Houston Astros: Which Young Player Should GM Jeff Luhnow Lock Up First?

A new era in Houston Astros history has just begun, and things are looking pretty good. There are several young players on the roster that are playing incredibly well right now and need to be re-signed if the Astros hope to remain competitive.

The club won’t be competing for a divisional crown this year, but they won’t be losing 100 games as many had predicted.

The biggest reason for the Astros’ early success is the hard work of general manager Jeff Luhnow. For a team lacking premier major league talent, it has plenty of young talent that is currently carrying the club.

As this new era progresses this season, Luhnow and the Astros' organization would be wise to start locking up some of this incredible young talent if they want to seriously build a respectable club for the future.

A good place to start would be with some of the young pitching talent that has impressed thus far. Starting pitcher Kyle Weiland isn’t under contract after this season, but he has shown he is capable of being a solid option on the mound if he has enough run support.

Lucas Harrell, another pitcher, has shown promise in limited opportunities with a 1-2 record. He’s only 27 years old and could develop into a major factor for the club moving forward.

Left fielder J.D. Martinez is a strong candidate to be locked up first by the Astros, as he is off to a quick start this season. He’s hitting an impressive .282 and leads the team with 19 RBI.

Martinez isn’t under contract after the 2012 season, so making sure he’s a part of the future would be a smart move. At 24 years old, he has a high ceiling and would be a main cog in the rebuilding phase for Houston.

Another outfielder the club has to consider extending is center fielder Jordan Schafer. He is only 25 years old and is showing potential at the plate with 24 hits and a .276 average.

While Martinez is the team’s best player right now, the future of the franchise could hinge on the Astros’ ability to retain second baseman Jose Altuve.

Altuve is only 21 years old but has a legitimate all-around game at one of the more important positions in baseball. He’s not under contract after this season.

Altuve is ridiculous at the plate. The youngster is hitting an outlandish .360, leads the team with 31 hits and has 10 RBI.  He’s only struck out 14 times and has a solid .404 on-base percentage.

Outside of being a huge threat at the plate, Altuve is also the club’s best player defensively. He consistently makes highlight-worthy plays and has not only provided some stability at the position but also completely reinforced the entirety of the defense.

If the Astros are serious about having a successful rebuilding phase, it begins and ends with Jose Altuve. The club and Luhnow would be wise to extend him sooner rather than later. He’s an integral part of the club already at only 21 years old.

Altuve has the makings of a star. For a club looking to exit the cellar of the MLB, the Astros need to take advantage of this rare opportunity and lock up one of baseball’s future stars.

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