There’s something special about Yordan Alvarez! The 27-year-old slugger is currently making everyone talk with his skills. Since his debut in 2019, Alvarez has been posting figures comparable to the yesteryear legends of MLB, making the fans foresee him as a future Hall of Famer. While there’s still a way to go for Alvarez to be considered a legend, his stats as of now are paving the way towards Cooperstown. The latest addition to his glory is his OPS+ of 166, which is comparable to a few legends.
While the fans are already considering him as an absolute baller, Alvarez is here to stay and prove his worth more in the coming years. The Astros who are still skeptical about offering a deal to someone like Alex Bregman, Alvarez got into a 6-year deal worth $115 million. That says a lot about his potential even though he is still not at the point of comparison with Bregman. So are the fans correct in terming him as a future HOFamer or does Alvarez still have a long way to go?
Alvarez: A legend in the making?
Alvarez burst into the scene by being selected as the AL Rookie of the Year, in 2019, the year he made his major league debut for the Astros. Yes, the very first year in MLB and selected as the best rookie. A dreamy start for a future legend! This was followed by getting into All-Star for three consecutive years from 2022. A player with such numbers is expected to be on public forums a lot, which is not the case for Alvarez. “There is no doubt that Alvarez is a great player, but he doesn’t get nearly enough recognition for just how great he is”, rightly said MLB insider Mike Petriello.
Yordan Alvarez: on the fast track to Cooperstown. #Top10RightNow pic.twitter.com/x2nvkIQ60i
— MLB Now (@MLBNow) January 30, 2025
Quite an underrated player indeed, but with such numbers, is he comparable with the legends? For the unversed, among the approximately 760 batters who have taken a minimum of 1500 trips to the plate in the last 20 years, Alvarez is currently #3 with 165 WRC+. He is still left with years to play, and expectedly he will reach the top as well. Till now, more than 800 players have crossed 2500 PA in MLB history throughout their age-27 seasons, and guess where Alvarez is standing. He is at #15 with 14 players only ahead of him, including future HOFamer Mike Trout.
Adding to his journey to HOF, MLB Now added how Yordan Alvarez is getting fast-tracked to Cooperstown. As per their update, since 1947, among all players who have done a minimum of 2000 PA, Alvarez is standing at 6th position through age-27 seasons. Legends like Frank Thomas and Mickey Mantle are ahead of him. Well, that’s some numbers justifying the fans’ expectation of seeing him as a future HOFamer.
Still a long way to go
Alvarez is comparable with the legends and can be termed a future HOFamer but the job is half-done for him. He is still 27 and comparable with the legends based on age-24 seasons, hence it would be better to judge him only after he completes his career. A bonafide legend will also have a long career, something to be achieved by Alvarez. For instance, MLB legends David Ortiz and Edgar Martinez were in All-Stars and got Silver Sluggers in their age-40 seasons. Hence, it is too soon to term Yordan Alvarez as a future HOFamer but he just got the start required to travel to Cooperstown.
There are years left with Alvarez to prove himself and the only thing that he should now focus on is to ensure his career longevity. On his side, no players who have started with such numbers have missed the HOF seat or at least they are considered as deserving inductees. All, Alvarez needs is to continue this form and who knows he might land an exorbitant deal in the future much like his peers Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto. For the Astros fans, they are witnessing a generational talent in his prime.
Yordan Alvarez is underrated for all reasons and he deserves a whole lot of attention. Additionally, he needs more years to prove his legendary status and if he deserves a HOF place. What do you think about Alvarez’s glory? Share your thoughts with us.
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