Brooks Lee Bio
Brooks Thomas Lee (born February 14, 2001) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the first round of the 2022 MLB draft and made his major league debut in 2024. Known for his exceptional batting skills, Lee has shown promise as one of the exciting young players in the league. He bats and throws right-handed, and his poise at shortstop has made him a regular in the Twins’ daily lineup.
Early Life and Background
Lee grew up immersed in the sport of baseball, a passion that was largely shaped by his family. His father, Larry Lee, is the head baseball coach at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, which gave Brooks a direct connection to the game from an early age. Lee is named after Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson, a detail that reflects the family’s respect for the history of the sport.
Lee attended San Luis Obispo High School in San Luis Obispo, California, where he quickly established himself as a standout hitter. He batted .438 during his freshman season, and as a junior he hit .462. In his senior year of 2019, he batted .405 with 13 doubles and 25 runs batted in over 23 games, drawing attention as one of the top amateur players in the country.
Path to Baseball
Considered a top prospect for the 2019 MLB draft, Lee withdrew his name the day before the draft, telling teams he intended to honor his commitment to play college baseball at Cal Poly. The San Francisco Giants still selected him in the 35th round as a courtesy pick, a sign of how highly he was regarded by major league scouts. After graduating, he played in the West Coast League for the Corvallis Knights and was named the league’s top prospect after hitting .333 with three home runs, 35 runs batted in, and 12 stolen bases over 43 games.
Lee’s path to professional baseball was briefly interrupted when he hyperextended his knee during his freshman year and needed surgery. He missed the start of the 2020 season and appeared in only two games before the season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He returned in 2021 as a redshirt freshman and slashed .342/.411/.626 with 10 home runs, 57 runs batted in, and 27 doubles, a Cal Poly single-season record. He was later named the Big West Conference Co-Field Player of the Year, a finalist for the Brooks Wallace Award, and spent the summer playing for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Brooks Lee Career
Early Career (2022)
The Minnesota Twins selected Lee in the first round with the eighth overall pick of the 2022 MLB draft. He signed with the team for $5.6 million and began his professional career that summer. Lee made his debut with the Rookie-level Florida Complex League Twins, and after only four games he was promoted to the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the High-A Midwest League.
After 25 games with Cedar Rapids, Lee was promoted to the Wichita Wind Surge of the Double-A Texas League. Over 31 games across the three levels, he slashed .303/.388/.451 with five home runs and 15 runs batted in, demonstrating that his bat could handle advanced competition.
Minor League Development (2023)
Lee returned to Wichita to open the 2023 season, and in early August he was promoted to the St. Paul Saints of the Triple-A International League. The move gave him a chance to face players closer to major league readiness, and he responded with a steady campaign. Over 125 games between Wichita and St. Paul, he slashed .275/.347/.461 with 16 home runs, 84 runs batted in, and 39 doubles.
Minnesota Twins Debut (2024)
Lee was assigned to St. Paul to open the 2024 season and missed the early weeks because of a back injury. On July 3, 2024, the Twins selected his contract and promoted him to the major leagues. He made his MLB debut that night as the team’s starting shortstop against the Detroit Tigers and recorded his first career hit, a single off Keider Montero, in the fourth inning, finishing 2-for-4 with a run batted in.
Three days later, on July 6, Lee hit his first MLB home run, a two-run shot off Hunter Brown of the Houston Astros. He spent the rest of the season with Minnesota, although a stint on the injured list with right biceps tendinitis cut into his playing time. Over 50 games with the Twins, Lee hit .221 with three home runs and 27 runs batted in.
Minnesota Twins Era (2025)
Lee opened the 2025 season on the injured list with back tightness and a lumbar strain, but he returned to the Twins’ active roster after rehab assignments with the Fort Myers Miracle and St. Paul. He resumed his role at shortstop and continued to develop as a young middle infielder in the major leagues. On August 17, 2025, Lee hit his first career grand slam off Chris Paddack of the Tigers, a moment that highlighted the power he brings to the Twins’ lineup.
Driving Style and Strengths
Lee is praised for his contact-oriented hitting approach, his ability to drive the ball to all fields, and his steady hands at shortstop. He draws walks at a strong rate for a young hitter and rarely strikes out, a profile that fits the modern Twins’ emphasis on plate discipline. He is also regarded as a smart base runner and a reliable defender whose instincts at shortstop allow the pitching staff to attack hitters confidently.
Notable Events and Milestones
Lee’s MLB debut on July 3, 2024, against the Detroit Tigers stands as a defining early milestone, as does his first home run three days later off Houston’s Hunter Brown. His first career grand slam on August 17, 2025, off Chris Paddack of the Tigers added another chapter to his growing list of big-league moments.
Brooks Lee Career Wins
While Lee’s professional career is still in its early stages, he has already collected notable offensive milestones across the minor leagues and major leagues. His combination of high batting averages, extra-base power, and on-base skills has been a hallmark of his play since his college days at Cal Poly.
Minor League Highlights
During his first professional season in 2022, Lee slashed .303/.388/.451 with five home runs and 15 runs batted in across the Florida Complex League Twins, Cedar Rapids Kernels, and Wichita Wind Surge. In 2023, he was even more productive, slashing .275/.347/.461 with 16 home runs, 84 runs batted in, and 39 doubles between Wichita and St. Paul. He also set a Cal Poly single-season record with 27 doubles during his 2021 college campaign.
Major League Highlights
In his first major league season, Lee hit .221 with three home runs and 27 runs batted in over 50 games for the Twins. In 2025, he continued to find his footing at the big-league level and delivered his first career grand slam on August 17 off Chris Paddack of the Tigers.
Brooks Lee Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Lee comes from a baseball family. His father, Larry Lee, is the head baseball coach at Cal Poly, which gave Brooks a deep understanding of the game’s fundamentals from a young age. He is named after Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson, a tribute that connects him to one of the sport’s most respected players.
Personal Life
Lee keeps his personal life largely private, focusing most of his public attention on his development as a young major league shortstop. He grew up in San Luis Obispo, California, and maintains ties to the community that supported his early baseball career.
2025 Season Performance
Lee’s 2025 season began on the injured list, as back tightness and a lumbar strain forced him to start the year on the shelf. He rehabbed with the Fort Myers Miracle and St. Paul before being reinstated to the Twins’ active roster. Once back in the lineup, he resumed his role as a regular at shortstop and continued to work on refining his offensive approach against major league pitching.
The highlight of Lee’s 2025 campaign came on August 17, when he hit his first career grand slam off Chris Paddack of the Detroit Tigers, a swing that underscored his power potential. He remained a fixture in the Twins’ middle-infield plans as the season progressed, pairing his contact skills with improved plate discipline. His steady presence at shortstop and his ability to play through a difficult injury stretch have positioned him as a long-term building block for Minnesota.