Carlos Correa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carlos Correa
Correa on the MLB Network in 2015
Minnesota Twins – No. 4
Shortstop
Born: (1994-09-22) September 22, 1994 (age 30) Ponce, Puerto Rico
Bats: Right Throws: Right
debut
June 8, 2015, for the Houston Astros
MLB statistics (through July 6, 2025)
Batting average	.274
Hits	1,223
Home runs	194
Runs batted in	701
Teams
Houston Astros (2015–2021) Minnesota Twins (2022–present)
Career highlights and awards
3× All-Star (2017, 2021, 2024) World Series champion (2017) AL Rookie of the Year (2015) Gold Glove Award (2021) All-World Baseball Classic Team (2017)
Medals Men's baseball Representing  Puerto Rico World Baseball Classic Silver 2017 Los Angeles Team

Carlos Javier Correa Oppenheimer Jr. (born September 22, 1994) is a professional baseball player from Puerto Rico. He plays as a shortstop for the Minnesota Twins in Major League Baseball (MLB). Before joining the Twins, he played for the Houston Astros. The Astros chose him as the very first player picked in the 2012 MLB draft.

Carlos Correa started playing in MLB with the Astros in 2015. He quickly won the Rookie of the Year Award for the American League (AL). In 2017, he played in the World Baseball Classic. He was also named an MLB All-Star and helped his team win the World Series. In 2021, he became an All-Star again and won important defensive awards like the Gold Glove and Platinum Glove. After seven seasons with the Astros, he joined the Minnesota Twins in 2022.

Early Life and How Carlos Started Baseball

Carlos Correa was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. His parents were Carlos Correa Sr. and Sandybel Oppenheimer. Even though his family did not have a lot of money, they built a small house in Barrio Velázquez. This is a fishing village where Carlos grew up.

From a young age, Carlos loved playing catch near his home. A neighbor saw him and suggested he join a youth baseball league when he was five. Carlos played as a first baseman because he was good at hitting. His father trained him every day. In 1998, Hurricane Georges badly damaged their house. His father took many different jobs, but he still trained Carlos daily.

When Carlos was seven, he was playing very well in a local league. He hit many home runs. His team was eliminated, but the league champions, Rio Grande, asked him to play in their championship series in Atlanta. It was hard for his family to travel so far. His mother started selling food to help. People in Santa Isabel also helped by organizing charity games. Carlos was the pitcher for Rio Grande and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

By the time he was 11, his family traveled to Caguas so he could practice with better teams. Carlos was also a good student and received a scholarship to attend Raham Baptist Academy.

A few years later, his family moved because of floods. Carlos and his brother, Jean Carlos, practiced baseball together. The Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School (PRBAHS) offered Carlos a scholarship. His coaches worked extra hours to help him improve his hitting. They even helped with rides when his family's car broke down.

In 2011, Carlos became one of the top players in his age group. He earned a spot in the Aflac-PG All-American Game. There, he was named the best defensive player. In 2012, he was named MVP in a tournament. He also set a record for throwing a baseball 97 miles per hour across the infield. After finishing high school, Carlos planned to play for the University of Miami. He also played for the Puerto Rico National Baseball Team.

Carlos Correa's Professional Baseball Journey

Getting Drafted and Playing in the Minor Leagues

Carlos Correa at the Futures Game in 2013

Carlos Correa was only 17 years old when he entered the 2012 Major League Baseball draft. Even though he was young, many experts thought he would be one of the top ten players chosen. His skills really impressed scouts from the Houston Astros.

On June 4, 2012, the Astros picked Carlos as the very first player in the draft! He was so surprised. Carlos became the first player ever drafted directly from a Puerto Rican high school to be picked first overall. He was also the first player born in Latin America to be the top pick. When he returned to Puerto Rico, hundreds of people celebrated with a parade in his hometown.

Carlos signed with the Astros on June 7, 2012. He started his professional career in the minor leagues. He played for teams like the Gulf Coast Astros and the Greeneville Astros. In 2013, he played for the Quad City River Bandits.

Carlos Correa playing for Quad Cities in 2013

Carlos was considered the best young player in the Astros' minor league system in 2013. He was the youngest player chosen for the Midwest League All-Star Game. He was also picked by fans to play in the All-Star Futures Game. This game features the best young players from around the world.

In 2014, Carlos was invited to spring training with the main Astros team. However, he broke his right leg in June, which ended his season early. He worked hard to recover. In 2015, he played for the Corpus Christi Hooks and then the Fresno Grizzlies before moving up to the big leagues.

Playing for the Houston Astros (2015–2021)

2015: Rookie of the Year!

On June 8, 2015, Carlos Correa made his debut in Major League Baseball with the Houston Astros. In his first game, he got a hit and an RBI (Run Batted In). The next day, he hit his first MLB home run! He quickly set new team records for hits and doubles in his first games. He was named the American League's Rookie of the Month for June.

Carlos continued to impress. He became the first player since 1914 to have five games with at least three hits and a home run so early in his career. He also hit more home runs in his first 50 games than any other shortstop in history. On August 19, he hit his first "walk-off" hit, which means his hit won the game for his team in the final inning.

In October 2015, Carlos became the youngest shortstop to hit a home run in the playoffs. After the season, he was named the American League Rookie of the Year. He was the first Astros player to win this award since 1991.

2016 Season

Carlos started the 2016 season by hitting a home run on Opening Day. He was the youngest Astros player to do that. He finished the season with a .274 batting average, 20 home runs, and 96 RBIs. He also had four "walk-off" hits, which was the most in MLB that year.

2017: World Series Champions!

In May 2017, Carlos was named the AL Player of the Month because he played so well. He had many games with multiple hits. He was also chosen for his first MLB All-Star Game. Unfortunately, he tore a ligament in his left thumb in July and missed several weeks.

Carlos returned for the playoffs. He hit important home runs and helped the Astros win games. In the ALCS, he hit a "walk-off" double that won a game against the New York Yankees. The Astros then went on to play the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.

In Game 2 of the World Series, Carlos and several other players hit home runs in extra innings. This set a new record for the most home runs hit in extra innings of a single game. Carlos also played a big part in Game 5, helping the Astros win a very long and exciting game. The Astros won the World Series in Game 7, earning their first championship ever!

Later, it was found that the Astros had broken some rules during their championship season. The team was punished. Carlos Correa said that his team was wrong for what they did and apologized. He said they affected the game and felt very sorry.

2018 Season

In 2018, Carlos had some back problems that caused him to miss games. He also had surgery on his nose to help him breathe better. He played in 110 games, hitting 15 home runs and driving in 65 runs. He was very good defensively at shortstop.

2019 Season

Carlos missed the first game of 2019 due to a stiff neck. On April 3, he got his 500th career hit. In May, he broke a rib during a massage at home and was out for a while. He returned in July. On August 15, Carlos hit his 100th career home run. He was one of only a few shortstops to hit 100 home runs before turning 25. He also hit a "walk-off" home run in the playoffs against the New York Yankees.

2020 Season

In the shorter 2020 season, Carlos batted .264 with five home runs. He was still excellent defensively, leading AL shortstops with a .995 fielding percentage. In the playoffs, he hit another "walk-off" home run against the Tampa Bay Rays. This was his second "walk-off" home run in the postseason, a rare achievement.

2021: Platinum Glove Award!

In July 2021, Carlos was named an All-Star for the second time. He had a great season, scoring 100 runs for the first time in his career. He also hit 26 home runs and had 92 RBIs. He was one of the best defensive players in the league.

After the season, Carlos won his first Gold Glove and the AL Platinum Glove Award. The Platinum Glove is given to the best defensive player in each league. He was also named the Astros' Most Valuable Player by local baseball writers. After seven seasons, Carlos became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team.

Playing for the Minnesota Twins (2022–Present)

2022 Season

On March 22, 2022, Carlos Correa signed a three-year contract with the Minnesota Twins. This contract allowed him to choose to leave after the first or second season. His average yearly salary was one of the highest for an infielder. He joined Byron Buxton on the Twins, making them a strong duo.

On June 9, 2022, Carlos and two teammates hit three home runs in a row against the New York Yankees. On August 22, Carlos helped complete a rare "triple play" in a game against the Texas Rangers. A triple play is when three players are out in one play. The next day, Carlos returned to Houston to play against his old team, the Astros. He received a warm welcome from the fans.

In 2022, Carlos batted .291 with 22 home runs and 64 RBIs. He also had a league-leading .983 fielding percentage at shortstop.

2022–23 Offseason

On November 2, 2022, Carlos decided to leave his contract with the Twins early and become a free agent again.

He first agreed to a long contract with the San Francisco Giants. However, the Giants found an issue with his right ankle during his physical exam. This ankle had surgery back in 2014. Because of this, the Giants wanted to change the deal. Carlos's agent then talked to other teams.

He then agreed to a contract with the New York Mets. But the Mets also had concerns about his ankle after their physical exam.

While the Mets tried to change their offer, Carlos's agent talked to the Twins again. On January 11, 2023, Carlos Correa re-signed with the Minnesota Twins for six years.

2023 Season

In 2023, Carlos had a lower batting average than usual. However, the Twins won their division title. In the playoffs, Carlos helped the Twins win their first playoff game since 2004. He drove in the winning run and made a great defensive play. The Twins then lost to Carlos's former team, the Houston Astros, in the next round.

2024 Season

The first part of the 2024 season was very good for Carlos. He batted .305 and was selected for his third All-Star Game. This was his first All-Star selection since joining the Twins. In July, he had to go on the injury list because of a foot problem. He returned to play for the Twins in mid-September.

In 86 games during 2024, Carlos batted .310 with 14 home runs and 54 RBIs.

How Carlos Plays Defense

Carlos Correa during a pregame workout.

Carlos Correa is a tall shortstop, standing 6 feet 4 inches tall. He uses special footwork and a ready position to field the ball. He also picks up the ball with one hand, using his long arms to reach far. When he throws to first base, he sometimes does a jump hop.

Playing for Puerto Rico

Carlos Correa played for the Puerto Rico national baseball team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. He played as the team's third baseman. Carlos batted very well in the tournament, hitting three home runs and driving in nine runs. He hit a home run in the semifinals. After the tournament, he was named to the 2017 All-World Baseball Classic team. Carlos chose not to play in the 2023 World Baseball Classic because his second child was expected to be born.

Carlos Correa's Personal Life

After winning the 2017 World Series, Carlos proposed to his girlfriend, Daniella Rodriguez, on TV. Daniella was Miss Texas USA in 2016. They have two dogs named Groot and Rocket. Carlos and Daniella got married on November 11, 2019. They announced in June 2021 that they were expecting their first child, a son, who was born on November 29, 2021. In October 2022, they announced they were expecting their second child, another boy, who was born on March 11, 2023.

Carlos is involved in charity work. He helped children in Houston after Hurricane Harvey and his hometown in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria in 2017. In March 2020, Carlos donated $500,000 in medical equipment to help Houston during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Awards and Honors

See also

In Spanish: Carlos Correa (beisbolista) para niños

• Houston Astros award winners and league leaders
• List of Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico
• List of people from Ponce, Puerto Rico