Yordan Alvarez

Yordan Alvarez's Biography

Yordan Ruben Alvarez, born on June 27, 1997, stands tall in the world of Major League Baseball (MLB) as a professional baseball designated hitter and left fielder for the Houston Astros. He made his impressive MLB debut for the Astros in 2019. With a towering height of 6 ft 5 in and a weight of 237 pounds, his left-handed batting strength, complemented by right-handed throws, has prompted many to consider him a formidable asset in the sports realm. His outstanding performance has led to him becoming a three-time All-Star.

Before making a mark in American baseball, Alvarez spent two seasons (2014-15) playing in the Cuban National Series for Las Tunas where his batting average was a notable .351. However, his skills were not confined to the borders of Cuba. In 2016, he left Cuba and established residency in Haiti. Here, he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as an international free agent. Alvarez’s journey to sporting stardom then took him to the Houston Astros, who acquired him through a trade from the Dodgers in 2016, months before his professional debut.

2019 marked a significant year in Alvarez’s career, where he unanimously clinched the title of American League (AL) Rookie of the Year after posting a history-making highest slugging percentage (.655) by a rookie. However, 2020 brought health challenges, and an injury forced Alvarez to miss all but two games of the shortened season. Despite this setback, he carved a niche for himself as a remarkable slugger and clutch hitter.

The following year was filled with triumphs for Alvarez, who won the 2021 ALCS MVP award. In 2022, he hit the first walk-off home run in postseason history by a team trailing by multiple runs. Another crucial moment in the 2022 World Series was when he hit a go-ahead home run, securing his first championship.

While Alvarez has had a colorful career in the Major Leagues, his journey began with learning and improvement, typical of any successful athlete’s journey. After being an international free agent, he signed with the Dodgers in June 2016. Minor league baseball recognized Alvarez’s skills and potential immediately. He began his U.S. professional career in 2016 with the Dominican Summer League Astros and started 2017 with the Quad Cities River Bandits before receiving promotion to the Buies Creek Astros later that season. In his inaugural season, Alvarez batted .304/.379/.481 with 12 home runs and 69 RBIs over 90 games. He also marked his presence in the 2017 All-Star Futures Game.

In 2018, Baseball circles buzzed with Alvarez’ name as a top prospect in the minor leagues. During this season, he played with the Corpus Christi Hooks of the Class AA Texas League before moving on to split the 2018 season between Corpus Christi and the Fresno Grizzlies of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League. He hit a combined .293/.369/.534/.904 with 63 runs, 20 home runs, and 74 RBIs over 335 at-bats.

In early 2019, Alvarez opened the season with the Round Rock Express of the Pacific Coast League, where he batted .343/.443/.742 with 50 runs, 38 walks, 23 home runs, 71 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.185 over 213 at-bats. Such impressive numbers, including leading the minor leagues in home runs, RBI, and total bases (158) led to his major league career beginning in June 2019, when the Astros promoted him to make his debut versus the Baltimore Orioles.

His MLB debut witnessed him going 1-for-3 with a two-run home run. His second game was equally impressive, with another home run. This feat made him the first Astro to homer in both his first two games. Alvarez quickly established himself as a threat to the competition, becoming the fourth player in MLB history to hit four home runs in his first five career games.

Alvarez showcased his exceptional skills not only through his powerful home runs but also through record-breaking performances. These included driving in 16 runs in his initial 12 games, an MLB first, and winning the AL Rookie of the Month for both June and July, a first for the Astros’ franchise. In August 2019, he hit a grand slam and three-home run game resulting in a career-high seven runs driven in, setting a major-league record for the first 45 games. His rookie season ended with a significant .313/.412/.655 batting average with 27 homers and 75 RBIs, earning him the unanimous Rookie of the Year Award. His slugging percentage (.655) and OPS (1.067) were both highest in history for a qualified rookie.

Things took a downward turn in 2020 when Alvarez tested positive for COVID-19, limiting him to playing only two games before undergoing knee surgery. However, he made a remarkable comeback the following year, during which he drove in his 100th run in May 2021 in his 114th career game. This achievement made him the seventh-fastest player to reach 100 RBIs in league history and the fastest since 1961. In addition, at the tender age of 24, he became the second Astro to hit 30 home runs in a single season – following in the footsteps of Alex Bregman.

In the 2021 season, Alvarez led the Astros in home runs (33), RBIs (104), and strikeouts (145) while batting .277/.346/.531. His performance with three hits and three RBIs against ace left-handed pitcher Chris Sale in the ALCS Game 5 was notable, as it marked the first time Alvarez had collected so many opposite-field hits. Named ALCS Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2021, Alvarez set a record for ALCS play, hitting .522. However, he could not maintain this momentum in the World Series, where he went 2-for-20 as the Astros lost to the Atlanta Braves.

In May 2022, Alvarez hit his 11th home run in his 27th appearance of the season, setting a new personal best for reaching this total. Later in June, the Astros offered him a six-year contract extension worth $115 million, which, when signed, would keep him on the team until the 2028 season. Additionally, he was named AL Player of the Week for the first time. Unfortunately, Alvarez encountered a roadblock at the end of June when he had to leave the game following an on-field collision. This incident did not jeopardize his performance, as Alvarez went on to win his first AL Player of the Month Award for June 2022. His batting average was .418/.510/.835/1.346 over 23 games, thereby leading the league in several areas. Even after a long and eventful journey filled with personal milestones and athleticism, Alvarez has a promising future ahead in his MLB career.