Twins' Brooks Lee expects big things from himself in second MLB season

Lee struggled in his first taste of the big leagues, but he's preparing for a big year two.
Sep 2, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA;  Minnesota Twins shortstop Brooks Lee (72) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the eighth inning at Tropicana Field.
Sep 2, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Minnesota Twins shortstop Brooks Lee (72) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the eighth inning at Tropicana Field. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
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Twins infielder Brooks Lee is gearing up to have what he believes will be a big second season in Major League Baseball after struggling in his debut campaign last year. The former top-ten draft pick has the kind of talent to be a major difference-maker for Minnesota's offense in 2025 if his bat pans out.

After starring at his hometown school Cal Poly, where his father is the head coach, Lee was drafted 8th overall in 2022 and rose quickly through the Twins' system. He hit .290 with 28 home runs and an .841 OPS in 191 minor-league games, which — after he recovered from a herniated disc in his back that cost him a couple months last spring — earned him a call-up to the big leagues in early July.

Lee hit the ground running for the Twins, going 11 for 24 with 8 RBI in his first six games. Then, whether due to pitching adjustments or otherwise, he went cold. Lee struggled at the plate for the rest of July, missed most of August due to a shoulder injury, and wasn't much better when he returned in September. He finished the year with a .221 average, a .585 OPS, 3 home runs, and 27 RBI in 50 games.

"It was a great learning experience for me," Lee said Wednesday on the team's Inside Twins show. "I got hurt twice this past year, so very shortened for me, but there's a lot of ups and downs, and I think learning how to navigate the major leagues, not just professional baseball, is something that I learned last year. I'm looking forward to doing a better job this year."

The switch-hitting infielder has always been a great hitter, from high school to college to the minor leagues. A couple months of quiet production in his first taste of MLB action hasn't shaken his confidence that his bat will translate to the sport's highest level.

"I know I can be better than what I showed last year," Lee said. "Usually, the second time around is when I really start to put up some good numbers, so I'm excited to see that happen."

Injuries remain a bit of a concern around Lee's future outlook. He's dealt with some back issues dating back to high school and that will be something he has to manage moving forward, but he said he feels great right now in his preparation for a critical second season.

"I'm full go now," he said. "I see the back as something that might be there for the rest of my career, it's just doing a good job with pain management. Other than that, my shoulder was barking during the year but now it feels great."

Defensively, Lee is valuable because he can play three different infield positions (first base excluded, though he could probably figure that one out if needed). He's working at all three this offseason. Carlos Correa is locked in as the Twins' shortstop, but he only played in 86 games last year due to injury. Royce Lewis, another injury-prone star, will play either third base or second when healthy. The Twins also have Willi Castro, Jose Miranda, and Edouard Julien in the infield mix, among others.

If Lee becomes the consistent producer at the plate that he believes he'll be, the Twins will find a spot for him in their everyday lineup.

"I know my role," Lee said. "I can be a great utility player, so short, second, or third are the main positions for me. I know I can do a good job at all three, but I practice all three no matter what every offseason and I always have. I'm comfortable at everything."

Lee, who turns 24 next month, is no longer a top prospect or a rookie, but he remains one of the young players with the highest upside in the Twins' organization. His bat-to-ball skills and gap-to-gap power give him the potential to be a fixture in Minnesota's lineup for a long time. He just has to make it happen, and he thinks this is the year he establishes himself as a productive big-league hitter.

"I just know what I'm capable of, so I knew I could get there and I know I can succeed for a long time."


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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.