Carlos Correa agrees to record three-year, $105.3 million deal with Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins made an unexpected splash in free agency Friday night, reaching agreement on a record-breaking three-year, $105.3 million deal with shortstop Carlos Correa, a person with knowledge of the deal told USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal was not yet official.

The deal will pay the former Houston Astros star $35.1 million per year, making him the highest-paid infielder by average annual salary in MLB history. He eclipses Angels infielder Anthony Rendon's $35 million average annual salary. 

The 27-year-old Correa, widely viewed as perhaps the top free agent target in this class, has the ability to opt out of his deal after each of his first two seasons. 

Correa won his first Gold Glove award in 2021 and finished fifth in AL MVP voting, hitting 26 home runs with 92 RBI as the Astros won their fourth AL West title in five years.

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The first overall pick in the 2012 draft, Correa debuted in 2015 and won the AL Rookie of the Year award, helping Houston break a 10-year postseason drought. The Astros won the franchise's first World Series title in 2017, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games, and returned to the Fall Classic in 2019 and 2021.

Correa was ensnared in the Astros' sign-stealing scandal prior to the 2020 season and admitted that “it was definitely an advantage" – but has defended teammates and responded to comments from other players over the past two years.

Correa has a stellar track record in the postseason, ranking among the top 10 in career home runs (18) and RBI (59) in 334 playoff at-bats. 

Contributing: Bob Nightengale