Twins take Cal Poly SS Brooks Lee 8th overall in MLB Draft
The Minnesota Twins added to their infield depth on Sunday night selecting Cal Poly shortstop Brooks Lee with the 8th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft.
Lee projects as a patient hitter that had more extra-base hits (46) than strikeouts (41) during his junior season. He hit .357/.462/.664 for the Mustangs this year with 15 home runs and 55 RBI in 58 games.
An excellent fielder, Lee has a strong arm and is likely to move to third base later in his career. MLB.com's scouting report praised Lee's bat-to-ball skills and his intangibles coming his father Larry, who serves as the head coach at Cal Poly.
"Talk to any scout about the switch-hitting infielder and the first thing that comes up are his otherworldly bat-to-ball skills. He almost never strikes out... He can drive the ball from both sides of the plate and as he’s gotten more physical, it’s easy to project him having better-than-average power in the future.
"The son of a coach, he thinks like one on the field and plays like a veteran, giving more certainty that he’s going to maximize all of his tools as a pro."
The Athletic's Dan Hayes reports that the Twins were "thrilled" that Lee fell to the Twins in the draft and Aaron Gleeman adds the Twins believe he will be an impact bat that will move quickly through the system.
With their second pick of the night, the Twins selected Alabama left-hander Connor Prielipp with the 48th overall pick in the draft.
A Tomah, Wisc. native, Prielipp made just seven starts for the Crimson Tide due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery in May 2021. When he was on the mound, he was electric possessing what MLB.com called the best slider in the draft.
With a low-to-mid 90s fastball and a changeup, Prielipp projects as a frontline starter that ranked 25th overall on MLB.com's top draft prospects list.
The Twins have two more picks remaining on Sunday night, as they hold the 48th overall selection in the second round and the 68th overall pick in Competitive Balance Round B.
