For every Alex Rodriguez, there is a Matt Bush. For every David Price, there is a Bryan Bullington.
We won’t know if the Houston Astros’ No. 1 overall pick, Carlos Correa will be an A-Rod or Bush, but we do know what kind of abilities he has at the dish and in the field.
Here we will asses his skill set and evaluate his chances to, one day, become an MLB star.
Correa as a Hitter
I don’t know what it is about this guy,but he looks extremely comfortable at the plate—more so than any other prospect in this draft class.
He’s a bit skinny, but his 190-pound frame doesn’t keep him from hitting for power. He gets a lot of torque from his swing, and it’s really great to watch because you just see this lanky kid uncoiling his body to drive the ball.
He’s more capable of hitting for power right now than he is average, simply because a player’s natural power comes to fruition before he can acquire plate discipline. Once Correa starts getting regular at-bats against professional hitting, he’ll have an easier time picking and choosing his pitches.
It’s easy to forget that he’s just a 17-year-old kid. In all the videos that I’ve seen of this kid, I haven’t seen him swing and miss.
Granted, you won’t find many prospect videos with the featured prospect swinging and missing, but his hand-eye coordination is impressive.
Correa’s head doesn’t move at all throughout his swing, and stays on a line as his bat comes through the zone. Seriously, you could draw a line on replay after replay, and his head stays right on it. He keeps his weight on his back foot until the perfect time.
Correa as a Fielder
The main problem with Correa’s defense is his size. He’s 6’4″, and won’t stay at 190 pounds forever. He’s likely to outgrow the shortstop position one day.
He’s not going anywhere yet, though. He’s really fun to watch in the field, as he looks so smooth and natural on ground balls. It’s a catch and throw in one motion, kind of like Ray Allen catching and shooting a basketball. It’s just one of those things that you see and know that there’s not a whole lot of players who can do the same.
Correa can turn the double play pretty well, considering his relatively minimal experience. He has a really quick release and just as good of an arm, but sometimes his throws, to first look, the slightest bit loopy.
I’m just nitpicking at this point. Correa is at the very least an above-average fielder in all facets. If he doesn’t bulk up an inordinate amount, he’ll be able to stay at short.
The other shortstops that were taken in Round 1 of the 2012 MLB draft could prove to be glorified utility men, but Correa is going to be much more than that. You don’t often see a 17-year-old high school draftee who looks so comfortable at his position.
Everything Else
Correa has good speed for a kid his size, and he’s the type of baserunner who is much faster once they get going than out of the box. The fact that he is 17 years old cannot be understated because we hardly have a grasp on what his ceiling could be.
His personality off the diamond helped his draft stock, maybe even more so than some of his on-field abilities. Bobby Heck, the Astros’ assistant general manager and scouting director, said this, as per the Houston Astros website:
“We’re very excited to add a player of Carlos’ caliber,” Heck sad. “He profiles as a power-hitting middle-of-the-field guy, and to get that type of power at shortstop — his work ethic, how he was brought up and the family environment he comes from, the student he is — it’s a great pick for us, as well as a great long-term investment for the Astros.”
A good upbringing, good family environment and a good student. That seems like a pretty good recipe for success.
When you factor in the work ethic, you can tell why the Astros shocked the baseball world and went with Correa over Appel.
Correa seams to have all the tools necessary to become a star in the major leagues. Couple that with his mindset, past and work ethic, and he has everything he needs to be a bona fide celebrity.
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