Carlos Correa has gotten off to a quick start for the Astros
The Houston Astros have been one of the biggest surprises this season. They have been led by their young talent along with a few key veterans proving that they still have something left in the tank. The Astros currently sit atop the AL West with a record of 46-34, leading the Los Angeles Angels by four games. One of the best surprises this season has been rookie Carlos Correa, who was the first-overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft.
Correa has been able to come straight out of the minors this season and produce in a huge way, adding another bat to an Astros’ offense that has scored the fourth-most runs in the majors. He’s topping it off with some great defensive plays at a key position, shortstop. This season Correa is hitting .300 in 21 games, with five home runs, 15 RBI, and an OBP of .323. Correa has produced in a big way with 27 hits, 14 of them coming for either extra bases, and four stolen bases.
He was one of the most talked about prospects coming into this year, and was highly anticipated to make his major league debut at some point this season. Since his debut on June 8th, he has been on an absolute tear silencing anyone that may have thought he was brought up too early, or that he would struggle being so young at the highest level.
While he’s certainly had his learning experiences so far, Correa has come out and proved that he can be an everyday player in the majors now and is making a case to stick with the big club for the foreseeable furture. He was initially brought up due to injuries and ineffectiveness at the shortstop position, but he appears here to stay. Correa has hit left-handed pitching the best so far with a .310 AVG, three home runs and 10 RBI, while he is still hitting a solid .292 against righties with two home runs and five RBI.
Correa’s impact on the Astros continues to reinforce the strength of the team’s minor league and scouting systems, as he’s one of several youngsters that have come up and produced for the first-place team. With the talent in place right now in Houston, they look like they could have a contender for seasons to come and could even win it all at some point as the young talent matures. Correa would bring a very consistent bat to a lineup that needs a jump at this point in the season, especially at a scarce SS position. Even though the sample size has been small for Correa, he brings tremendous power/speed upside. The one knock on Correa is the expected inconsistency this season, as generally young players go through a stretch where they struggle at the plate. While I’m not saying that will happen to him, it could and any potential owner should be aware of that.
James McGowan is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from James, check out his archive or follow him @jmc3310.
