Minnesota Twins Prospect Retrospective: Brooks Lee

So far he looks like the real deal. Love our infield once Lewis gets back. The future is bright with this group. 

This is the place for this opinion which I will attempt not to repeat after posting this time. Don't want to beat a drum incessantly. Lee is better at 3rd than Lewis and he has shown that in his short stint. He can get to the same balls as Lewis and the arm is much more reliable. His baseball instincts are also better. It is likely Lee will be available which is something Lewis has yet to prove even a little. At this point I would leave Lee right where he is and also let him back up Correa at short. Lewis can move to second and or left. He could also back up 3rd along with Miranda. The Twins might agree since they have not played Lee at 2nd. 

Can you even plan on Lewis in your lineup this year? Starting next year? If he comes back in August and is able to play the remainder of the year including a possible playoff run, perceptions might change somewhat. I mean healthy not just DHing in the playoffs like last year.

This is not a slam on Lewis, I'm rooting for him. This is being realistic. 

I'm guessing this will be unpopular.

still laughing at so called "experts" throwing Lee's name in to potential trade talks.. untouchable..you are darn right he is. Kid will be a Twin for next 10 years

Need to move some of the old guys out and get the young guys the reps.....liking what the IF looks like Lewis, Correa, Lee, Miranda/Santana (1st/DH)......let Castro fill in for all w a start a week in the OF....

48 minutes ago, CCHOF5yearstoolate said:

Seems more popular than you thought!

I agree in the very small sample we've seen so far, Lee just seems to have a really solid floor at 3rd. I wouldn't put Royce in the OF, though, given that most of his injuries have been lower body.

Lee - Correa - Lewis/Julien - Miranda/whoever seems like the ideal IF positioning for the next few years, with a ton of flexibility for guys to swap in as-needed. 

Honest question is Left field worse for injuries than second base?

4 minutes ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

Honest question is Left field worse for injuries than second base?

Lewis does not have a strong enough arm for Left Field, and if he makes a difficult catch, where he ends up on the ground , he may not get up.

Lee , so far , has shown he has the arm for 3rd base, it will be interest to see how this turn out by mid August.

He can hit well, but how well he adapts to pitchers finding his weak spot is what counts.

41 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

I can't find anything on line about the "danger" of different positions, which is weird. I'd guess no, not at all. Lots more knee work at 2nd, lots more sprinting in the OF.....

A lot more walls in the outfield!

1 hour ago, RpR said:

Lewis does not have a strong enough arm for Left Field, and if he makes a difficult catch, where he ends up on the ground , he may not get up.

Lee , so far , has shown he has the arm for 3rd base, it will be interest to see how this turn out by mid August.

He can hit well, but how well he adapts to pitchers finding his weak spot is what counts.

So what I am hearing is Lewis should only play DH?

1 hour ago, bean5302 said:

Lee is a poor runner (limited range), and his arm isn't as good as Lewis.

Royce Lewis max throw speed 85.8mph this year, averaged 84.4 last year.
Brooks Lee max throw speed 81.7mph. 

I loved the play Lee made with his off balance, bare hander of a throw the other day, but he simply doesn't have the physical tools Lewis does. Lee seems smooth and polished in the field, and he might be better than Lewis when it comes to errors, but you guys are really underestimating Lewis or overestimating Lee here.

 

Lewis vs Lee as infielder (now Lee's numbers that count are SS and Lewis' are 3rd base though he was no better at SS) Lee is not a good infielder but his numbers ar better than Lewis.

Arm strength that swift play by Lee was not way over at 3rd base but much farther in , yet even at that Lewis' throws to first bounce there as often as not.

Too early to make any real judgements but right now Lee is still the one I would want fielding.

8 hours ago, Karbo said:

He has looked very good so far. If he keeps hitting I can't see him going back down. When Lewis comes back I would put Lee at 2nd, move Castro to OF or anywhere someone needs a break. Castro is so valuable!

Sounds like Lewis and Martin may be out until the end of August - so may keep all of them with the Sept 1 extended rosters

2 hours ago, bean5302 said:

Lee is a poor runner (limited range), and his arm isn't as good as Lewis.

Royce Lewis max throw speed 85.8mph this year, averaged 84.4 last year.
Brooks Lee max throw speed 81.7mph. 

I loved the play Lee made with his off balance, bare hander of a throw the other day, but he simply doesn't have the physical tools Lewis does. Lee seems smooth and polished in the field, and he might be better than Lewis when it comes to errors, but you guys are really underestimating Lewis or overestimating Lee here.

A little nitpick. Virtually nobody thought Brooks Lee was going much before #8.
Keith Law, #7
CBS, #7
MLB, #5
Fangraphs, #8
ESPN, #7
Bleacher Report, #6
Prospects Live, #7

People's eyes glaze over when confronted with elite athleticism. They dream on potential. They love dunks over beautiful playmaking. 130mph serves over the artistry of Borg vs McEnroe. Lewis is an elite athlete. Things have come easier for him than others. His play at short in the minors had the look of an athlete that had to work on his skills. He still does. 

Lee is a coach's son. He's been drilled on the fundamentals his whole life. Right now he is a better 3rd baseman than Lewis. As you say in another post Lewis is a work in progress. He needs reps you say. Ok maybe he can get better than Lee at 3rd. Will he? Will he get the consistent reps? Lee is my 3rd baseman, Lewis needs to prove he can be counted on.

Please extend Lee.  Even better if you can get something done before the all-star break.

9 hours ago, bean5302 said:

Kirilloff is a coaches son. Should we stick him at SS if Correa needs some time on the IL? So I think the whole "coaches son" thing is probably a little overblown.

That said, Lee is super smooth and polished out there so I could understand why people would want to see him playing every day at a set position. He looks like he's a veteran fielder while Lewis looks like he's trying to force plays to be a hero too frequently. Pushing Royce into a utility role or another position? I just don't think that's realistic atm.

Kirilloff's Dad runs a hitting academy while Lee's Dad is a long standing coach of a good college baseball program. Maybe that has something to do with why while Kirilloff's swing is beautiful, he is not the fielder that Lee is. 

Neither of Lee or Lewis need to be utility players, but positional flexibility isn't out of the question.

In the last 3 years Buxton has played 246 games while Lewis has played in 94. Royce Lewis is making Byron look like an iron man. Lewis has been significantly injured twice this year simply by running untouched. He did have to navigate second base the first time, the second he was running in a straight line. 

When considering a valuable piece like Lee, I don't think it is prudent at this time to include Lewis in those considerations. The Twins have handled Lewis with kid gloves and it has gotten them to this place. When Royce is available, put him where it fits the team the best and forget the rest of it. I think it is time for those that think his injury future has something to do with where he plays in the field to forget that line of thinking. Royce must prove he can help the team on a consistent basis.