Jose Altuve's hometown: Where was the Houston Astros superstar born?

Jose Altuve is one of the most influential players in baseball. As a second baseman for the Houston Astros, he has appeared in more World Series games this century than any other player in his position.

Altuve was born in May 1990 in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. He was raised in nearby Maracay, Venezuela, where he became boyhood friends with future Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez.

The two were born within days of each other and were both well known on the amateur baseball scene in Maracay.

Maracay is a city of roughly one million situated on the Caribbean coast of Venezuela. It is endearingly known as "La Ciudad Jardín," meaning "Garden City" for its lush environment and abundance of natural wildlife.

Maracay is also known as one of the biggest baseball hubs in the nation of Venezuela. Some notable MLB players who got their start playing in Maracay include Miguel Cabrera, Annibal Sanchez and Elvis Andrus.

"At 16 years old, Jose Altuve attended a MLB tryout in Maracay, Venezuela. Scouts said he was too short and suspected he was lying about his age, forcing him to produce a birthday certificate the next day. Last night, he sent the Houston Astros back to the World Series." - @ Ross Bolen

The road to the MLB was not an easy one for Jose Altuve. At only 5'6", he was often overlooked by pro scouts for being too small. However, his tenacity and desire eventually paid off, and he was signed by the Astros as an international free agent in 2011.

Year after year, he kept getting better. He was a huge reason why the Astros, who were in last place in 2013, made it to the World Series just four years later. Altuve was named the AL MVP in 2017 after leading the league in hits with 204, and in batting average, hitting .346.

In 2022, he was also key in lifting his team over the Philadelphia Phillies for their second World Series victory in six seasons.

"El gran José Altuve , más humilde no se puede ser , acabando de ganar la serie mundial y como cualquier mortal en el mercado libre de Maracay" - @ Lennin Materano

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Jose Altuve: From Maracay to MVP

Jose Altuve has done nearly everything to prove that he belongs in the MLB. Growing up in Maracay in relative poverty, he likely never imagined that he would be able to call himself one of the best in the game.

Altuve's example demonstrates that determination can get you very far, no matter where you come from.