Can Brooks Lee Solidify Himself as Minnesota Twins' Long-Term Shortstop in 2026?

[Cody Schoenmann]

Entering the 2025 MLB regular season, Minnesota Twins infielder Brooks Lee was considered one of the club's "make-or-break" players, sporting a key role in the club's ability to return to the postseason following a cataclysmic late-season collapse in 2024. Unfortunately, Lee missed the first 15 games of the 2025 season after being placed on the 10-day IL in late March with a lumbar strain. The former first-round pick returned to the club's lineup on Apr. 13, stepping in as the club's primary third baseman with Royce Lewis on the 10-day IL with a left hamstring strain and José Miranda being demoted to Triple-A following a dreadful start to his 2025 campaign.

Unfortunately, Lee showcased minimal production for the largely sputtering Twins (sans a 13-game win streak in mid-May), hitting .252/.291/.382 with 78 hits, ten doubles, ten home runs, and an 85 wRC+ over 330 plate appearances from Apr. 13 through July 31. During that stretch, the switch-hitting infielder shuffled between second base, third base, and shortstop, executing a utility infield role identical to the role he fulfilled during his 2024 rookie campaign. However, the second-year infielder's role quickly changed following the Trade Deadline mass exodus wherein Twins decision-makers traded starting shortstop Carlos Correa to the Houston Astros, making Lee the club's new primary shortstop in response.

Despite finding himself in a newfound full-time role, the 24-year-old continued to struggle at the plate, hitting .208/.274/.348 with 37 hits, five doubles, six home runs, and a 72 wRC+ over 197 plate appearances. Possessing an above-average 15.7% strikeout rate, Lee demonstrated a plus eye at the plate, similar to his first-half performance. Yet, he failed to make quality contact, sporting a well-below-average Exit Velocity and Barrel rate this season. He also struggled defensively at shortstop this season, netting -8 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) over 595 innings played at the position.

In an ideal world, the Twins' front office could scour the shortstop market this winter, intending to sign a touted veteran like Bo Bichette or Trevor Story to a multiyear contract in an effort to solidify the position long-term. Yet, given that team decision-makers will again be operating under significant spending restrictions this offseason, Lee will likely enter the 2026 season as Minnesota's primary shortstop.

Although this may be an inopportune short-term outlook over the position highest on the defensive spectrum, Lee could be demoted back to a utility infield role, contingent upon the development of the organization's second-ranked prospect. Posting a 138 wRC+ over 517 plate appearances between High-A and Double-A, Kaelen Culpepper was the recipient of the Sherry Robertson Award, crowning him the organization's 2025 Minor League Player of the Year. The 22-year-old earned this honor while sporting exceptional defense at shortstop, signaling he could blossom into a plus defensive shortstop at the major league level.

That being the case, Culpepper is likely to begin his 2026 campaign at Triple-A St. Paul, knocking on the door of making his major league debut. Lee will be rewarded a window of opportunity wherein he can supplant the club's long-term answer at shortstop early next season. Yet, his leash will understandably be short. If he continues to struggle at the plate while sporting below-average defense at shortstop, there is reason Culpepper could usurp him at the position early next season.

Interestingly, if Lee and Culpepper don't pan out at shortstop and transition to full-time roles at other positions or absorb utility roles, 2025 first-round pick Marek Houston could also develop into a long-term solution at the position. Despite undergoing one of the more dreadful seasons in team history, Minnesota possesses two top prospects who could blossom into long-term regulars at the position. If Lee continues to flounder at the major league level, the organization could quickly move on from the 2023 first-round pick, handing the position over to one of Culpepper or Houston. 

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[Nashvilletwin]

Long-term? No. 

[Nshore]

Lee is slow, which is not a good attribute to have if you're a shortstop.  And the Twins knew that when they drafted him in the first round.  Yet another questionable personnel decision.

[bunsen82]

Culpepper is the long term solution. Lee is playing to become the long term 3rd baseman or utility player.  

[Cris E]

Houston is miles away, so put that talk on a shelf somewhere. 

Culpepper could be the future, but first we'll have to see how he does with longer exposure at AA and the even larger challenges of AAA. He was good at AA, not outstanding. Lee is going to get a half season at least, barring injury. And even if he does get hurt I'm still not sure Culpepper gets more than a week or two before August. 

 

[Rod Carews Birthday]

Too early to crown Culpepper or Marek Houston.  Lee is the guy there now.  It is his to claim.  I don’t think he will. By the end of the season we may be looking for a stopgap.  I hope I’m wrong.  

[chpettit19]

Brooks needs to establish he's worth keeping in the bigs before he worries about being a long-term anything. He doesn't have the glove you'd prefer in a utility man or the bat you'd want from a starter at any position. He either needs to significantly improve his defense (not likely with his foot speed and athleticism) or his bat (at least start by actually having a good eye like the article falsely claims he already has) just to stick around. Right now he's AAA filler on a halfway decent team.

[Linus]

He doesn’t have the arm or the range to be a big league plus SS. In fact he needs to hit substantially better next year to stick in the bigs over the long run. 

[bean5302]

Brooks Lee is not a starting caliber player at the MLB level currently. He's probably okay as a utility infielder. He doesn't have the physical tools to handle shortstop right now, and given his chronic back issues, I just don't see there being an obvious path to improvement to get to where he'd be able to handle SS on a regular basis. 

[Derojo]

I don't understand how the writer suggests free agency after the debacle Correa was. Second, the Pohlad's aren't spending big money on a SS. Third, the Twins aren't ready for a move till 2027 at the earliest. Young talent needs development. Lee can play SS next year. It's a rebuilding year anyway. Fourth, unless the Pohlad's sell the team, figure on nothing great happening, like the ALCS. I'll still follow baseball because it's a great sport.

[GNess]

Lee is more likely better suited to a role as a. utility player. He has a little pop in his bat and can reasonably play SS, 3B and 2B. At his age there is still room for improvement even as an athlete with a great off-season program so it may  be too early to make a determination on him.

Complicating matters for Brooks is the up coming competition. Culpepper and Houston who both seem to be potentially tracking to be better options at SS long term.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

34 minutes ago, Derojo said:

I don't understand how the writer suggests free agency after the debacle Correa was. 

I know right! Paying market rates for fantastic players is such a disaster 

[ashbury]

If I were a managerial candidate, the lack of a viable major league shortstop would look like a red flag to me.

[tony&rodney]

I'm holding out hope for a few fantastic trades. If nothing is done Brooks Lee is what we have at shortstop. Oh well. He could still improve.

[S Bart]

1 hour ago, Cris E said:

Houston is miles away, so put that talk on a shelf somewhere. 

Culpepper could be the future, but first we'll have to see how he does with longer exposure at AA and the even larger challenges of AAA. He was good at AA, not outstanding. Lee is going to get a half season at least, barring injury. And even if he does get hurt I'm still not sure Culpepper gets more than a week or two before August. 

 

Lee OR Lewis may not be around after next year if Culpepper works out in AAA. He can play 3rd or SS. Lee is somewhat flexible at these positions. I am unaware if Lewis can play SS. 

[Brandon27]

No not with Culpepper and Houston sitting in the minors knocking on the door 

[Nashvilletwin]

If we snag the #1 pick in the draft this year, our long-term SS may not be named Lee, Culpepper or Houston, but a kid named Roch Cholowsky. 

[stringer bell]

Lee will likely have his chance, but he has to be a lot better than he was in 2025 if he wants to hold on to be the regular shortstop. One season plus of Lee has given the doubters and critics plenty to be skeptical about. I believe and expect that Brooks Lee will be a better player in 2026, but I doubt he'll be good enough to stake a claim long-term to the Twins' shortstop position.

[Old Twins Hat]

Kind of a downer of a commentary section -- no, not, never.

Guess what?  Lee is a pretty damn good defensive player -- sure handed, quick release, an accurate and strong arm.  He gets to the ball, he makes the play.  Reliably.  Major league ready.

I didn't even watch many games, but I could see that much. 

Will he hit enough?  For a shortstop, the answer is "yes".  Put him at third, second, or even utility and the answer is "not necessarily".

Beat my brains out for seeing something positive in Lee, but remember, the shortstop's offense is typically a bonus.  He is fine as a shortstop.  He will not drag the Twins down.

If the question is:  Is Culpepper the future?  The answer is:  we don't know, but we hope Culpepper is an All-Star caliber player.

But first, let's let Lee play and find his level best.

[Fatbat]

The Twins need guys that can hit and play D.  Lee is slow but yet a decent utility guy with a bat that needs work (or better swing decisions) however you want to look at his potential growth. 
There is no way the FO signs a free agent SS. So Lee will play SS regularly until he either fails or Culpepper knocks sown the MLB door…. Probably by june ‘26..

Houston will need all of ‘26 to showcase his elite D in AA.  If he hits above average there, watch out cause he will get fast tracked.  Odds are 50/50 of that. Maybe. I would put my money on him for the ‘27 mid season call up. 
 

The twins are gonna be young, payroll limited and get beatup a bit next season.  Lee will probs be in the infield utility roll by the end of ‘25 but like Castro, he will play almost every day.

[RpR]

55 minutes ago, Old Twins Hat said:

Kind of a downer of a commentary section -- no, not, never.

Guess what?  Lee is a pretty damn good defensive player -- sure handed, quick release, an accurate and strong arm.  He gets to the ball, he makes the play.  Reliably.  Major league ready.

 

Yep, he s really good, LOL.

[dxpavelka]

Lee can catch a baseball and throw it to first base consistently.  Which puts him ahead of a hell of a lot of other guys who have attempted to play shortstop for this team.

[the_brute_squad]

I definitely see a player that could be a long term SS. 24 years old. Many of the attributes that he is lacking such as speed, agility, and strength can be improved on over the off season. He definitely has the head for the game so the question is does he know his weaknesses and is he willing to work on those? 

[nclahammer]

Marek Houston struggled mightily at the plate in High-A Cedar Rapids, his offensive game has quite a ways to go.  Lee looks okay for the time being and hopefully Culpepper will push him and may the best shortstop win.

[old nurse]

10 hours ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

I know right! Paying market rates for fantastic players is such a disaster 

I don’t think the 160 million that the Twins have or will give Correa is the going rate for WAR. So paying Correa that much for that little production is a debacle. 

[Eris]

Baseballsavant’s fielding run value ( sorry unable to paste the link) shows that there are about 5 elite shortstops, a few very good shortstops.  Then everyone else.  Interesting on this metric Lee grades out better than Correa (-1 vs -3).  Neither of which is very good.  For comparison, Bobby Witt Jr is +20.

 

 

[yeahyabetcha]

10 hours ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

I know right! Paying market rates for fantastic players is such a disaster 

Some people will never learn.  Despite having some success, signing Correa was not a successful move for the Twins.  Development and advancement of their own farm system should be the approach.

[CRF]

He's a utility player at best...nothing more, nothing less...but he's all we've got right now at SS. 

[Doctor Wu]

It seems like the job is Lee's for 2026, but he needs to improve a lot if he wants to keep that job any longer. I don't think the front office is going to be out looking for any free agents for that position at this point, unless they want another utility type they can use in case of a total meltdown. Culpepper MAY be able to handle the position in the near future but I think he needs more AAA experience. 

[Doctor Gast]

With Falvey and a proven core, MN hasn't been a competitive team. MN will be one of the worst team next year, with Falvey at the helm, no matter what he does. So it'd be a waste of money to sign a FA. SS, especially at the MLB level, is very challenging, while the glove & instincts are not valued by MN, as long as he has a big bat. Lee doesn't even have the big bat. But he'll have to do until we get someone else at the helm who appreciates the SS position. I have questioned Lee's health, defense & offense, but he has improved. IMO, he'll continue to improve.