Astros agree to deal with JC Correa, Carlos' bro

HOUSTON -- Astros fans may soon have another Correa to cheer on at Minute Maid Park.

JC Correa, the younger brother of star shortstop Carlos Correa, agreed to a deal with the Astros on Thursday after completing a physical in Houston. JC Correa, who recently graduated from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, is an undrafted utility infielder who played two years at Lamar after transferring from Alvin (Texas) Community College. He’s the first in his family to graduate from college.

“It means the world for me,” he told MLB.com. “I’ve been wanting to sign for two years now. I’ve been drafted twice [by the Astros]. I have some goals, you know. I wanted to get my degree and now that I got my degree, I will sign and play professional baseball. That is my other goal, to make it to the big leagues. I’ll work harder than I have worked my whole life to make it there. But for me it means to the world to be signing professional.”

"[I'm] very proud of his accomplishments," Carlos said of his brother. "Now is when the real work starts. I know that with his work ethic and his talent, he will become a big leaguer someday."

The younger Correa had several offers from other clubs but couldn’t pass up the chance to play for the Astros, who took Carlos Correa with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft out of Puerto Rico and watched him blossom into one of the game’s best young stars.

The Astros drafted JC Correa, who is 5-11 and 180 pounds, in the 38th round last year out of Lamar and in the 33rd round in 2018 after his time at Alvin.

“They drafted me twice, so they showed a lot of interest in me,” he said. “Also, my brother is there. If I want to play with him one day, that’s the team I want to be on. I know I can make good things happen and help the team a lot. I’m excited to play for the Astros.”

JC and Carlos have never played on the same team together, a thought which is undoubtedly exciting for both of them.

“When I told him, he was really excited, really happy, for me,” JC said about Carlos. “He told me, ‘Hey bro, you deserve it. You have worked hard your whole life. I know we’re going to be together in Spring Training and all that. Congratulations. You deserve it.’ He was very happy. In the end, he told me, ‘I love you.’ Like always.”

As a senior at Lamar, Correa hit .245 with a .321 slugging percentage and .317 on-base percentage in 14 games before the season was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. He played in 53 games last year and led the team in in batting average (.332), hits (74), doubles (14), home runs (10) and RBIs (44). Prior to his time at Lamar, he hit .364 in 80 career games at Alvin with a .432 OBP and a .491 slugging percentage.