Springer enrolled at the University of Connecticut (UConn), where he played college baseball for the Connecticut Huskies baseball team. At UConn, Springer was named to the 2009 Baseball America Freshman All-America First Team. He was also named the Big East Conference rookie of the year. In 2009 and 2010, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League. In 2011, Springer was named the Big East Player of the Year. He was named a first team All-American by Perfect Game USA, Louisville Slugger. and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, while being named a Second Team All-American by Baseball America.

The Houston Astros selected Springer in the first round, with the 11th overall selection, in the 2011 MLB draft. Springer became the highest selection in the MLB Draft in University of Connecticut baseball history. Springer was signed by the Astros, receiving a $2.52 million signing bonus. After he signed, Springer played in eight games with the Tri-City ValleyCats of the Class A-Short Season New York–Penn League. Before the 2012 season, MLB.com rated Springer as the 84th best prospect in baseball.

In 2012, Springer played for the Lancaster JetHawks of the Class A-Advanced California League and the Corpus Christi Hooks of the Class AA Texas League. He hit 22 home runs and recorded 28 stolen bases for Lancaster. Splitting the 2013 season between Corpus Christi and the Oklahoma City RedHawks of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, Springer joined the 30–30 club, recording more than 30 home runs and stolen bases. He appeared in the Texas League All-Star Game, and was named its most valuable player. Though he only played in 73 games for Corpus Christi, he was named the Texas League Player of the Year at the end of the season. He was a finalist for USA Today’s Minor League Player of the Year Award.

Baseball America ranked Springer as the 18th-best prospect in baseball prior to the 2014 season. During spring training in 2014, Springer and his agent rejected a reported seven-year contract worth $23 million, despite having not yet reached the major leagues. Springer started the 2014 season with Oklahoma City. He hit for a .353 batting average and a .647 slugging percentage before being called up to the major league team in time for their April 16 game.

Springer made his MLB debut on April 16, 2014, at Minute Maid Park against the Kansas City Royals. Batting second and playing right field, Springer collected his first career hit, an infield single, against Royals pitcher Jeremy Guthrie. Springer hit the first home run of his MLB career on May 8, 2014 at Comerica Park off of Detroit Tigers pitcher Drew Smyly. On June 26, Springer hit his 15th home run, becoming the first Astros rookie to reach that mark before the All-Star break. On July 23, 2014, Springer was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a left quad strain. On September 16, the Astros announced that Springer would not play for the remainder of the 2014 season. He played in 78 games in 2014, batting .231 with 20 home runs, 51 runs batted in (RBIs), and 114 strikeouts.

In the Astros’ 5–1 Game 7 Series-clinching victory, he homered and doubled, finishing with two runs and two RBI. In all, Springer hit five home runs, tying the World Series record shared by Reggie Jackson and Chase Utley. He also homered in each of the final four games, setting a World Series record for consecutive games with a home run. Springer was named the World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP), going 11 for 29 with 7 RBI as the Astros’ leadoff hitter. Other World Series records he set were eight extra base hits (five homers and three doubles) and 29 total bases. As a side note, he had appeared on a 2014 cover of Sports Illustrated that predicted the Astros’ 2017 World Series win.

During a game against the Texas Rangers on April 12, 2015, Springer robbed Leonys Martín of a potential game-winning grand slam by making a leaping catch by the wall in the 10th inning. The Astros would go on to win over the Rangers 6–4 in 14 innings. Springer, along with José Altuve, Carlos Correa and Dallas Keuchel, became a key figure in the 2015 Houston Astros playoff run. The Astros won the MLB wild card, making the MLB postseason for the first time in 10 years. They lost to the future World Champion Kansas City Royals 3 games to 2 in the 2015 American League Division Series. During that series the Astros had a lead in all 5 games.

After consistently cutting down on his strikeout rate from his rookie year, Springer improved the quality of his at bats enough in 2016, that by May, the Astros made him their regular leadoff hitter. He led the American League with 744 plate appearances, playing in all 162 regular season games. He set new career highs with 116 runs scored, 29 home runs, and 88 walks. The Astros finished 84–78, ranking in third place in the AL West and missing the playoffs.

After spending the first three seasons of his career in right field, the Astros shifted Springer to center field in 2017. He was selected as the American League Player of the Week for the first time in June. He also made his first MLB All-Star team played at Marlins Park in Miami, elected by the fans as a starter. Typically the Astros’ leadoff hitter, he batted cleanup for the American League lineup, as was the decision of former Astros manager Brad Mills, the AL manager. The Astros took a 60–29 record into the All-Star break, the best 89-game start in franchise history.

On May 7, 2018, Springer homered versus the Oakland Athletics and became the first player in Astros franchise history to record six hits in a nine-inning game. Joe Morgan had six hits in a twelve-inning game for the Astros on June 8, 1965.

On January 20, 2018, Springer married Charlise Castro, who played softball at the University at Albany.

On March 28, 2019, Springer tied with Khris Davis of the Oakland Athletics for consecutive Opening Day home runs with three, when he hit a 427-foot (130 m) home run to center field off of reigning Cy Young award winner Blake Snell. On May 1, Major League Baseball disciplined Springer for anti-gay slur directed at umpire Ángel Hernández, which was caught on camera during a game on April 23. On May 25, Springer was placed on the 10-day IL with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain.

In 2019, Springer batted .292/.383/.591 with 39 home runs (fifth in the AL) and 96 RBI in 479 at bats over 122 games. His adjusted OPS+ was 150, ranking fourth. He placed in the top ten in the league in a number of categories for the first time. Those included wins above replacement (WAR, 6.4–10th), OBP (eighth), slugging percentage (fourth), OPS (fourth), offensive win percentage (.713, fourth), and at bats per home run (12.3, fourth). On defense, he was second among all outfielders in total zone runs (19), second among center fielders (eight), and third among right fielders (10).

In 2020, Springer batted .265/.359/.540 with 37 runs, 14 home runs (7th in the AL), 32 RBIs, and hit by pitch five times (tied for eighth in the AL) in 189 at bats.

In March 2020, Springer donated $100,000 to Minute Maid Park employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.