Jeremy Pena: Is the Houston Astros rookie a star in the making?

The MLB may have a new sensation at shortstop on their hands, and his name is Jeremy Pena. The Houston Astros were left in a somewhat precarious situation after Carlos Correa departed Houston this past offseason to sign a blockbuster contract with the Minnesota Twins. Correa, a former Rookie of the Year who helped the Astros win the World Series in 2017, signed a three-year deal worth roughly $105 million with Minnesota just before the start of the 2022 season.

Left searching for a middle-infielder to play alongside former American League MVP second baseman Jose Altuve, the Astros decided to settle on Jeremy Pena. But who is the youngster making waves in Houston? Keep reading to find out.

Jeremy Pena, the shortstop that the Astros were looking for

When the Atlanta Braves selected Jeremy Pena in the 39th round of the 2015 MLB amateur entry draft, they likely thought the young Dominican infielder would never even see a major league game. Three years later, in 2018, the Astros selected Jeremy Pena in the third round, this time hoping they might get something out of him.

From 2018-2021, Pena bounced around the minor leagues. Despite putting up impressive numbers, he was seen as too young to handle a big league start. A tap on the shoulder came for Pena last November when the Astros, who were looking for a valid replacement to Correa, decided to give him a chance.

Jeremy Pena, now 24, knew this was his chance. After making his debut for Dusty Baker's team on Opening Day 2022, Pena blasted his first home run on the second day of the season against Angels relief pitcher Mike Mayer. The blast happened while his parents were being interviewed live. The Astros ended up beating the Angels 13-6 to earn their first win of the season.

Two weeks later on April 24, Pena hit his first walk-off home run against the Toronto Blue Jays. So far this year, Pena has seven home runs and 21 RBIs in 32 games. Many are saying that he could be a forerunner for the 2022 AL Rookie of the Year Award.

"Jeremy Peña homered in his first AB at Fenway Park after calling the opportunity to play here a dream come true. Can't. Make. It. Up." - @ Julia Morales

For Jeremy Pena, it is all about enjoying the game. An alumni of the University of Maine, Pena spent his formative baseball years rooting for the Boston Red Sox, New England's team.

"This edition's Quote of the Week presented by @UCU_Maine , we hear from former @MaineBaseball and current @Astros superstar @JPena221 on what it means to play at @FenwayPark" - @ Maine Athletics

Despite his obvious skills, Pena is keen to stay humble and is in many respects still a kid at heart. When the Astros first traveled to Fenway earlier this year, Pena was quoted as saying, "Playing at Fenway, being a kid from New England - It's a dream come true. This field has so much history."