Now that Carlos Correa won’t be back in Houston, who can replace him at shortstop for the Astros?

the output of Carlos Correa of the Houston Astros leaves a huge hole in the shortstop of the ninth Texan after the Puerto Rican left for the Minnesota Twins for a contract of $105 million and three years as a free agent.

The Astros – runners-up in last World Series – will have to move quickly to land a top-caliber shortstop in free agency or bet on one of their prospects to fill that vacancy.

The only star shortstop left on the market is Trevor Story. The two-time All-Star Player, 29, who has played his entire career with the Colorado Rockies, fell on Houston’s radar at the news of Correa’s departure, current American League Gold Glove.

The New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants also reportedly have interest in Story, a two-time NL Silver Slugger. Last year, he hit .251 with 24 home runs and 75 RBIs.

If Story is not signed, the Astros will then bet on their minor league system.

The Dominican Jeremy Peña is the favorite of veteran manager Dusty Baker to assume the position. Peña, 24, was selected by the Astros in the third round of the draft in 2018 after military service at the University of Maine.

Last year, Peña played 30 games in Triple-A and hit .287 with 10 home runs and 19 RBIs. An injury to his left wrist took him out of the game for a while. However, he accompanied the big team during the postseason, including the loss in the World Series against the Atlanta Braves.

“He is the favourite, so you have to be patient. When you deal with young guys, you have to be patient. You can’t expect them to be Hall of Famers right away,” Baker said at a news conference about Peña.

“It could work, but most of the time it doesn’t. You just have to be patient. We have great instructors. He has a great perspective on life and baseball. He is a very mature young man. He is a player who listens,” he added.

Another player who could take on Correa’s role would be Cuban utility man Aledmys Diaz (31), a one-time All-Star Player who has been with the Astros for three years. Last year, he appeared in 84 games, hitting .259 with eight home runs and 45 RBIs.

Correa was the Astros’ first pick in the 2012 draft. He debuted in 2015, winning the American League Rookie of the Year award. In 2017, he helped the franchise win the World Series. In addition to his production with the bat, Correa was also a leader in the locker room.

Before the lockout, Correa turned down an offer from the Astros of $160 million over five years.

On Saturday, there was surprise and silence among his former teammates. Who spoke about Correa’s departure was the Cuban Yuli Gurriel.

“We were surprised. The reality is that if she had been here it would have been better. But hey, all the luck in the world to him and he will always have our support.” Gurriel told reporters in the clubhouse.

“Until now we haven’t been able to talk. It’s still very early. That conversation comes later… We spent seven years together. We made a great team and we will never forget it. He helped us win in 2017. He will always have a space between us. I didn’t imagine he would go to Minnesota. But this is a business. We only have to give him support,” added the Cuban.

Baker, for his part, declined to comment until Correa’s deal with Minnesota is official.