Baseball may be America’s pastime, but it’s also a game of size. The average Major League Baseball (MLB) player is 6 feet tall and weighs 205 pounds. But there are some players who have found success in the MLB despite being much smaller than the average. One of the shortest players currently playing in the MLB is the 5-foot-6 second baseman José Altuve of the Houston Astros. But who is the shortest active MLB player?
Introduction to MLB and Size
MLB is the highest professional level of baseball in the United States and Canada and is made up of 30 teams divided into two leagues, the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The players in MLB are typically tall and strong; the average height is 6 feet and the average weight is 205 pounds. However, this is not a hard and fast rule and there are many players who break the “average” mold and find success in the league.
Height and Success in MLB
Height is not necessarily an indicator of success in the MLB. Some of the league’s greatest players have been shorter than the average, such as Hall of Famer and 5-foot-7-inch second baseman Joe Morgan, the 5-foot-6-inch second baseman and four-time batting champion Tony Gwynn, and the 5-foot-10-inch shortstop and first-ballot Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr.
Height Comparisons in the MLB
The shortest active MLB player is 5-foot-6-inch second baseman José Altuve of the Houston Astros. He’s not the only short player in the league, though; there are several other active players who are 5-foot-9 or shorter. These include:
• David Freese (5-foot-9) of the Los Angeles Dodgers
• José Iglesias (5-foot-11) of the Baltimore Orioles
• Eduardo Núñez (5-foot-9) of the Boston Red Sox
• José Peraza (5-foot-9) of the Cincinnati Reds
• Elvis Andrus (5-foot-10) of the Texas Rangers
• Dee Gordon (5-foot-11) of the Seattle Mariners
• Jean Segura (5-foot-9) of the Philadelphia Phillies
It’s important to note that these players are all shorter than the average MLB player, but they have all found success in the league.
José Altuve
Though José Altuve is not the shortest active MLB player, he is the shortest active second baseman. He has been playing in the league since 2011 and has been the starting second baseman for the Houston Astros since 2013. He has been an All-Star six times and has won the AL batting title three times. He is also a three-time Gold Glove Award winner and a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner. In 2017, he was named the AL MVP and led the Astros to their first World Series title.
Altuve’s Accomplishments
• Six-time All-Star
• Three-time AL batting champion
• Three-time Gold Glove Award winner
• Two-time Silver Slugger Award winner
• 2017 AL MVP
• Led the Astros to their first World Series title
Conclusion
Though the average height of an MLB player is 6 feet, height is not necessarily an indicator of success in the league. There are several players who are shorter than the average and still find success in the MLB. The shortest active MLB player is 5-foot-6-inch second baseman José Altuve of the Houston Astros, and he has had an impressive career despite his small stature. He is a six-time All-Star, a three-time AL batting champion, a three-time Gold Glove Award winner, a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner, and the 2017 AL MVP. Altuve is an inspiration to baseball players of all sizes and proves that size does not determine success in the MLB.