Minnesota Twins third baseman Brooks Lee is coming off a breakout season, posting 2.8 fWAR and a .253/.300/.428 (101 wRC+) slash line over 156 games. He had a rough start at the plate and defensively, but turned his season around after moving from shortstop to third base. He posted -9 Defensive Runs Saved and -6 Outs Above Average in 400 innings at shortstop this year.After moving to third base, Lee recorded +8 DRS and +6 OAA in 939 2/3 innings. He is a finalist for the Gold Glove Award for American League third basemen.
Twins fans should feel pretty good about Lee as the team's starting third baseman going forward. While his slash line is around average, he is an elite defensive third baseman and hit a professional career-high 24 home runs with 83 RBI this year. Lee, 25, is under team control through the 2030 season.
However, there is a worrisome trend with the third baseman. He posted outstanding road stats this year, slashing .292/.331/.534 with 17 home runs and 50 RBI in 318 plate appearances. Meanwhile, he hit an awful .212/.268/.319 with seven home runs and 33 RBI in 313 plate appearances at Target Field.
Brooks Lee’s drastic home/road splits this season
— SleeperTwins (@SleeperMLBTwins) October 26, 2026
At Target Field:
313 PA
.212/.268/.319 (.588 OPS)
7 HR
33 RBI
Away from Target Field:
318 PA
.292/.331/.534 (.865 OPS)
17 HR
50 RBI#MNTwins pic.twitter.com/9B469sBio2
Most players hit better at home, making it puzzling that Lee has struggled so much at Target Field while hitting at an All-Star level on the road.
Should Twins be concerned about Brooks Lee's home/away splits?
The Twins probably don't need to be concerned about Lee's drastic splits. In his rookie season (2024), Lee hit .287/.337/.391 in 95 plate appearances at home and .153/.189/.247 in 90 plate appearances on the road. In 2025, Lee slashed .264/.307/.424 in 267 plate appearances at Target Field and .207/.262/.312 in 260 plate appearances on the road.
Hopefully, Lee can start hitting at Target Field as he did in 2024 and 2025 while continuing to dominate pitching on the road. If Lee can do that and keep playing elite defense at third base, he would be an All-Star-level player.
We'll see if Lee can have another strong season in 2027. The third baseman's underlying metrics aren't great, and he doesn't walk much, but he is elite at limiting strikeouts and squaring up the ball. He may not hit the ball super hard, but if Lee can continue finding holes and playing elite defense, the Twins should feel great about having him as their long-term third baseman.
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