What Carlos Correa Brings to the Front Office and Beyond

Despite having only spent six months in Minnesota last season, Correa went from a hired gun to the leader in the clubhouse. Story after story last season from numerous beat writers discussed how he became a mentor figure and even offered sage advice to the front office. The fact that Correa knew specific players not just in AAA but kept tabs on those in Single A probably fueled speculation that the shortstop might be interested in a long-term deal. So what does it mean to have Correa as a quasi-manager? And what could he bring to the front office?

Before looking upstairs, it’s important to see what he brings off the field with the players as a mentor. Jose Miranda has built a close relationship with the shortstop, and Correa advocated to ensure the team kept him rather than as a trade piece at the deadline. Some of this was their close national ties (as Correa told Betsy Helfand at The Pioneer Press, “We don’t get many Puerto Rican players in the big leagues that become successful, become superstars, and I want him to become one of those.”), but Correa did plenty to help develop the player as he initially struggled. Much was mental, but Correa also helped him change his diet, the kind of thing you might expect more from a trainer. 

Correa has spread the wealth too. He invited Royce Lewis to dinner before the rookie’s debut and set up the now famous and likely permanent post-game meals in the clubhouse with other players to discuss the mechanics of how the night went. He also talked to pitchers; in one story by Dan Hayes in The Athletic, Correa brought the team together with Michael Fulmer on the mound in Yankee Stadium and recommended the sinker that Gleyber Torres put right into a double play. How often do you hear that a shortstop is essentially playing pitching coach?

It was always striking to see Correa build these relationships so quickly. When Nick Gordon hit a monstrous grand slam last year, Correa organized the curtain call. When Luis Arraez got one last double to ensure his batting title, it was Correa on the steps to hug him first. Perhaps still recovering from the “bad vibes” of 2021, Correa ensured good vibes even as the team’s injuries sunk them out of contention. and 

It's also important to know how Correa took off duties from Byron Buxton, who was happy to lead the clubhouse but remains a critical but more subdued presence. As Buxton often spent hours preparing for the game to get his knee in shape, Correa mentored the other rookies looking to find meaning in what became a difficult season. Buxton pushed hard for Correa, playing a critical role near the end. None of this is to say Buxton isn't a team leader, but it allows two different but compatible styles to build a culture for six more years to come.

Perhaps the more interesting place was Correa’s involvement in Derek Falvey’s office. With his knowledge of minor leaguers and obsessive reading of Baseball America and The Athletic (we’ll see if Twins Daily joins his morning browsing), Correa fed advice to the office on what should be added at the deadline. Correa has been happy to talk to the media not just about his performance but by discussing lesser-known .stats like WRC+ and expected batting averages.

Correa made his presence known, particularly regarding the trade deadline. He was instrumental in part with the Twins grabbing Jorge Lopez from the Orioles—a plan that slightly backfired in retrospect but seemed like an intelligent grab on paper. He also urged the team not to trade Miranda during his red-hot run despite numerous asks (despite a cold run at the end, Miranda posted a 109 WRC+ while Spencer Steer only managed a 77 with the Reds).  This is the kind of person that not just seems to want to help lead the players to victory but rethink what the office looks for (notably, recent hire Kevin Goldstein had been with the Astros during Correa’s time and was hired from Fangraphs only a few weeks after Correa’s addition in 2021). One might ask why the front office at least even humored Correa in a way that they might not for other players regarding recommendations. But when you think about the kind of player he tries to be, he commands attention through knowledge and care. He wants the Twins to have the same "championship culture" that put the Astros on the map.

When a player joins a team for as long as Correa will, there will always be questions about what the future holds. He told the media that Kylo would be “Minnesota Nice,” which suggests the player is here for the long haul. What does that mean after the end of the contract, even if it goes all ten years? Team manager seems all but likely, but Correa’s intelligence of what underlies how players operate and how to talk to them seems even more than simply coaching material. The player-to-GM pipeline has been smaller than desirable, with Chris Young’s recent push into the position down for the Texas Rangers as an exception to the rule. 

Correa seems poised to add himself to the list if he wants it, and perhaps this is the first time anyone has learned more about the art of negotiations than him over the last month (though probably not his preference). Correa’s legacy in Minnesota will be determined first and foremost on the field, but don't be surprised if longer-term goals are on the horizon.