The Skill That Allowed Brooks Lee to Stick in Majors, When Others Haven’t

[Greggory Masterson]

Image courtesy of © Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Entering Sunday night’s game, Brooks Lee had a hit in 25 of his last 27 games, and one of those 27 was a game in which he didn’t have a plate appearance. He slashed .346/.370/.510 from May 28 to June 28. His .880 OPS was enough to bring his season OPS all the way to… .733, from .622. His OPS even dipped down to .613 early during this streak of games; going 1 for 6 with a single technically extends a hitting streak, but it doesn’t do much for an OPS.

Before that May 28 game, Lee had played in 39 games, and his OPS+ was about 30% below average. We’ve seen plenty of Twins prospects take the Green Line back to St. Paul for performances like that, including fellow infielder Edouard Julien (.607 OPS) this very year. Jose Miranda performed worse, but was only given 36 plate appearances before he was demoted to Triple-A.

So why was Lee’s case different? There are some obvious answers. He was once briefly the Twins’ top prospect by some lists; he was a top-10 pick in a recent draft. He’s more aesthetically pleasing at the plate, even when he struggles, than Julien or Miranda can be. He’s got a big role in this team’s future. Those undoubtedly play some role. But there’s one huge factor that has allowed him to work through his growing pains as a big-leaguer, when those two (or names like Mickey Gasper and Jonah Bride) got far less time to figure things out.

It’s defense.

Sometimes, it really is so simple. Teams need a reserve infielder. And even when Lee’s bat wasn’t productive early in the season, his glove was useful, especially given Willi Castro’s missed time due to injury and his declining performance in the field.

There are few baseball players in the world who can play a passable big-league shortstop. It’s the reason why a player like Kyle Farmer has seven years of MLB service time, despite being a below-average hitter his entire career. Lee is one of those guys. That counts for something. Even when a player is hitting a hollow .230 after a quarter of a season, he can remain useful.

The Twins have shallow shortstop depth. Castro and Lee both have MLB experience at short behind Carlos Correa, but after that, the next men up are 30-year-old Ryan Fitzgerald (who made his MLB debut this season) or Payton Eeles, who has yet to play a major-league game. It’s almost imperative that Lee sticks on the roster, whether he’s hitting or not.

That plays into his benefit. His career is far more stable because he can defend. He’s not a great shortstop—probably not even a good one—but he’s serviceable. His lack of range limits his ceiling as a defender at second and third base, but he’s sure-handed and has a good arm. Like many sure-handed, good-armed infielders with limited range, the eye test likes him more than the advanced metrics: he grades out about average at second and third and slightly below average at shortstop. But he’s no liability out there.

Contrast that to his closest counterparts, Miranda and Julien. Neither infielder plays shortstop, and they’re mostly constrained to third and second base, respectively. Both can play first base if necessary, but the Twins have avoided doing so. And at their natural positions, although both have made strides defensively, the best anyone can hope for is an average performance. Even Austin Martin, an athletic infielder drafted higher than Lee, is a fringe roster player because he’s now mostly limited to the outfield and isn’t a trustworthy center fielder. When you don’t contribute to winning defensively, you have to hit.

It should be noted that most players aren’t expected to excel on both sides of the ball. The biggest reason that Lee was drafted in the top 10 of the 2022 Draft is that he had both an advanced hit tool and could defend adequately at multiple positions. There are better defenders and better hitters, but when a player can potentially excel at both (or merely be average-plus), it’s a huge benefit to the organization. Some players have to hit because of their poor defense. Others have to defend because their offense will never be enough.

And some are given the time to figure it out because one side of their profile can do enough, at least for now. Many had hoped Lee would hit enough to be the everyday second baseman in 2025. He didn’t show enough for that to happen, and he was kind of Wally Pipped by Kody Clemens, but he did prove valuable enough as a defender to fill an (almost-)everyday role as a utility infielder. That bought him the time that other, poorer defenders can’t have.

Lee didn’t need to hit to have a role on the team. Now that he is hitting, he’s played himself into a more prominent role. Hopefully, things continue to trend up for the former top prospect, but it’s always nice for the player and valuable for the organization to have a skill that doesn’t fluctuate nearly so much. Hitting comes and goes, but professional play in the field is far more reliable.

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[AceWrigley]

Now who plays where now that Royce Lewis has returned (though batting .129 with 1 walk at St. Paul doesn't exactly shout "put me in coach").

[stringer bell]

I agree with the OP to a large degree. Lee is serviceable at second, short and third and is Correa's primary backup--a key fact that gives him lots of rope as far as staying with the major league team. This year and going forward, I think his role is that of a full-time player, but not confined to one position, similar to Castro's utilization last year, but without outfield play. If he continues to hit at an above-average rate, he may become a full-time regular at one position and an injury to might give him a full-time spot somewhere on the dirt.

I would consider Lee serviceable at all three positions, but not above average. He has pretty sparse experience at second and third and most of it has been with the Twins. He's pretty smooth despite the lack of experience, but I do believe that more than most, he takes bad at-bats and previous defensive mistakes with him in the field. More experience might help with that problem. I have also noted that Lee is more than three years younger than any other position player and perhaps that shows in inconsistency. Lee's lack of foot speed probably makes his defensive ceiling pretty low, but that doesn't make him capable.

A capable defender at the three positions who switch hits and hits at an above average rate is an asset and if Lee improves beyond his performance this year, he can become even more of a mainstay. 

 

[P Meyer]

I don't see any reason you would play Lewis over Brooks

[tony&rodney]

Follow the money.

[Fatbat]

4 hours ago, P Meyer said:

I don't see any reason you would play Lewis over Brooks

Except when Lewis becomes super star baseball crusher again. Lewis isn’t a 34 yo has been…. He has just been injury prone

[DocBauer]

I agree with pretty much everything you said Greg. I do think draft slot and prospect status play a small part, but draft slot and prospect status are also a part of POTENTIAL. And you always give a little more leeway to that potential. But YES, defensive ability plays a major part in him getting that greater leeway.

Where I disagree with you somewhat is in regard to his defensive ability. While not a great defensive SS, I think he's a step above "serviceable". I've seen enough of him there to give him a slight bump there. I believe he's potentially very good at both 2B and 3B. Playing either more consistently would increase his defensive viability at either spot.

What has encouraged me is his growth as a hitter, even though he's absolutely not close to being a finished product yet. IMO, his 185 PA in 2024, while also fighting through injury, makes him a veritable rookie coming in to this season. He still K's too much, and extends the zone too much. But we're also seeing him grow and develop as a hitter. I'm still uncertain HOW GOOD his ceiling might be, but I believe he's going to be a quality starter for the Twins.

But where does he play? Or better yet, where does he fit best? IMO, a healthy Lewis can be a FINE 3B as long as his throwing yips are gone. But unless the Twins decide Keaschall is best as a multi position utility player...once his elbow finally heals...he would seem to have the ability to be an athletic fixture at 2B. MAYBE 1B if the elbow/arm doesn't come around, but that's getting WAY ahead of ourselves!

And while Correa isn't going anywhere soon, and is still a fine SS, where does Culpepper play a year or so from now? And what if the great season Schobel is having, interrupted by injury, is only briefly interrupted and he finishes the season strong and MIGHT be a utility option in 2026? And I'm not even going to get in to what DeBarge might bring in the near future as I'm already getting WAY AHEAD of today's reality. 

The Twins very much attempt to follow the Dodgers formula of position flexibility. They've done so OK here and there, season to season, and I advocate for that approach, as long as you have the talent to do so. Again, it's worked at times, but not always.

Were I in charge, considering TEAM NEED, and the talent on hand, I'd put Lee at 3B on a daily basis, knowing he can cover SS and 2B solidly. I'd put Keaschall at 2B where his athleticism should play greatly, and even average arm strength should be fine. (His arm could easily be better with time). And I'd make Royce the primary 1B who also plays some 3B when you mix up the lineup, days off, injuries, etc.

Lewis is a team player. He has the athletic ability to be a fine 1B, with strong offense, and MIGHT just be the best 1B, overall, since Morneau held that spot. And that's how I'd pitch it to him.

Lee, Correa, Keaschall, Lewis could be an excellent INF as soon as 2026. Culpepper might end up as a temporary utility player. Schobel MIGHT be a solid replacement for Castro, at least until DeBarge arrives. Of course, I'd still be in favor of re-signing Castro on a 2yr $18M deal, but I digress. There's STILL opportunity for either Miranda or Julien to be part of this construction; Miranda as a 3B/1B/DH option, and Julien as a 2B/1B/DH option. I honestly think Julien has the better shot.

IF Rodriguez can ever be healthy and start to realize his potential, the whole lineup and depth starts to change.

And I only bring up Rodriguez because of the fact that Lee is being allowed to play and develop and grow. The Brewers, also a mid market team, seem eager to promote their top prospects "early" and let them grow and figure it out. Similar to what the Twins are doing with Lee right now.

I'd put Lee at 3B in 2026 and Lewis at 1B. But that's TOMORROW and not TODAY. For NOW, we have the "luxury" of Lewis playing 3B and DH, and Lee playing 3 spots, and a great utility man in Castro playing everywhere, and the OK Clemens as a versatile 13th man who pops some big hits once in a while.

 

[dxpavelka]

So, basically, his ability to catch the baseball and throw it to first base on a consistent basis puts him ahead of most of the infielders in the organization.  A .277 batting average with a little pop and the ability to drive in the occasional run makes him a key contributor.  Would love to see him settle in at 3B, Lewis to move to 1B and Castro and Clemens keep 2B warm for Keashcall and see what might happen.  

[twinstalker]

Bear with me.  Lee's advantage is that he has competitive ABs.  Last year as Keaschall was climbing my Twins prospect ranking and having already blown past EmRod, I kept him behind Lee (for the time being).  Now, I love Keaschall, but here is my very paraphrased 2024 synopsis of Lee:

Lee is a major leaguer, no doubt.  He won't hit like a star and will likely be a second division starting infielder, defined as bottom 15 at his position among starters.  His K rate was very good at AA (AAA, too, but it's trickier to analyze/interpret), meaning he'll have a true chance of making something happen each AB.  He is a sound and steady defender.  Like most, he'll have a few pop-up years, and probably one of them will lead to an all-star berth.

I would imagine that's not what most wanted to hear.  I mean, there are people out there expecting great things from EmRod, so I understand that unrealistic hope exists.  But my synopsis is both very realistic and, I believe, the reason why Brooks Lee got the chance above others.  Julien and Miranda are rather amateurish by comparison.  If you had four Lee's among a Buxton, a realized Jenkins and Keaschall, and a couple of others I'm not sure I see in the system, you'd likely have a very good team.

As for my putting him ahead of Keaschall, it only had to do with Keaschall's risk, and even though Keaschall hasn't done much since my mid/late 2024 rankings to change anything, he's truly a gem for this hitting-starved system.  Keaschall will be the Twins best offensive player soon enough, which unfortunately still doesn't say a lot.  It will be a constant race with Buxton's health to determine that.

The system's offense ranking is going to be Buxton, Keaschall, and Jenkins in some order followed by a large, large gap, perhaps down to middling/mediocre.  And while that's going to include Lee, probably, he's still a necessary piece.

[nclahammer]

I'm reading a lot of talk about moving Royce Lewis to firstbase and how he's a team player, but didn't he initially balk in 2024 at even taking reps at secondbase in practice?   I'm pretty sure I remember reading that he even spoke out about being against it.  I think it would be a huge blow to his ego to move to firstbase.   This may all be a mute point anyway if Lewis is not healthy enough to step between the lines, where I hope he can stay.

[Fezig]

7 hours ago, Fatbat said:

Except when Lewis becomes super star baseball crusher again. Lewis isn’t a 34 yo has been…. He has just been injury prone

What's the over/under on games played until Lewis hits the injurred list again? Snakebit that fella is.

[Fatbat]

46 minutes ago, nclahammer said:

I'm reading a lot of talk about moving Royce Lewis to firstbase and how he's a team player, but didn't he initially balk in 2024 at even taking reps at secondbase in practice?   I'm pretty sure I remember reading that he even spoke out about being against it.  I think it would be a huge blow to his ego to move to firstbase.   This may all be a mute point anyway if Lewis is not healthy enough to step between the lines, where I hope he can stay.

Yes, he balked at learning a new defensive position in the middle of a season as would any player. Short sighted Mgmnt issues can cause careers to derail. 

[Doctor Wu]

He’s not a great shortstop—probably not even a good one—but he’s serviceable. His lack of range limits his ceiling as a defender at second and third base ...

Hmm ... so I guess we now have to settle for serviceable when it comes to our defense. Not exactly a philosophy that inspires confidence. He's hitting well enough lately, but still a long way from contending for a batting crown. 

[Doctor Gast]

You can be a good INFer & not be fast if you have good instincts, reflexes & hands, Lee fits that mold. To be a MLBer isn't easy; you need character, talent & a ton of regular ABs. Lee has the talent (defensively & offensively), he has the character to keep fighting & he was fortunate to be given regular ABs these past 2 yrs even when he stunk offensively. If he played sporadically & not allowed to bat 4xs a game to adjust, he'd still stink. Anyone who has played serious ball should know.

One of the toughest things in sports is to hit a baseball, especially at the MLB level.

[NYCTK]

1 hour ago, Fatbat said:

Yes, he balked at learning a new defensive position in the middle of a season as would any player. Short sighted Mgmnt issues can cause careers to derail. 

Doesn't sound like a team player after all. 

It's understandable to be annoyed. It's another thing to complain to the media about how you're annoyed and don't want to put in extra work to help the team. 

[karcherd]

1 hour ago, NYCTK said:

Doesn't sound like a team player after all. 

It's understandable to be annoyed. It's another thing to complain to the media about how you're annoyed and don't want to put in extra work to help the team. 

I am not sure he complained to the media, he talked about his concerns of potentially hurting the team because he wasn't prepared to play the position.  It was reported in spring training he did some work in the offseason and even during spring training at 2B.  It feels like it was more of a timing issue, this type of move should be done during the offseason.

[MinnInPa]

hmm......and maybe that he's hitting over .270 and has a K rate below 20%. Twins need more players like this

[Eris]

6 minutes ago, MinnInPa said:

hmm......and maybe that he's hitting over .270 and has a K rate below 20%. Twins need more players like this

Jose Miranda had a K% of 36 and Julian had improved to 28% K before they were sent down. 

[mikelink45]

I still expect that he will continue to rise to star status - not superstar (but many players are given that title without earning it).  I would stay with him as an everyday starter.  

Lewis has looked so good in the beginning, but injuries and missed time do take a toll.  I still hope he can reach his new level of potential.

I am less worried about them than Correa.  The article Gleeman did in the Athletic about his clutch ability, his diminished power, his age and lessening fielding skills raise a lot of questions going forward.  He is no longer a hitter that should be in the top four lineup positions, but the rest of the team has not hit enough to put him at 5 or 6.  

Now we have to hope Keaschall comes back and does what he has done in the past, but just like Lewis we have to see what recovery is.

[P Meyer]

10 hours ago, Fatbat said:

Except when Lewis becomes super star baseball crusher again. Lewis isn’t a 34 yo has been…. He has just been injury prone

There are just other options to play Lewis. At this point his health has been inconsistent. His hitting has been inconsistent. He is just no longer a priority to consistently play on the left side of the infield. Maybe he DHs (a lot) as they try to transition him to another position, or he just only plays 3B when Correa or Brooks sits and then DHs when they don't. 

 

Lots of options to try to get Lewis right without impacting Brooks IMO.

[NYCTK]

1 hour ago, karcherd said:

I am not sure he complained to the media, he talked about his concerns of potentially hurting the team because he wasn't prepared to play the position.  It was reported in spring training he did some work in the offseason and even during spring training at 2B.  It feels like it was more of a timing issue, this type of move should be done during the offseason.

This is fair, "complain" isn't probably the right word. He expressed terror. Which also doesn't really look great. 

This idea that moving to 2B for a long time SS is some radical shift is dumb. You ask 100 SS to go out and play 2B in the middle of the season and 95 of them will, no questions asked. He had plenty of opportunities to go out there before BP and work on footwork around the bag. Instead he talked to the media about how he didn't want to play 2B. 

All I'm saying is Royce Lewis lost me there. I, like most every Twins fan, was a huge fan of Royce leading into the 2024 season. I was so enamored I thought he was actually a future MVP. From appearances he's not a team player, and now sadly looks like he's not even really any good. The only reason the Twins shouldn't sell him off is because he's not worth anything any more. 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

4 hours ago, nclahammer said:

I'm reading a lot of talk about moving Royce Lewis to firstbase and how he's a team player, but didn't he initially balk in 2024 at even taking reps at secondbase in practice?   I'm pretty sure I remember reading that he even spoke out about being against it.  I think it would be a huge blow to his ego to move to firstbase.   This may all be a mute point anyway if Lewis is not healthy enough to step between the lines, where I hope he can stay.

Lewis may not want to play 1B, but until he stays healthy and starts hitting better, he's lucky to be on a major league team. Don't get me wrong, Royce Lewis is a most fan friendly player and it appears he is a great teammate, but that and $6.95 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. I wish Royce had not said: "I don't do slumps." If 2025 has not been a "slump", then 2025's stats must be the norm for him.

[Road trip]

15 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Follow the money.

This, plus the defense.  The sunk cost fallacy is powerful.

The Twins invested a lot in Lee when they drafted him 8th overall, and they are going to give him every chance to stick.  They are doing the same with Lewis.  Back in the day they did it with Buxton (remember, he really struggled at the plate his first few years).  Remember Kohl Stewart?  Nothing in his minor league performance indicated he would be successful in the majors, but the Twins kept advancing him and gave him multiple opportunities anyway, largely because he was a high 1st rounder.

Someday if necessary they will do it with Jenkins, regardless of how he initially performs at the MLB level.

The comps from the article (Julien, Miranda) weren't first round picks, and other guys like Bride and Gaspar were picked up off of waivers.  Those types of players have to perform immediately or they go back to AAA.  Sometimes they do well out of the gate (Dozier, Koskie), and everyone is happy when a lottery ticket turns out to be a good player.

[Trov]

This is the same reason you see so many SS or CF drafted.  Many will not stay at those positions, but if they can defend them they have so much more value, even better when they have a bat.  However, if you take a guy that is limited on defense, he better hit a ton to have value.  Many times people look at the bat as the only reason a guy should stay in a line up, but having an ability to play defense and have a passable bat is better than a guy with a good bat but terrible defense. Which is why when you have an elite defender and hitter they are worth a ton of money. 

[Greggory Masterson]

8 hours ago, Doctor Wu said:

He’s not a great shortstop—probably not even a good one—but he’s serviceable. His lack of range limits his ceiling as a defender at second and third base ...

Hmm ... so I guess we now have to settle for serviceable when it comes to our defense. Not exactly a philosophy that inspires confidence. He's hitting well enough lately, but still a long way from contending for a batting crown. 

I regret using the word "serviceable," because it's a bit value as to what I mean. You can be a valuable player while being an average or slightly below-average MLB shortstop (like 50th/40th percentile). Most teams don't have two "good" shortstops on their roster (and what I meant by "good" is being in the top third of MLB shortstops defensively.

I also wish that I spent a little more time on the topic to say that he's made some really impressive plays, because of his good hands and arm, that help him overcome his limited range, and plenty of big leaguers have been good infielders even with limited range.

[Fatbat]

22 hours ago, P Meyer said:

There are just other options to play Lewis. At this point his health has been inconsistent. His hitting has been inconsistent. He is just no longer a priority to consistently play on the left side of the infield. Maybe he DHs (a lot) as they try to transition him to another position, or he just only plays 3B when Correa or Brooks sits and then DHs when they don't. 

 

Lots of options to try to get Lewis right without impacting Brooks IMO.

I dont think Lee will sit just because Lewis is back. If Lewis is actually healthy now, he needs playing time to get back in the groove. Lee will get defensive games all over the infield and he can handle that. He just wont be at 3B every game but he will be there when Lewis is DH. 

[Elliot]

A high percentage of offensive players drafted, both high school and college, are shortstops. Take a quick glance at any mock draft for this year. Even though most are good athletes, not many remain there long term due to the defensive demands of the position.  If I have a complaint with the Twins approach it is that they put off the move to an alternative position too long,, and often end up with young players learning on the fly at the major league level. It may be fine for some, but others would probably benefit greatly from being able to learn a new position in a lower stress setting. Lee is the most recent example. Lewis and Martin are other recent cases. 
there are currently a number of SS prospects on the horizon. My guess is that the staff already know which one or two have the potential to stick there long term. Hopefully the staff will get the others to positions that can be long term homes