Carlos Correa power rankings: 2 teams stand apart

Star shortstop Carlos Correa still remains unsigned on the free agency market, and there are two teams that seem most likely to land him this offseason.

The market is dwindling as the elite shortstop options are halved from the start of the offseason, and Carlos Correa remains with no clear direction of where he may end up.

While several teams are interested in the star, there are two that stand apart as most suited to land him as he’s expected to go for $300 million or more, especially considering the market is much more limited now.

He’s a solid player in both the lineup and in the field. Over the 2022 season, he slashed .291/.366/.467 for an OPS of .833. He also had a great season defensively with a strong arm. He had a wFB of 13.8, the best of his career. Last season, he earned a Gold Glove and Platinum Glove.

One thing is for sure: Correa is bound to have a great impact anywhere he ends up. Several teams need the help at shortstop, and they’re bound to improve with him on the roster. Where he lands is a matter of which organization can put together the most enticing deal.

Carlos Correa power rankings: 2 teams stand out the most

Many teams have expressed interest in Correa, as is deserved. Here’s how I would rank each team interested, based on payroll and interest:

1. Minnesota Twins
2. San Francisco Giants
3. Chicago Cubs
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
5. New York Yankees

The Twins and Giants are the most obvious suitors for Correa. The Twins are ranked higher than the Giants only because Correa most recently finished a season with them, and they seem to be really pushing to keep the star.

The Giants are just slightly behind the Twins as contenders as they’re yet to make a big splash on the market but have made it known they have a lot of money to spend this offseason. They were going full-force after slugger Aaron Judge before he re-signed with the Yankees, but they’re not expected to slow down in their pursuit.

San Francisco has been tied to Correa as he and Dansby Swanson are the only two remaining star shortstops on the market. While it may be difficult because they already have a veteran shortstop, Brandon Crawford, it’d be a great move for depth and for the future as Crawford is 35 and isn’t in his prime anymore.

The Cubs seem to be the third-most likely suitors as they recently lost star catcher Willson Contreras and earlier cut Jason Heyward, clearing up a lot of payroll. They’re also in the midst of roster development as they aim to re-create the success they had in 2016 with most of the core of that team gone, and Correa would definitely be a great addition.

The Dodgers recently lost their own star shortstop Trea Turner to the Philadelphia Phillies, so they’re in need of a replacement for him. However, Correa would be a questionable signing considering he was a part of the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal in 2017, which ultimately led to the Dodgers losing the World Series.

The Dodgers do have the payroll to invest in a star and they often do make big moves during the offseason, but they’d likely be much more hesitant than the three teams ranked above them.

Last but not least, the Yankees. The Yankees, truly, wouldn’t even be on the list if Buster Olney of ESPN didn’t put out the idea that they may sign Correa.

They recently gave Judge one of the largest contracts in MLB history, so it’d be a bit crazy if they signed Correa to another large sum of money. However, they are among the wealthiest teams in the league and they could certainly use him, so the idea doesn’t seem so far-fetched.

Only time will tell where Correa ends up.