Brooks Lee began the year as the Twins' starting shortstop. That didn't go well. In 400 innings at shortstop this year, Lee recorded -9 Defensive Runs Saved and -6 Outs Above Average. Lee became the Twins' starting third baseman in late May after Minnesota optioned Royce Lewis to Triple-A St. Paul. Even though he hasn't been a starting shortstop in over three months, Lee ranks second-to last among all shortstops in DRS. Only Trea Turner of the Philadelphia Phillies is worse with -13 DRS.
Lee clearly doesn't have what it takes to be a strong defensive shortstop in the majors. But it appears he's found a home at third base. In 679 2/3 innings at his new position this year, Lee has posted +4 DRS and +1 OAA. While Lee likely would've preferred to remain a shortstop, he will have a much better career as a strong defensive third baseman than a poor defensive shortstop. Long-term, Lee's move to third base could make him more money than if he stuck at shortstop.
Twins' Brooks Lee is having a solid offensive season
Lee has also put together a solid offensive season after a slow start. Through the first 11 games of the year, Lee hit just .194/.242/.194. Now, he is slashing a decent .247/.300/.431 (104 wRC+). It'd be nice if he could improve his on-base percentage a bit, but his power surge has more than made up for his lack of walks. Lee has hit 20 home runs, 20 doubles and three triples across 126 games this year.
Another thing to like about Lee is that he rarely strikes out. The third baseman has a strong 16.4% strikeout rate this year. If there's a runner on third base with fewer than two outs, Lee is the man you want up at the plate.
On the flip side, Lee's underlying numbers aren't great. He has an xwOBA of .272 (.2nd percentile), an expected slugging percentage of .335 (12th percentile) and an average exit velocity of 87.9 mph (30th percentile). Despite hitting 20 home runs with roughly a month left in the season, Lee doesn't hit the ball very hard.
But that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve credit for his strong season. He has been worth a solid 2.0 fWAR so far this year. Additionally, Lee has a strong squared-up rate of 27.1% (70th percentile). The third baseman has succeeded this year by squaring up the ball, limiting strikeouts and playing strong defense. Considering the narrative surrounding Lee earlier in the year, the Twins should be very happy with his production in 2026.
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