Houston Astros: Scouting Carlos Correa with Joey Sola (Interview)

Houston Astros: Scouting Carlos Correa with Joey Sola

Jul 30, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa (1) signs autographs for a fan prior to the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Who is Joey Sola?

Have you heard the name Joey Sola before? Many people probably would not be able to place the name. What if I told you that Sola is one of the talent scouts for the Houston Astros in Puerto Rico, would that give you a better clue? How about another clue, he was absolutely a scout during the 2012 season for the Astros. Putting together all the clues, you should be able to realize that Sola was one of the people to discover Carlos Correa for the 2012 MLB draft.

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When Correa made his debut on June 8, 2015, Sola made the trip to Houston to watch his player that he helped the Astros draft. He was able to spend some time with Correa during the time leading up to his major league debut, and he is boasting with pride for the budding superstar for the Houston Astros. He has since gone back to Puerto Rico looking out for the next big thing for the Astros.

I happened to stumble across his name somehow and I realized who he was. I did some research and verified that he and Larry Pardo were responsible for scouting and getting the Astros brass to target Correa with the first pick of the 2012 draft. Most draft experts at the time thought the Astros should go after Byron Buxton, a power hitting high school outfielder from Georgia. When the Astros selected Correa, most people wondered if the Astros messed up the pick.

However, Sola and Pardo were able to convince the Astros to pick Correa based on their scouting reports. I thought it would be awesome if I could interview Sola about his experiences during the process of scouting Correa. Sola agreed to do the interview, and I am happy to give it finally to you after sitting on it during the trade deadline.

Next: Joey Sola Interview on Scouting Carlos Correa