the market.
The little second baseman from Venezuela has become one of the top players of the modern era, combining durability, pure hitting ability, speed and power.
He put together four straight seasons of 200 or more hits from 2014-2017 and could be on his way to the 3,000 club if he can continue on his current path. Altuve started his big-league career in 2011 with a seven-game hitting streak–at the age of 21.
He earned high praise from none other than Hank Aaron, who said, “Not many people I would pay to go see, but I tell you, I would pay to go see him.”
Jose Altuve Prospect and Rookie Cards
Altuve’s first appearance in Topps products came in 2010 when he appeared on the Bowman checklist but you wont’ find a pricey autograph card like you will for some other big league stars. Altuve appeared only on a base prospect insert card and the various colored parallels that come with it. All have been increasing in value since Altuve’s big league debut.
His official rookie cards arrived in 2011 and you’ll find him in the Topps Update set that also includes Mike Trout, Paul Goldschmidt and Anthony Rizzo. There are numerous parallels, several of which carry low serial numbers. All are worth chasing. He has base cards and parallels in 2011 Bowman Draft, Bowman Chrome Draft and Bowman Sterling.
Collecting the best Jose Altuve baseball cards starts with that relatively modest list of non-autographed issues from the dawn of his career. It seems he flew under the Topps’ radar too but that’s good news for budget-minded collectors.
What are the most popular Jose Altuve cards right now? Check out a real-time list of the ‘most watched’ on eBay below.
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