The Houston Astros watched Carlos Correa depart in free agency, and now their former No. 1 overall pick is set for the next chapter of his career after signing a lucrative three-year deal with the Minnesota Twins. Correa's former middle infield partner Jose Altuve reacted to his buddy's big new deal in free agency, and admitted he was surprised to find out that Correa had landed with the Twins.

“I was surprised. I wasn't expecting that,” Altuve said Sunday via ESPN. “Obviously we're going to miss him. He's a great player and a great guy inside the clubhouse. He was one of our leaders.”

Correa had been in the Astros' organization ever since they used the No. 1 overall pick to select him back in 2012. He made his MLB debut for Houston in 2015, winning Rookie of the Year after featuring in 99 games. He went on to be a two-time All-Star and a World Series champ with the Astros.

“Now that he's on another team, I'm happy for him,” Altuve said. “He got a great deal. Happy for him. I know he's going to play good. He's going to make the Twins better.”

Last season in Houston, Correa slashed .279/.366/.485 with 26 home runs and 92 RBI. He had an impressive 7.2 WAR during his final season with the Astros, so clearly his loss is a big blow for the team. The middle infield in Houston is going to look a lot different next season, as Altuve and Correa have been the two mainstays at second base and shortstop since Correa made his big-league debut.