Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa was a huge factor in the team's 2017 World Series title and is a huge part of the organization's future. But according to ESPN's Buster Olney, the team may have difficulty trying to lock him up long-term:

"Jose Altuve signed a long-term deal, and the challenge for the Astros moving forward is to retain their other core position players—[Alex] Bregman, [George] Springer and Carlos Correa. There is a perception among other teams that Correa, who would likely be at the top of his free-agent class given his age, position and power, is the least likely of the three to sign."

Correa, 23, has three arbitration-eligible years from 2019-21 before he can become an unrestricted free agent. A year ago, it was reported he'd be unlikely to sign an extension before then.

"Carlos is never going to do an [early] multiyear contract," his agent, Greg Genske, told Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports last April, while a friend of Correa's said, "His mentality has always been that he's going to play it out."

Correa walked back those comments, however, saying at the time, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com:

"If the Astros come to me and they want to negotiate and the price is right, we'll consider it. Right now, I'm in the stage of my career where I'm just going to play baseball and try to put up numbers. They try to do something, it's got to be early. ... I've got to focus on playing good baseball so I can have good arbitration years."

If Correa continues on his career trajectory and hits free agency, he would be a high-profile target in the vein of Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. In three-plus seasons and 369 games, he's slashed .289/.366/.501 with 68 homers and 257 RBI. In 2018, he's started red-hot, batting .346 with two home runs and nine RBI in eight games.

The 2015 American League Rookie of the Year was a first-time All-Star last season and is on his way to earning a second berth in the game this year. The Astros may not be able to keep the trio of Correa, Bregman and Springer in Houston for the long-term, but if they do, they may win more than the one World Series title.