Former Cal Poly, SLO High star to make MLB debut. ‘Brooks Lee is going to the big leagues’

Former Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo High School baseball star Brooks Lee can call himself a major leaguer.

Lee, 23, the son of longtime Cal Poly head baseball coach Larry Lee, has been called up to the Twins Major League Baseball organization.

The Twins organization announced the news Wednesday.

“This is the coolest thing a manager gets to do,” said Toby Gardenhire, the manager of the St. Paul Saints Triple-A team, speaking before players in the locker room, in an X video posted Wednesday afternoon. “I’m sure this will come as no surprise to anyone in here ‘Brooks Lee is going to the big leagues.’”

The locker room erupted in cheers for Lee, who is the Twins second overall prospect. The switch-hitting infielder is hitting .329 in 20 Triple-A games this season. Lee smiled and clapped his hands together in response, getting celebratory hugs and claps among teammates.

The Twins play the Detroit Tigers at home Wednesday night and Lee is expected to make his debut in the game . Lee is slated to bat in the eighth position and play third base, according to an MLB.com post . On Tuesday, Lee was named to the 2024 Major League Baseball All-Star Futures Game.

Lee was the No. 8 overall draft pick in the 2022 MLB draft, representing the highest selection of a SLO County player in the history of the draft.

Lee has steadily risen through the ranks of the Twins system, and most recently was ranked the organization’s No. 2 overall prospect.

Lee spoke about the possibility of a call-up in 2023 in a phone interview with The Tribune.

“You’re always thinking about it whether you want to say it or not,” Lee said in a July 2023 interview. “Usually, the team is not letting you know anything. That’s kind of how it is. And so, you’re always wondering.”

Lee added he’ll “try to continue to play as good as I can and stay on the field, and that’s all that really matters to me.”

“They have a plan for me, so whenever that happens, I’ll be stoked for it,” Lee said.

At Cal Poly, in his final collegiate season in 2022, Lee hit .357 and slugged .664 with a .462 on-base percentage, 1.126 OPS, 56 runs, 25 doubles, 15 home runs, 55 RBI and 46 walks, leading the Big West Conference in most of those categories in 2022.

Cal Poly’s Baseball program issued a news release Wednesday, citing quotes from Brooks’ father, Larry.

“Liz (Larry’s wife), Jenna (Brooks’ sister) and myself are very proud of Brooks and the road he has taken to get to where he is at,” said Larry Lee, in the news release. “He has put in so much time to improve day after day.

“It’s a goal and a dream that he has had since he was very young,” the 22-year Mustang skipper added. “It’s a very emotional moment for our entire family.”

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