Jeremy Peña’s Power Is Real

For better or worse, Jeremy Peña will forever be associated with Carlos Correa, at least in the mind of Astros fans. The decision to let Correa walk in free agency thrust Peña into the starting role at shortstop following an impressive thirty-game performance in Triple-A last season, when the top prospect slashed .287/.346/.598 with a noticeable power improvement compared to past metrics. Through a combination of who Peña was replacing and his 2021 metrics, the rookie’s performance has been under a microscope since Opening Day.

Before I present any additional numbers, I want to caution the audience that some stats take longer to stabilize than others. For example, a hitter’s slugging…