The 18th inning, NLDS clinching home run isn’t the only accolade Jeremy Peña will add to his book this weekend.
Nobody expected him to fill the shoes of Carlos Correa so well. The former-Houston Astros shortstop is on a Hall of Fame track, a two-time All-Star, a Platinum Glove owner and Rookie of the Year winner.
And yet, Peña has just as many Wins Above Replacement as Correa managed in his rookie season. The 24-year-old Dominican filled his predecessors shoes with aplomb.
Most vitally, there was little defensive let down. Correa is one of baseball’s best defensive players, owner of a Gold Glove and the aforementioned Platinum Glove, awarded to the best overall defensive player in each league.
Peña may be on track for his own Gold Glove in 2022, worth 15 DRS and eight OAA. On top of his other accolades, it’s a wildly impressive performance. The most recent of which is his selection to MLB Pipeline’s All-Rookie first team.
Scroll to continue
Peña shares the field with other future stars like Adley Rutschman, Joey Meneses, Bobby Witt Jr., Julio Rodríguez, Michel Harris II, Spencer Strider and more.
MLB Pipeline has released such honors since 2020. Peña is the second Astro to be included on the list following Luis Garcia’s 2021 rookie campaign.
With only one prospect remaining on MLB’s top 100 list, the Astros may have to content themselves with their last entry onto the All-Rookie First Team for some time.
More From SI’s Inside The Astros:
- Could Mike Trout Request a Trade to the Houston Astros?
- Report: Former Astros Pitcher Fiers’ Contract Terminated By CPBL Club
- Can the Houston Astros Handle the Loss of Yordan Álvarez?
- Is There Any Hope for an Aging Yuli Gurriel?
- Grading the Houston Astros MLB Trade Deadline Transactions
- Jeremy Peña isn’t Competing for Rookie of the Year, And That’s a Good Thing
- Houston Astros Poised to Make Another World Series Run
- Mancini Mania: Behind the Houston Astros’ Latest Streak of History
- Trey Mancini Gives Houston Astros a Much Deeper Lineup
- Yordan Álvarez Stopped Striking Out and Became the Best Hitter in Baseball
Make sure to follow Inside the Astros on Twitter @InsideAstrosSI!
.