Twins’ Brooks Lee Earns Gold Glove Finalist as Nod to Defensive Progress

He will be the only Minnesota Twins player this year, so it was great news this Wednesday to hear that third baseman Brooks Lee is among those selected as finalists for the 2026 Rawlings Gold Glove.

Each league has three finalists at each position, including the utility spot, which has been awarded since 2022. The winners will be announced on ESPN on Nov. 1, and alongside Lee, Caleb Durbin of the Boston Red Sox and Nick Loftin of the Kansas City Royals also stand out. Among them, Durbin is the favorite and the one who played the most time as a starter at the position, with 1,302 innings, while Lee appeared in 940 and Loftin in 582.

The greater amount of time at the position could determine some interesting points, especially because all three recorded 6 OAA and 5 Runs Prevented, per Statcast. However, Durbin also has an advantage in another very determining aspect: Fielding Run Value, where he recorded 6, in addition to showing the greatest ability to start double plays (In. DP), with 1, while Lee and Loftin dropped slightly to 5 and 0, respectively.

Minnesota Twins third baseman Brooks Lee (22). Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Lee still has to work on his movement to the left to make plays at third base, because he has had problems especially when right-handed batters are hitting. He is at -1 in Lateral Toward 1B, close to average, although in Success Rate he recorded 69%, his third-worst mark since 2024, with only his 67% at third base and 68% at shortstop last year below it.

Even so, Lee’s case is one of the most interesting to analyze here, since he did not have much previous experience at third base. He played only 97 innings in his debut season in 2024 with Minnesota, and last year he appeared in 285, sharing playing time with 595 innings as a shortstop and 253 at second base.

And I still believe this is only the beginning of everything Lee can continue to improve, especially if Kaelen Culpepper establishes himself as the team’s starting shortstop in 2027. That possibility would open up more playing time for Lee to focus on third base. I am a little skeptical about his arm strength, but mechanics and work can help him improve in that aspect. Among starting third basemen who made at least 180 throws this year, Lee finished in 10th place, with an average of 83.6 mph, remaining a little distant from Baltimore Orioles third baseman Coby Mayo, who led with 89.5.

Power is a key weapon, but Lee’s arm strength has not been a problem, since he is usually a good thrower to the bases. In 2026, he committed only seven errors, and three of them were throwing errors.

Lee Could Be Next in Minnesota’s Legacy

Third baseman Gary Gaetti (3) at the Skydome. Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

No one has won a Gold Glove as a Twins third baseman since Gary Gaetti did it in 1989, his fourth consecutive season. Gaetti won that last Gold Glove at age 30, while Lee has just played his third season at 25.

The last three Minnesota players to win the Gold Glove were Carlos Santana (1B) in 2024, and Byron Buxton (CF) and Brian Dozier (2B) in 2017.

Twins American League Gold Glove Winners

Earl Battey (C), 1961, 62
Vic Power (1B), 1962, 63
Jim Kaat (P), 1962, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72
Zoilo Versalles (SS), 1963, 65
Tony Oliva (RF), 1966
Gary Gaetti (3B), 1986, 87, 88, 89
Kirby Puckett (CF), 1986, 87, 88, 89, 91, 92
Chuck Knoblauch (2B), 1997
Torii Hunter (CF), 2001, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07
Doug Mientkiewicz (1B), 2001
Johan Santana (P), 2007
Joe Mauer (C), 2008, 09, 10
Byron Buxton (CF), 2017
Brian Dozier (2B), 2017
Carlos Santana (1B), 2024

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