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The 37 Greatest Houston Astros Players of All Time

By YPB Team

Colt .45s-era rookies, Astrodome strikeout artists and the core of two title teams share one list. Settle the order while Houston hunts for its next manager.

  1. Jeff Bagwell — ranked #11
    Jeff Bagwell
    First baseman who won the 1991 NL Rookie of the Year and 1994 NL MVP awards and holds the franchise record of 449 home runs.
    1000pts
  2. Don Wilson — ranked #22
    Don Wilson
    Right-hander who threw no-hitters in 1967 and 1969 and whose No. 40 was retired after his death in 1975.
    750pts
  3. Dave Smith — ranked #33
    Dave Smith
    Reliever who pitched for Houston from 1980 to 1990, made two All-Star teams and saved 199 games for the club.
    722pts
  4. Jeremy Peña — ranked #44
    Jeremy Peña
    Shortstop who as a 2022 rookie was named ALCS MVP and World Series MVP and won a Gold Glove.
    722pts
  5. Yuli Gurriel — ranked #55
    Yuli Gurriel
    Cuban first baseman who won the 2021 AL batting title with a .319 average and a Gold Glove the same year.
    722pts
  6. Moisés Alou — ranked #66
    Moisés Alou
    Outfielder who hit 38 home runs with 124 RBIs in 1998 and finished third in that year's NL MVP voting.
    700pts
  7. Dallas Keuchel — ranked #77
    Dallas Keuchel
    Left-hander who went 20-8 to win the 2015 AL Cy Young Award and started for the 2017 champions.
    676pts
  8. Billy Wagner — ranked #88
    Billy Wagner
    Left-handed closer who saved a franchise-record 225 games for Houston from 1995 to 2003 and entered the Hall of Fame in 2025.
    676pts
  9. Craig Biggio — ranked #99
    Craig Biggio
    Hall of Famer who collected 3,060 hits while playing his entire 20-season career for Houston from 1988 to 2007.
    676pts
  10. Rusty Staub — ranked #1010
    Rusty Staub
    Debuted with the Colt .45s as a teenager in 1963 and led the NL with 44 doubles for the Astros in 1967.
    625pts
  11. Cesar Cedeño — ranked #1111
    Cesar Cedeño
    Center fielder who won five straight Gold Gloves from 1972 to 1976 and is the franchise leader with 487 stolen bases.
    566pts
  12. Jose Cruz — ranked #1212
    Jose Cruz
    Outfielder who played 13 seasons in Houston from 1975 to 1987, made two All-Star teams and had his No. 25 retired by the club.
    566pts
  13. Ryan Pressly — ranked #1313
    Ryan Pressly
    Reliever who made All-Star teams with Houston in 2019 and 2021 and recorded the final out of the 2022 World Series.
    500pts
  14. Mike Scott — ranked #1414
    Mike Scott
    Split-finger pitcher who won the 1986 NL Cy Young Award and clinched the NL West that September with a no-hitter.
    500pts
  15. Justin Verlander — ranked #1515
    Justin Verlander
    Right-hander who won the 2019 and 2022 AL Cy Young Awards with Houston and was on both of its World Series-winning rosters.
    500pts
  16. Framber Valdez — ranked #1616
    Framber Valdez
    Left-hander who won two games in the 2022 World Series, made the All-Star team in 2022 and 2023 and threw a 2023 no-hitter.
    500pts
  17. Nolan Ryan — ranked #1717
    Nolan Ryan
    Pitched his record-setting fifth no-hitter for Houston in 1981 and won NL ERA titles with the Astros in 1981 and 1987.
    423pts
  18. Andy Pettitte — ranked #1818
    Andy Pettitte
    Houston-area native who went 17-9 with a 2.39 ERA for the 2005 Astros, the club's first World Series team.
    423pts
  19. Larry Dierker — ranked #1919
    Larry Dierker
    Pitched for Houston from 1964 to 1976, threw a no-hitter in 1976 and later managed the Astros to four NL Central titles.
    423pts
  20. Mike Hampton — ranked #2020
    Mike Hampton
    Left-hander who went 22-4 with a 2.90 ERA in 1999 and finished second in the NL Cy Young vote.
    423pts
  21. Yordan Alvarez — ranked #2121
    Yordan Alvarez
    Slugger who won the 2019 AL Rookie of the Year and hit the go-ahead three-run homer in the clinching Game 6 of the 2022 World Series.
    423pts
  22. George Springer — ranked #2222
    George Springer
    Outfielder who was named 2017 World Series MVP after tying a record with five home runs in the Series.
    333pts
  23. Roger Clemens — ranked #2323
    Roger Clemens
    Won the 2004 NL Cy Young Award with Houston at age 42 and posted an MLB-best 1.87 ERA in 2005.
    333pts
  24. Charlie Morton — ranked #2424
    Charlie Morton
    Right-hander who was the winning pitcher in Game 7 of both the 2017 ALCS and the 2017 World Series.
    333pts
  25. Brad Lidge — ranked #2525
    Brad Lidge
    Closer who saved 42 games and made the All-Star team in 2005 as Houston reached its first World Series.
    333pts
  26. Lance Berkman — ranked #2626
    Lance Berkman
    Switch-hitter who made five All-Star teams with Houston between 1999 and 2010 and ranks second in franchise home runs.
    333pts
  27. Carlos Correa — ranked #2727
    Carlos Correa
    Shortstop who won the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year, started for the 2017 champions and was traded back to Houston in 2025.
    333pts
  28. Kyle Tucker — ranked #2828
    Kyle Tucker
    Right fielder who won a Gold Glove in 2022 and led the American League with 112 RBIs in 2023.
    333pts
  29. Hunter Pence — ranked #2929
    Hunter Pence
    Outfielder who debuted with Houston in 2007 and made the NL All-Star team in 2009 and 2011 before being traded.
    333pts
  30. Joe Niekro — ranked #3030
    Joe Niekro
    Knuckleballer who holds the franchise record with 144 wins and won 21 and 20 games in back-to-back seasons in 1979 and 1980.
    333pts
  31. Joe Morgan — ranked #3131
    Joe Morgan
    Hall of Fame second baseman who broke in with the Colt .45s in 1963 and made two All-Star teams with Houston.
    333pts
  32. J.R. Richard — ranked #3232
    J.R. Richard
    In 1978 he became the first NL right-hander to strike out 300 batters in a season, before a 1980 stroke ended his career.
    333pts
  33. Jimmy Wynn — ranked #3333
    Jimmy Wynn
    Center fielder nicknamed the Toy Cannon who hit 37 home runs in 1967 and had his No. 24 retired by Houston.
    333pts
  34. Alex Bregman — ranked #3434
    Alex Bregman
    Third baseman who finished second in the 2019 AL MVP vote and won World Series titles with Houston in 2017 and 2022.
    227pts
  35. Jose Altuve — ranked #3535
    Jose Altuve
    Second baseman who won the 2017 AL MVP and three AL batting titles and was part of Houston's 2017 and 2022 World Series champions.
    227pts
  36. Gerrit Cole — ranked #3636
    Gerrit Cole
    Spent two seasons in Houston and in 2019 led the majors with 326 strikeouts while finishing second in the AL Cy Young vote.
    227pts
  37. Roy Oswalt — ranked #3737
    Roy Oswalt
    Right-hander who won 143 games for Houston from 2001 to 2010 and was named MVP of the 2005 NLCS.
    0pts

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