Brooks Lee Is Minnesota's Essential Infield Contingency. What If He's Down?

[Nick Nelson]

Brooks Lee was ominously scratched from Thursday's lineup with back stiffness. Given the key role he's been set up to play out of the gates, especially with Royce Lewis sidelined, it's worth examining the implications of Lee's potential absence to start the season.

Image courtesy of Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Despite being a 24-year-old who largely floundered in his MLB debut last year, Brooks Lee has turned into a bit of a linchpin in the Twins' roster makeup. That's not so much because of his bat, which the Twins remain rightfully hopeful about, but more because of his glove. 

It seems clear that the Twins trust Lee more defensively than their starters or backup options at second and third. He is also probably the only player outside of Carlos Correa they truly trust to play shortstop. Because of this, I've been viewing Lee as essentially a lock to make the team.

There are just so many ways he can fit. The Twins would surely love Lee to win the primary starting second base job, providing them with a sure-handed middle-infield pairing while keeping Willi Castro available to roam freely. After the injury to Royce Lewis, Lee elevated in the mix for playing time at third base, where he'd compete with the defensively questionable Jose Miranda. Circumstances have lined up the switch-hitting Lee to play everyday, and it almost doesn't matter if he produces, which — for what it's worth — he has not done in spring training.

On Thursday, Lee was originally written into the Twins' lineup as starting third baseman against the Red Sox, but he was scratched ahead of game time with (gulp) back stiffness. I don't want to overreact or delve too far into doomer-ish speculation, but if you've followed the young infielder's career, it's impossible not to react to this news with concern.

Lee is no stranger to back issues, which is one reason he slid further than expected in the 2022 MLB Draft, when he reached Minnesota at No. 8 overall. Last spring, he was enjoying a very impressive camp with the Twins before being removed from a game on March 21st — one year ago from today exactly — with back spasms. He went on to miss the first two months of the season. There's no indication that what he's currently dealing with is as severe as what he faced then, which he later described as "the worst I’ve ever had it." But then, there was no indication then that it was going to be that serious. Back injuries are very mysterious and difficult for even experts to understand clearly from the outset. 

"I saw him when he was coming in this morning, and he was OK," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli told Bobby Nightengale of the Star Tribune after Thursday's game. "Then he mentioned something to the training staff that something was bothering him. We’re going to treat it in a day-to-day fashion."

"There is really nothing else to be done because we don’t think this is something more than potentially a muscle spasm," Baldelli added. "Let it rest and see where he’s at.”

In his many battles with a balky back, Lee has faced some longer absences and also some very short ones. Hopefully this proves to be the latter. But with Opening Day now less than a week away, it's worth reviewing the contingencies behind Minnesota's top infield contingency. What would be the ripple effects of Lee, along with Lewis, being unavailable at the start of the season?

Well for one thing, Castro would become the clear top backup (only backup?) at shortstop. Correa figures to get rest and DH days semi-frequently even if healthy, so that's one demand pulling Castro away from second and third. If Lee isn't on the roster then you have to believe Edouard Julien is, and perhaps playing more second base than the Twins would prefer. Meanwhile, Miranda would lose basically all competition for playing time at third base, which is exciting for him but risky given his second half last year. The DH spot could open up for someone like Mickey Gasper.

Another corollary effect of losing Lee would be an increased level of pressure on Ty France to prove his strong spring performance is legit, and he's not as cooked as he looked last season. If he comes out of the gates slow, the Twins will be hard-pressed to move on without Lee or Lewis available.

All of these different angles illustrate why I say Lee is integral to the Twins' infield depth, even if he's not the dedicated starter at any single position. Yes, he needs to show more at the plate, but he's a switch-hitter who can pick it all around the infield and offers plenty of upside with the bat. If the Twins were without Lee, it'd elevate several suspect players into fairly critical roles without much in the way of additional safety nets.

The club will have some things to figure out in the infield if Lee needs to miss time. For now, we'll await word and wish him a speedy recovery. The team should provide an update this weekend. Back injuries suck!

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[Rod Carews Birthday]

If Lee is down, it throws the defensive situation really into flux.  The only spare good (OK, maybe just flexible) defensive player is Castro.  He can certainly rise to the occasion as he has done before, but it does remove that ongoing flexibility.  Offensively, it puts a fair amount of pressure on Julien, Gasper, and Miranda to be good -- which shouldn't be an unreasonable situation at all, but you never know. 

Definitely not an ideal situation, but this is why you have depth!

 

[jmlease1]

Really the only big issue is at SS, where Castro is the only other option if Correa needs a day off or gets hurt; Miranda can play 3B, Julien can play 2B, and Gasper seems to be able to handle 1B & 2B acceptably (with France at 1B) and Castro can play 3B & 2B just fine. But Castro isn't the best option at SS and we don't really have another good choice there. I'm not too worried about the depth short-term.

the much bigger concern is if Lee's back becomes a chronic problem or one that leads to extended unavailability, but more because he's such a talented player that we want in the lineup. I think healthy his bat will play and he's going to be a plus defender at 2B or 3B and solid backup at SS.

Hopefully this is just minor tightness that can get worked out with a little therapy and he's really just out for precautionary reasons.

[Doctor Gast]

We really need Lee to stabilize 2B but like I've said all along with Lee's chronic back problem & the Twins need him to play the right side so to count on him to be the primary 2B is asking too much. Castro is needed as the utility player. That leaves Julien to man 2B to team up with France to cover the right side. Yikes!!!!!!!!! with Gasper as backup which isn't much better. Twins have 3 very good true CFers (2RH & 1LH) why force Martin at CF in the 1st place? Give those opportunities to Keirsey.  In '23, Martin was left alone at basically 2B & did very well, a place where he's more natural at. Our greatest need is at fragil 2B, not CF. One more time give Martin a chance at 2B & see if his hitting turns around & give us some stability at 2B. If he can't hit in the short time left with ST, send him down to AAA (with Julien, who needs to learn 1B) to get his mojo back. & have Castro cover 2B until he does.

With Lee's chronic back problem, he should be limited to INF utility & help out at 3B as much as possible now that Lewis is out. & hopefully, it's manageable.

[mikelink45]

As someone who has had two back surgeries - 12 ruptured disks and annual injections I can tell you that back pain sneaks up on you.  Good one day and then you wake up and hurt.  

I suspect his conditioning will allow him to play more than sit, but it is a real issue and the bend to catch a ground ball is the worst of all postures.

Is it time to revisit Eeles as a possible IF player and maybe a prospect or two above Gaspar for DH?

[Parfigliano]

Season hasn't started and it's last season injuries repeating.

[TheLeviathan]

[bean5302]

I'd imagine SS depth with Lee/Lewis/Eeles out is probably:
Correa -> Castro -> Holland

I suppose it's possible we could see Martin at SS.

[glunn]

I wonder if the training staff is doing a good job keeping players stretched, loose and healthy.

[HerbieFan]

3 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

As someone who has had two back surgeries - 12 ruptured disks and annual injections I can tell you that back pain sneaks up on you.  Good one day and then you wake up and hurt.  

I suspect his conditioning will allow him to play more than sit, but it is a real issue and the bend to catch a ground ball is the worst of all postures.

Is it time to revisit Eeles as a possible IF player and maybe a prospect or two above Gaspar for DH?

Maybe Brooks Lee becomes the 1B sometime down the road

[IndianaTwin]

Last year, Correa didn’t take days off very often at all. He took weeks off on a couple of occasion, but when he was active, he played almost every day. 

Games 1-11: Played 11 of 11
Games 12-27: IL stint
Games 28-94: Played 63 of 67
Games 95-147: IL stint
Games 148-160: On-off-on-off-on-off in what would have been a rehab stint if not in a pennant race, then played 7 straight. 

Each year is different, but if last year is the pattern, while it’s fair to name the concern of Correa having two IL stints (one very long), the idea of Rocco giving a healthy Correa lots of days off needs to go away. 

 

[PatPfund]

Let's hope it is just a minor tweak, because things could get ugly fast. Julien looks better at the plate  (with the usual ST caveats) but he mentioned putting focus on hitting rather than D, and he looks as butchery as I've ever seen him in the field. It really might be worth the Twins' while to get Eeles some exposure to good pitching in the next week or so, because utility IF depth suddenly seems a bit more urgent than last week.

[tony&rodney]

Brooks Lee is not indispensable or essential to the Twins. Carlos Correa is the key. While it is preferable by me and many others for Brooks Lee to be available to play successfully for the Twins, the team has other players on the roster and in the minor leagues whose talents are not horrible far from what Lee has provided thus far. 

Every MLB team has injuries and need to fill those lost IL roster spots. When i look over the list of players who will miss several weeks or longer across baseball it seems like the Twins are in a decent spot right now. If Correa, Buxton, Lopez, and Ryan go down the Twins will have some concerns to iron out. Let's hope the injuries stay minor and not get too worried in late March.

[Mark G]

I think what unnerves me more than Brooks individually is that Nick, who I think has forgotten more about baseball than most people will ever know (except TD, of course), thinks we have "several suspect players" we may have to rely on as the season progresses.  A tough thought to ponder as opening day approaches.  😳

Good article, Nick.  

[Twins GFP]

Lee as a backup was fine.  Lee as a starter and primary cog is worrisome.  Lee as a bystander knocks down the house of cards?

All this talk of losing Correa to an injury will ruin this team... if course it will.  Any team that loses left side if the infield and two of it's better bats should expect some doom and gloom, regardless if the backups.  Backups are backups for a reason, if they were strong, they would be starting.  You take away a teams starting 3B and the primary backup, you need to expect problems.

[Craig Arko]

We get clowns to come in and cheer him up?

[Major League Ready]

Not worried about Lee being out nearly as much as Lewis.  We have a number of players that can replace Lee's production.  Castro can provide comparable defense and a better arm at 3B and probably better offense. Miranda can provide a better bat / Less defense at 3B.  Castro / Julien / Gasper and Martin are all equal options at 2B.

Lee is probably the best option if Correa goes down long-term but as FGD points out, the difference between Correa and Lee is a lot bigger than the difference between Lee and whoever replaces him.  

[DJL44]

10 hours ago, PatPfund said:

It really might be worth the Twins' while to get Eeles some exposure to good pitching in the next week or so, because utility IF depth suddenly seems a bit more urgent than last week.

Eeles is out with knee surgery.

Free agency is pretty picked over but Joey Wendle is still looking for a job. Lots of players are about to either go on waivers or activate their minor league contract opt-out.

[Fezig]

Feet and shoes can be treated the same way. Get rid of the shoes you're wearing, Do more barefoot walking, and balance out the training on each side of your body.

[rv78]

Losing Lee for an extended period of time won't hurt a team that is going to finish in 4th place anyway.

[Old Crow]

12 hours ago, bean5302 said:

I'd imagine SS depth with Lee/Lewis/Eeles out is probably:
Correa -> Castro -> Holland

I suppose it's possible we could see Martin at SS.

Eeles is out too?

[DJL44]

20 minutes ago, Old Crow said:

Eeles is out too?

https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-payton-eeles-out-after-knee-surgery/

Quote

Eeles will begin the season on the Triple-A injured list after undergoing offseason surgery to address a cartilage issue, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

That's why he didn't get an invite to spring training.

[Fatbat]

Depth on the Twins is good/great until a couple guys get hurt at the same time. It gets really thin if both Lewis and Lee start the season on the IL. 
Yes we have guys but its not the same. They may have to trust a rookie to DH and eventually play in the field. Hopefully Lee gets back in the lineup this week because the depth is real thin if anyone else goes down. 

[jmlease1]

33 minutes ago, rv78 said:

Losing Lee for an extended period of time won't hurt a team that is going to finish in 4th place anyway.

I will happily take the money of the people who think this is a 4th place team.

[David Maro]

Being a ball player with a back issue is a big problem. You're bending down for ground balls and then swinging a bat as well. This maybe a AK situation that Lee will need to retire before proving himself. It looks like Martin will be on the Opening day roster to help cover the infield.

[Hubie29]

58 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

I will happily take the money of the people who think this is a 4th place team.

File this comment away and revisit in September. 4th place is definitely not far fetched. And if not for the white Sox, last would be possible. All comes down to who stays healthy. 

[bean5302]

13 hours ago, glunn said:

I wonder if the training staff is doing a good job keeping players stretched, loose and healthy.

Overstretching is one of the biggest contributors to injury.

[JD-TWINS]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

Eeles is out with knee surgery.

Free agency is pretty picked over but Joey Wendle is still looking for a job. Lots of players are about to either go on waivers or activate their minor league contract opt-out.

THANKS for clarifying that we should quit hoping Eeles is potentially a savior for the IF. Injured!

Castro - Martin - Gasper - Julien seems to be a list long enough to cover 2B……..maybe Keaschall in another 60 days?

Lee, to me, along with Julien were candidates to start the season in St Paul in order to get their offense in order. Don’t have stats but it sounds like Julien has been acceptable at the plate in ST but that Lee has struggled. Correct?

Anyway, Castro can play 2B many days & 3B or SS every 6-7 days as needed. Gasper & Julien seem to be near term options at 2B as well. Unless further injuries strike the Club, it seems they have the depth to handle the Lewis & Lee injuries for at least a month or more.

 

[JD-TWINS]

Just looked over Spring batting stats and it appears the OF four of Bader - Buxton - Larnach - Wallner are all performing very well at the plate!

Catchers are both hitting .297 & regardless of power stats, that’s impressive.

France - Julien - Gasper are all hitting very well in the small sampling that’s ST.

CC is 4-35 & Castro is 7-35……. I think those 2 guys can work through their issues.

Lee & Lewis out with injury opening day. Potentially, Lee is at AAA to get healthy and to improve at the plate. His spring isn’t terrible offensively but it isn’t good either.

Miranda/Castro - CC/Castro - Julien/Gasper/Castro - France/Gasper …..6 IF.

Martin or Kiersey as 13th guy? Bringing Lewis back when ready to displace the guy in the 13th spot is a big step up. Lee has time to get right.

Is Keaschall hurt too - stats don’t seem to show much playing time?

[Jeff K]

I still don't want Julien on the team.  Hopefully, Martin can fill in with Castro at 2nd base.  Hopefully, Keaschel can up to speed relatively quickly.