Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2024 revision of our top 50 Houston Astros.

As for all of our top 50 players in baseball, we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the American League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Please note that our algorithm has changed, which yielded minor changes throughout the baseball lists.

Last year, the Astros expectedly returned to the postseason but were dismissed in two games in the Wildcard by the Houston Astros.  There was one new entry and three significant elevations.

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes.

1. Jeff Bagwell

2. Craig Biggio

3. Jose Altuve

4. Lance Berkman

5. Cesar Cedeno 

You can find the entire list here. 

Of note, Jose Altuve remained at #3, and as good as he has been still has some work to do to surpass Hall of Fame inductee, Craig Biggio for #2.

The elevations were Alex Bregman (#11 to #8), Yordan Alvarez (#27 to #19) and Kyle Tucker (#33 to #23). 

The new entrant is Framber Valdez, who debuts at #31.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Framber Valdez signed with the Houston Astros as an International Free Agent in 2015, and three years later he debuted for the club, which seems like the correct progression, but his initial signing at the age of 21 is older than normal than his Dominican counterparts.

Valdez needed time to find his confidence, and in the COVID-shortened 2020 year, he went 5-3 and was 11th in Cy Young voting.  He continued to grow his game in 2021 (11-6), but truly broke out in 2022, earning his first All-Star, with a 17-6 record, 2.82 ERA and was the league-leader in Innings Pitched (201.1).  Valdez finished fifth for the Cy Young that year, but more importantly, went 3-0 in the playoffs and helped Houston win the World Series.

He built on that with a ninth-place Cy Young finish (12-11, 200 SO) and a second All-Star, and last year was ninth in balloting (15-7, 2.91 ERA).

Valdez enters this year still in his peak, and with a three-year streak of top ten Cy Young finishes. 

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022/23 revision of our top 50 Houston Astros.

As for all of our top 50 players in baseball we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in Major League Baseball.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Astros again were World Series contenders, and made the playoffs.  There were no new entrants, but four Astros climbed the list.

As always, we present our top five, which did not change.

1. Jeff Bagwell

2. Craig Biggio

3. Jose Altuve

4. Lance Berkman

5. Cesar Cedeno

You can find the entire list here.

Notably, Altuve remains at number three, and still has a way to go to overtake Biggio at #2, but he has it in him to not only do that, but snatch #1 from Bagwell.

Future first ballot Hall of Fame Pitcher, Justin Verlander, was traded back to the Astros during the season and did enough to climb from #11 to #9.

Infielder, Alex Bregman, went up three spots from #14 to #11.

Offensive stud, Yordan Alvarez shot up from #37 to #27.

The final change is Kyle Tucker, who climbed to #33 from #45.

As always, we thank you for your support, and look for more revisions in the future. 

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022 revision of our top Houston Astros.

As for all of our top 50 players in basketball we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the American League. 

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, Houston won their second World Series, and they are blessed with young talent, two of which make their first appearance on this list.

As always, we present our top five, which was not impacted by last season:

1. Jeff Bagwell

2. Craig Biggio                        

3. Jose Altuve

4. Lance Berkman

5. Cesar Cedeno

You can find the entire list here.

Despite his good year, Altuve was unable to pass Biggio for #2.

Justin Verlander, who won the Cy Young, and is now with the New York Mets, jumped from #19 to #11; an impressive feat considering the relative brevity of his Astros career.

Infielder, Alex Bregman, moved up two spots to #14.

Yuli Gurriel also moved up by two, with a new rank of #35.

Designated Hitter, Yordan Alvarez, makes his debut at #37 and Outfielder, Kyle Tucker, comes in at #45.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

Kyle Tucker first made his mark in Houston as a highly touted fifth-overall pick, though his initial taste of the big leagues in 2018 was a difficult stretch where he struggled to find his rhythm. After a more promising 2019 cameo, he secured his place in the lineup for good during the shortened 2020 campaign. For seven seasons, he patrolled right field with a specialized, smooth left-handed swing and a deceptive speed that made him one of the most efficient all-around threats in the American League.

Tucker’s emergence in Houston reached a historic breakout during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. After leading the league in triples in 2020, he transitioned into a premier middle-of-the-order force, launching 30 home runs in back-to-back years. He demonstrated a focused intensity on both sides of the ball, pairing his offensive efficiency with an elite glove that earned him a Gold Glove in 2022. He showed the organization that he was a foundational piece of a world-title squad, recording 107 RBIs and earning a Silver Slugger as the Astros captured the 2022 World Series championship.

In 2023, Tucker reached a career peak for individual dominance, leading the American League with 112 RBIs and finishing fifth in the MVP voting. He possessed a specialized ability to combine power and discipline, narrowly missing a 30-30 season while earning his second straight All-Star nod and a third consecutive All-MLB selection. Despite a 2024 campaign that was interrupted by a frustrating injury, he remained a statistical force when healthy, securing his third straight All-Star selection before a shifting organizational strategy led to a change in direction.

Following the 2024 season, the Astros traded their star outfielder to the Chicago Cubs. He left behind a statistical footprint that reflected his status as one of the most balanced players in franchise history, amassing 125 home runs and 615 hits during his tenure.

Yordan Alvarez arrived in Houston as a quiet acquisition from the Dodgers, a player traded before he even suited up for his original club. It did not take long for that transaction to become one of the most lopsided in modern history. Since his debut, the man known as "Air Yordan" has functioned as a pure force of nature in the heart of the order, providing a left-handed power threat that feels like a throwback to the most feared sluggers of the previous century.

Yordan Alvarez arrived in Houston as a quiet acquisition from the Dodgers, a player traded before he even suited up for his original club. It did not take long for that transaction to become one of the most lopsided in modern history. Since his debut, the man known as "Air Yordan" has functioned as a pure force of nature in the heart of the order, providing a left-handed power threat that feels like a throwback to the most feared sluggers of the previous century.

Alvarez’s rise in Houston began with a 2019 debut that shattered rookie expectations. Despite only receiving 369 plate appearances, he reached a career-defining breakout by launching 27 home runs and posting a massive .655 slugging percentage. He was the unanimous American League Rookie of the Year, signaling a transition from a promising prospect to an elite middle-of-the-order anchor. He possessed a focused intensity at the plate even in the highest stakes, batting .412 during the World Series that fall and proving he was already a championship-caliber hitter.

The heart of his time in Houston has been marked by a surge into the top tier of global superstars, occasionally interrupted by the physical toll of his massive frame. After a dominant 2021 in which he drove in 104 runs, he reached a career peak in 2022. Finishing third in the MVP voting, Alvarez provided the definitive moment of the franchise’s second title, a towering three-run blast in Game 6 of the World Series that remains a local legend. He followed that with another high-frequency offensive year in 2023, smacking 31 homers and earning his second straight All-Star nod.

The story in Houston took a difficult turn between 2024 and 2025. He maintained his elite status in 2024 by launching 35 home runs to reach a career total of 164, but his 2025 campaign was largely erased by injury. He managed to add 6 home runs in limited action before being sidelined, bringing his career tally to 170. This forced him to navigate a frustrating plateau while the team fought for position without its primary engine. As he prepares to enter the 2026 season, the focus is entirely on his health and the power he brings back to the lineup. He remains the most potent bat on a perennial contender, a player whose exit velocity and plate discipline make him a nightmare for any pitching staff.

Regular visitors of Notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the top 50 of every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB.  Once that is done, we intend to look at how each team honor their past players, coaches and executives.  As such, it is news to us that the Houston Astros have announced two new members, Terry Puhl and Tal Smith will enter their franchise Hall of Fame.

The two will be inducted on August 13, during their home game against Oakland.

Playing 14 of his 15 seasons in baseball with the Astros, Canadian born outfielder, Terry Puhl was an All-Star in his first full season in 1978.  Puhl would not repeat an appearance to the mid-season classic, but he would have two more seasons tabulating over 150 hits and would steal 20 or more bases six times.  The Canadian would accumulate 1,357 Hits for the Astros.

Smith was with the Astros from day one, serving in various capacities before ascending to the role of General Manager in 1975.  Names The Sporting News Executive of the Year in 1980, Smith entered the private sector afterward, but returned to the Astros as the Director of Operations in 1994, and stayed until 2011.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate Terry Puhl and Tal Smith for their impending induction. 

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our pre-2022 revision of our top 50 Houston Astros.

As for all of our top 50 players in baseball we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National/American League. 

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

The Astros have been one of the best teams in the American League over the last five years, and last year they won the Pennant, only to fall to Atlanta in the World Series.  The strong 2021 has yielded three rank increases and two new entries.

As always, we present the top five, which has one of the changes, with Jose Altuve surpassing Lance Berkman for the #3 spot.

The top five are:

1. Jeff Bagwell

2. Craig Biggio

3. Jose Altuve

4. Lance Berkman

5. Cesar Cedeno

You can find the entire list here.

Alex Bregman, who plays at Third Base and Shortstop, moved up three spots to #16.

Carlos Correa, who went to his second All-Star Game last year, climbed to #24 from #17.

Last year’s Batting Champion, Yuli Gurriel, makes his first appearance on this list at #37.

Michael Brantley, comes in at #50.  He has been an All-Star two of the last three years.

Gurriel and Brantley knock off Luis Gonzalez and Moises Alou from the list.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

After a decade with the Cleveland Indians, Michael Brantley signed with the Houston Astros as a Free Agent in 2019, and as of this writing, has not shown any decline.

Brantley went to his fourth All-Star Game in his debut season with Houston, setting a personal best in Home Runs (22), and batting .311.  In the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, Brantley again batted .300 (an even .300), and he returned to the All-Star Game in 2021, with Brantley again batting over .300 (.311).  

Brantley currently has a .310 Batting Average with the Astros with 376 Hits, and he has helped them win two National League Pennants.

Yuli Gurriel was one of the greatest baseball players on the last half of the first decade of the 2010s, though since he was from Cuba, nobody noticed.  The Cuban remained dominant, but it would not be until 2016 when he defected from Cuba and signed with the Houston Astros that anyone really noticed.

Playing at First Base, Gurriel was fourth in Rookie of the Year voting in 2017, whew he belted 18 Home Runs with a .299 Batting Average.  The Cuban helped the Astros win the Word Series, and he hit over .290 the next two years, and though he would be occasionally controversial, Gurriel was a large part of Houston’s success.

Gurriel won the Batting Title (.319) in 2021, but had a poor 2022, though he helped Houston win a second World Series.

As of this writing, Gurriel is a Free Agent, and may not play again with the Astros.  If this is the end, Gurriel would have compiled 866 Hits, 94 Home Runs and a .284 Batting Average.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Houston Astros had put together a good team, but they did not see much national attention, as they had never won anything of note before.  Those who were paying attention to Houston couldn’t take their eyes off their Puerto Rican Outfielder, Jose Cruz.

Cruz played his first five seasons in St. Louis, but he never had a 100 Hit season with the Cards.  A trade to Houston in 1975 changed his fortunes, and Cruz was their starting Left Fielder from 1976 to 1986.  With the Astros, Cruz was a two-time All-Star, and he showed a sweet combination of hitting, power, speed, and defensive skill.

Cruz would have five .300 seasons, and while his 165 career home runs are not head-turning, they are more than respectable.  He would have seven 20 Stolen Base years, and while he never won a Gold Glove, Cruz had three top-ten finishes in Total Zone Runs, and he was in the top two among National League Leftfielders in that stat in seven different seasons.  The MVP voters knew that Cruz was very good, as he was third in balloting in 1980, sixth in 1983, and eighth in 1984.

After one final season in 1988 as a New York Yankee, Cruz retired with 2,251 Hits and 288 Stolen Bases.

Cesar Cedeno played the first twelve years of his seventeen-year career with the Houston Astros, and it was there that he established himself as one of the best baserunners of the 1970s.

From 1972 to 1977, Cedeno swiped at least 50 Bases, and he had good power in those years, with the first three seasons showcasing at least 20 Home Runs.  The four-time All-Star was also a five-time Gold Glove winner, and he had two years where he topped the National League leaderboard in Doubles.  It was a unique blend of power and speed, and he led the NL in Power-Speed # in 1974 and was in the top four in five other campaigns.

The Dominican would finish his career with Cincinnati, St. Louis, and Los Angeles.  Cedeno had 199 Home Runs, 2,087 Hits and 550 Stolen Bases.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity. As such, we are very happy to present our pre-2021 revision of our top 50 Houston Astros of all-time.

As for all of our top 50 players in baseball we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in their League. 

3. Playoff accomplishments.

4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

There are no new entries but three rank elevations, none of which were reflected on the top five, which, as always, we present in our news updates. 

They are:

1. Jeff Bagwell                                            

2. Craig Biggio

3. Lance Berkman

4. Jose Altuve

5. Cesar Cedeno

The complete list can be found here. 

Outfielder, George Springer, moved up two spots to #16.  Springer’s ascension ends here, as he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays as a Free Agent.

Infielder, Alex Bregman, also advanced two spots and is now at #19.  

Fellow infielder, Carlos Correa went from #31 to #24.

We welcome your input and commentsand as always, we thank you for your support.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present the second revision of our top 50 Houston Astros of all-time.

As for all of our top 50 players in baseball we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in their respective League.

3. Playoff accomplishments.

4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

This is the first time that we have revised this since 2018, and it has led to a few minor changes, one of which affecting the top five.

Remember, this is ONLY based on what a player does on that particular team and not what he accomplished elsewhere and also note that we have placed an increased importance on the first two categories, which has altered the rankings considerably.

This list is updated up until the end of the 2019 Season.

The complete list can be found here, but as always we announce our top five in this article.  They are:

1. Jeff Bagwell

2. Craig Biggio 

3. Lance Berkman

4. Jose Altuve

5. Cesar Cedeno

The top three remain the same with the “Killer B’s” of Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio and Lance Berkman.  Jose Altuve moved up one spot from #5 to 4, switching places with Cesar Cedeno.

Based on the 2019 season, we have had additional rank improvements.

George Springer moved from #27 to #19.  Alex Bregman rockets from #48 to #21.

Gerrit Cole, who won the Cy Young last year debuts at #27, but since he signed with the New York Yankees, he won’t climb any higher.

We welcome your input and commentsand as always, we thank you for your support.

It is when we have a player like Gerrit Cole on a list like this where we have to exercise our caveat that we place an equal premium on single-season greatness that we do on longevity.  This is how Gerrit Cole is ranked this high on a list like this.

Regular visitors of Notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the top 50 of every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB. Once that is done, we intend to look at how each team honor their past players, coaches and executives.  As such it is huge news that Houston Astros have announced their second franchise Hall of Fame Class.

The timing is not getting a lot of exposure, as the Astros are embroiled with stealing signs scandal that has transfixed the game.  Nevertheless, this organization ushered in something special last year with their franchise Hall of Fame, and it is time for us to celebrate that.

These six individuals will be honored in a pre-game ceremony at the Astros home game against the Toronto Blue Jays on August 8.

Those six are:

Lance Berkman:  The third member of the “Killer B’s”, Berkman played for Houston from 1999 to 2010, where he was a five-time All-Star, and in all of those seasons, he finished in the top seven in MVP voting.  Berkman showed power with a pair of 40 Home Run Seasons, and would smack 326 taters with 1,090 RBIs for the Astros.  Berkman was traded to the New York Yankees in 2010, and he left there with a Slash Line of .296/.410/.549.

Cesar Cedeno:  From the Dominican Republic, Cedeno was with Houston from 1970 to 1981 where he was a four-time All-Star.  Cedeno had three seasons where he batted over .300, and he would lead the NL in Doubles twice.  From 1972 to 1976, he won a Gold Glove and he would also have six straight 50 Stolen Base seasons, totaling 487 for the team.  Cedeno also could go deep, as shown by his 163 Home Runs with Houston.  He would have 1,658 Hits, with a .289 Batting Average for the Astros.

Roy Hofheinz:  Hofheinz was the former Mayor of Houston, and part of the group that the Majors to Houston.

Roy Oswalt:  Debuting for the Astros in 2001, Roy Oswalt would finish in the top five in Cy Young voting in five of his six first seasons.  The three-time All-Star would have two 20 Win campaigns, won the ERA Title in 2006 and would have a 143-82 record for Houston.  He also would strike out 1,593 batters.

Billy Wagner:  One of the more dominating relief pitchers of his day, Wagner went to three All-Star Games with Houston, and would win the National League Rolaids Relief Award in 1999.  He would record 225 Saves and 379 Games Finished.

Bob Watson:  Watson was with Houston from 1966 to 1979, and he was a two-time All-Star.  He would accumulate 1,448 Hits with 139 Home Runs for the team while batting .297.

This is the first class that was voted on by the 11-member Astros Hall of Fame committee.

They will join Bob Aspromonte, Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Jose Cruz, Larry Dierker, Gene Elston, Milo Hamilton, Joe Morgan, Joe Niekro, Shane Reynolds, J.R. Richard, Nolan Ryan, Mike Scott, Jim Umbricht, Don Wilson and Jimmy Wynn, who were all inducted last year.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate Larry Walker for earning this prestigious honor.

When Alex Bregman took over the hot corner in Houston, the franchise didn't just gain a gold-glove defender; they inherited a psychological edge. A player defined by a relentless, almost obsessive preparation, Bregman arrived mid-2016 and immediately injected a sense of high-stakes swagger into the lineup. He wasn't just a cog in the machine; he became the ignition switch for the most successful era in the organization's history.

His best period occurred during the 2018 and 2019 campaigns, finishing in the top five of the MVP voting in back-to-back summers. The 2019 season remains a monument to his craft: a .296 average punctuated by 41 home runs and a staggering 112 walks. He didn't just out-slug the competition; he out-thought them, leading the major leagues in walks while maintaining a specialized ability to deliver the soul-crushing hit when the leverage was at its peak. This two-year stretch solidified his status as a premier run-producer, amassing a combined 16.0 bWAR that few infielders in the modern game have matched.

The most defining aspect of his game, however, is his transformation into a postseason titan. Bregman’s fingerprint is visible on every major milestone of the Astros’ dynasty, from his walk-off single in the 13-12 thriller of the 2017 World Series to his steady-state defense during the 2022 championship run. He possessed a professional resilience that allowed him to thrive under the harshest scrutiny, serving as the clubhouse’s vocal leader as it navigated multiple deep playoff runs. Whether he was famously staring down a pitcher after a home run or providing the tactical adjustments needed to solve an elite closer, he competed with a grit that made him the face of Houston’s relentless winning culture.

Following the 2024 season, Bregman signed a lucrative three-year deal with the Boston Red Sox. Bregman compiled 1,132 hits, 191 home runs, and 663 RBIs while winning two World Series titles as an Astro.

When Justin Verlander stepped off a plane in Houston in the final minutes of August 2017, the trajectory of a franchise shifted instantly. Many across the league viewed the veteran as a spent force whose best days remained in the rearview mirror of a decorated Detroit tenure. Instead, Verlander treated the trade as a career rebirth, evolving from a Motown workhorse into the strategic cornerstone of a Houston dynasty. He arrived as a mercenary hired to hunt a ring and left as a statistical titan who orchestrated a dominant late-career arc in the history of the mound.

Verlander’s initial stay in Houston was a masterclass in high-leverage efficiency. He hit the ground running with a 5-0 record following the trade, but it was the 2017 postseason where he reached a historic apex. During the ALCS against the Yankees, he delivered a clinical performance to earn MVP honors, serving as the primary engine for a squad that finally secured the city’s first World Series title. He proved he was no "rent-a-player," following that triumph with a 2018 campaign where he led the league in strikeouts and WHIP, narrowly finishing as the Cy Young runner-up.

The most profound chapter of his first run unfolded in 2019, a season so far an outlier that it defied his age. Verlander captured the Cy Young Award by leading the American League in wins (21), innings (223), and a microscopic 0.803 WHIP. He possessed a specialized ability to maintain triple-digit velocity deep into games, providing the veteran-like poise required to lead the Astros back to the Fall Classic. Even after a significant elbow injury and Tommy John surgery sidelined him for the bulk of two years, he authored an "impossible" 2022 comeback. That summer, he didn't just return; he dominated, leading the circuit in wins (18) and a staggering 1.75 ERA to claim his third Cy Young and anchor the club to a second championship.

The second act of his Houston story began with a dramatic mid-season return in 2023. After a brief dalliance with the Mets, Verlander was traded back to the Astros to stabilize a rotation eyeing another deep October run. He stepped back into the clubhouse with a focused intensity, helping the club navigate a tight divisional race and secure another postseason berth.

His journey in Houston concluded with a scintillating 73-28 record, a winning percentage that borders on the mythical. He departed as a two-time champion and a two-time Cy Young winner in an Astros uniform, leaving behind a legacy of power pitching that redefined the expectations for a modern ace.