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 September 18, 2024)
Batting average	.275
Hits	1,142
Home runs	186
Runs batted in	669
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 in the 2012 MLB draft.

Carlos Correa started his MLB career with the Astros in 2015. He quickly won the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year Award. 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. He also won the Gold Glove and Platinum Glove Awards for his amazing defense. After seven seasons with the Astros, he joined the Minnesota Twins.

Early Life and Baseball Beginnings

Carlos Correa was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. His parents are Carlos Correa Sr. and Sandybel Oppenheimer. His family did not have much money. They built a small house in Barrio Velázquez, a fishing village. This is where Carlos grew up.

From a young age, Carlos loved playing baseball. He often played catch in an alley next to his home. A neighbor saw his talent and suggested he join a youth league. Carlos was five years old when he started playing. He played as a first baseman because he was a strong hitter. His father trained him every day.

In 1998, Hurricane Georges badly damaged their home. His father took many different jobs to support the family. But he still made time to train Carlos every day.

When Carlos was seven, he was hitting many home runs. His team was eliminated from the league. But the league champions, Rio Grande, asked him to play with them. They were going to a championship series in Atlanta. Traveling was hard for his family because of the distance. His mother also worked, and when that was not enough, she sold food. People in Santa Isabel helped them by organizing charity games. Carlos's first team even donated their sales money. Carlos played as a pitcher for Rio Grande. He struck out eight batters and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

By age 11, his family traveled to Caguas. This was so he could practice with more advanced teams. Carlos was also a good student. He received a scholarship to attend Raham Baptist Academy.

A few years later, his family moved from Barrio Velázquez. This was because of frequent floods. Carlos and his brother, Jean Carlos, practiced baseball together. Their family had to work even more jobs. Soon, the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School (PRBAHS) offered Carlos a scholarship. His coaches saw his talent and worked extra hours with him. They even helped with transportation when the family's car broke down.

In 2010, Carlos played in big tournaments like the Perfect Game BCS Finals. He also played in the WWBA PG Underclassman World Championships. After one event, he changed his batting swing with his hitting coach. The next year, he played in more showcases. His performance at the 2011 PG World and National Showcases made him a top player. He earned a spot in the Aflac-PG All-American Game. There, he was named Rawlings' Defensive Player of the Year.

Carlos started 2012 by winning MVP at the Víctor Pellot Excellence Tournament. He played exceptionally well as a shortstop. At the 2012 PG World Showcase, he set a record. He threw a baseball 97 miles per hour across the infield! After graduating from PRBAHS, Carlos planned to attend the University of Miami. He also played for Team Mizuno and the Puerto Rico National Baseball Team.

Professional Baseball Career

Draft and Minor Leagues

Carlos Correa at the 2013 Futures Game

Carlos Correa was the youngest top player in the 2012 Major League Baseball draft. Even at 17, experts thought he would be a top-ten pick. His skills impressed scouts, especially the Houston Astros.

On June 4, 2012, the Astros chose Carlos as the first overall pick. He was so surprised he thought he was dreaming! He walked onto the stage holding the flag of Puerto Rico. Carlos became the highest-drafted player directly from a Puerto Rican high school. He was also the first Puerto Rican and Latin American-born player to be picked first overall. Baseball legend Iván Rodríguez congratulated him. When he returned to Puerto Rico, hundreds of people welcomed him with a parade.

Carlos signed with the Astros on June 7, 2012. He received a $4.8 million bonus. He started his professional career in the minor leagues. He played for teams like the Gulf Coast Astros and Greeneville Astros.

In 2013, Carlos was the top young player in the Astros' system. He started the year with a ten-game hitting streak. He was the youngest player chosen for the 2013 Midwest League All-Star Game. He was also picked by fans for the World Team in the All-Star Futures Game. Carlos was the youngest player at this event.

Carlos Correa playing for Quad Cities in 2013

In 2014, the Astros invited Carlos to spring training. He then played for the Lancaster JetHawks. On June 21, he broke his right fibula (a bone in his lower leg). This injury ended his season.

In 2015, Carlos was again invited to spring training. He then played for the Corpus Christi Hooks and the Fresno Grizzlies. He played very well, hitting .385 for the Hooks.

Houston Astros (2015–2021)

2015: AL Rookie of the Year

On June 8, 2015, Carlos Correa made his debut in the major leagues. He got his first hit and his first RBI against the Chicago White Sox. The next day, he hit his first MLB home run. He also stole his first base. Carlos quickly set new team records for hits in his first games. He also hit many doubles and home runs. He won the American League's Rookie of the Month award for June.

By early July, Carlos was making history. He was the first player since 1914 to have five games with at least three hits and a home run so early in his career. He led American League shortstops in home runs. On August 1, he hit two home runs in one game. This set a team record for most home runs in his first 46 games. On August 19, he hit his first "walk-off" hit. This means his hit won the game in the final inning.

In the playoffs, Carlos became the youngest shortstop to hit a home run. He was also the second youngest player to hit two home runs in a playoff game.

For the 2015 season, he batted .279. He played 99 games at shortstop and had a good fielding percentage. After the season, Carlos was named the Sporting News AL Rookie of the Year. He also won the AL Outstanding Rookie Award. On November 16, 2015, MLB officially named him the AL Rookie of the Year. He was the first Astro to win this award since Jeff Bagwell in 1991.

2016 Season

Carlos Correa batting for the Astros in 2016

Carlos started the 2016 season by hitting a home run on Opening Day. He was the youngest Astro to do this. He missed some games in September due to a shoulder injury. Carlos finished the season with a .274 batting average. He hit 36 doubles and 20 home runs. He also had 96 RBIs. He hit one ball very hard, at 118.2 miles per hour. He had four "walk-off" hits that season, which was the most in MLB.

2017: World Series Champions

In May 2017, Carlos was named the AL Player of the Month. He had five games in a row with multiple hits. He batted .386 with seven home runs and 26 RBIs that month. He was chosen to play in his first MLB All-Star Game. In July, he tore a ligament in his left thumb. This injury kept him out of games for six to eight weeks.

For the 2017 regular season, Carlos batted .315. He hit 24 home runs and had 84 RBIs. He had a strong .978 fielding percentage at shortstop.

In the 2017 playoffs, Carlos hit his first home run against the Boston Red Sox. He hit another home run two days later. On October 14, he hit his third playoff home run. He also hit a "walk-off" double to win a game against the New York Yankees. The Astros went on to win Game 7 and reached the World Series. They faced the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In Game 2 of the World Series, Carlos and other players hit five home runs in extra innings. This was a record for extra innings in a major league game. The Astros won that game 7–6. Carlos went 3-for-5 in Game 5, helping the Astros win 13–12. This game lasted over five hours. The Astros won the World Series in Game 7, earning their first championship title.

Later, it was found that the Astros had broken MLB rules during their 2017 championship season. They were using a system to steal signs from opposing teams. The team was fined and lost draft picks. Carlos Correa admitted that his team was wrong. He apologized, saying they "affected careers" and the game.

Later Astros Seasons (2018-2021)

In 2018, Carlos was on the disabled list due to a back problem. He also had surgery to fix a breathing issue. He batted .239 with 15 home runs and 65 RBIs. He led the AL in sacrifice flies.

In 2019, Carlos missed Opening Day due to neck stiffness. He got his 500th career hit in April. In May, he broke a rib during a massage at home. He returned to play in July. In August, he hit his 100th career home run. He joined Cal Ripken Jr. and Alex Rodriguez as the only shortstops to hit 100 home runs before turning 25. He was also the youngest Astro to reach this milestone. He batted .279 with 21 home runs and 59 RBIs. In the playoffs, he hit a "walk-off" home run in Game 2 of the ALCS against the New York Yankees.

In the shortened 2020 season, Carlos batted .264 with five home runs and 25 RBIs. He led AL shortstops with a .995 fielding percentage. In the playoffs, he hit another "walk-off" home run in Game 5 of the ALCS. This forced a Game 6 against the Tampa Bay Rays. He became only the third player to hit multiple "walk-off" home runs in the postseason.

2021: Platinum Glove Award

On July 4, 2021, Carlos was named an All-Star for the second time. He was playing very well, ranking fifth in the AL in OPS (on-base plus slugging). On September 21, he scored his 100th run of the season. He was the first Astro shortstop to ever score 100 runs in a season.

In 2021, Carlos batted .279 with 26 home runs and 92 RBIs. He played in 148 games, his most since 2016. He set new career highs in home runs and runs scored. On defense, Carlos was outstanding. He led the AL with +21 defensive runs saved. He also won his first career Gold Glove and AL Platinum Glove Awards. These awards recognize the best defensive players. The Houston baseball writers named Carlos the Astros' Most Valuable Player. He also won his first Fielding Bible Award.

In the 2021 playoffs, Carlos continued to perform well. He moved into sixth place all-time for postseason RBIs. On November 3, 2021, Carlos became a free agent for the first time. This meant he could sign with any team.

Minnesota Twins (2022–present)

2022 Season

On March 22, 2022, Carlos Correa signed a three-year contract with the Minnesota Twins. The contract was worth $105.3 million. It allowed him to choose to leave the contract after the first or second season. His average yearly salary of $35.1 million was the highest for an infielder.

On June 9, 2022, Carlos and two Twins teammates hit three home runs in a row. This happened against his former Astros teammate Gerrit Cole. On August 22, Carlos helped complete a rare triple play. This is when three players are put out in one play. On August 23, Carlos returned to Houston to play against the Astros. Fans gave him a standing ovation and a video tribute.

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

Offseason and Re-signing

On November 2, 2022, Carlos decided to leave his contract with the Twins. He became a free agent again.

He then agreed to a long-term contract with the San Francisco Giants. However, the Giants found an issue with his physical exam. They were concerned about an old ankle injury from 2014. The Giants wanted to change the deal. So, Carlos's agent 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 deal, Carlos's agent talked to the Twins again. On January 11, 2023, Carlos re-signed with the Twins. He signed a six-year contract worth $200 million.

2023 Season

In 2023, Carlos batted .230, which was a career low. He also grounded into a league-leading 30 double plays.

The Twins won their division title. In the 2023 playoffs, Carlos helped the Twins win their first playoff game since 2004. He drove in the winning run in Game 2 of the Wild Card series. He also helped get a player out at second base. The Twins won their first playoff series since 2002. They later lost to Carlos's former team, the Astros, in the next round.

Fielding Style

Carlos Correa is a tall shortstop at 6 feet 4 inches. He uses his footwork and a special ready position to field the ball. He also picks up the ball with one hand. This helps him use his long arms and cover a lot of ground. He sometimes uses a jump hop when throwing to first base.

International Career

Carlos played for Puerto Rico in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. He played as the team's third baseman. This was because Francisco Lindor played shortstop and Javier Baez played second base. Carlos batted .333 in the tournament. He hit three home runs and had nine RBIs. He was named to the 2017 All-World Baseball Classic team. Carlos chose not to play in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. This was because he was expecting his second child.

Personal Life

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

Carlos and his family now live in St. Paul, Minnesota. He has a younger brother, Jean Carlos Correa. The Astros drafted Jean Carlos in 2018.

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

Awards

Images for kids

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  Correa on the MLB Network in 2015

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  Correa at the 2013 Futures Game

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  Correa playing for Quad Cities in 2013

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  Correa batting for the Astros in 2016

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