Cal Poly shortstop turned down millions to play for his dad. How are his prospects now?
Cal Poly shortstop Brooks Lee could have been a first-round Major League Baseball draft pick after graduating from San Luis Obispo High School in 2019, potentially earning a $2 million signing bonus based on his projected ranking.
But, before the draft, he informed all 30 teams he’d play for his father as a Mustang, removing himself from consideration (the San Francisco Giants still drafted him in the 35th round, however, on the chance he’d change his mind).
After his first full season at Cal Poly this year, did Lee make the right decision?
“I’ve always never looked back,” Lee said. “No matter what happens, if I end my career and everything goes as planned, then I think I made the right choice.”
So far, everything is well on track — barring a severe hamstring injury he suffered in a Fall 2019 preseason tune-up game which required surgery, keeping him out of nearly all of the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
Using his time in the weight room to gain muscle while recovering and waiting out the subsequent COVID-19 hiatus, Lee bounced back in 2021 to lead the Mustangs in average (.342), home runs (10), and RBIs (57), while setting the school single-season record for doubles with 27.
“It was definitely a lot more fun to to rehab in college that it would have been in the pros,” Lee said.
Cal Poly finished its baseball season 31-25 (21-19 Big West Conference), winning 11 of its last 12 games.
Lee’s 2022 draft stock now ranks him in the top 10 overall in multiple MLB projections (No. 6 by Prospects Live and No. 8 by Perfect Game), after Lee was estimated to be the 37th overall pick out of SLO High in 2019, according to MLB.com.
After his freshman season, Lee was named to Collegiate Baseball’s All-American first team and he’s one of six finalists for the Brooks Wallace Award naming the nation’s top collegiate shortstop. He also earned Big West Conference Co-Field Player of the Year as well as Co-Freshman Field Player of the Year.
“It definitely helped me to train hard during quarantine and then go play summer ball after basically not playing for a year,” Lee said. “I’ve never had 10 home runs in my career. ... I’ve always been a singles hitter, but this year my hard-hit singles were turning into doubles and my hard-hit doubles were turning in home runs.”
Last summer, Lee played his offseason ball with the Willmar Stingers in Minnesota, where he posted a .345 batting average, with 51 hits, the second-highest total in the league, and 35 RBIs, good for fourth overall.
This summer, he’ll play in the prestigious Cape Code summer league, where many of the top names in baseball have played over the years, such as current MLB stars Kris Bryant, Aaron Judge and George Springer. In mid-summer, Lee will train with the Team USA collegiate team in North Carolina.
Adjusting to college ball
Because his father, Cal Poly Head Coach Larry Lee, would allow Brooks to play in scrimmages and inter-squad games since he was in seventh grade, his adjustment to college ball from high school was a bit smoother as an advanced player for his age.
“I didn’t have as much trouble as I would have if I didn’t have the opportunity (to practice with the team in high school) and especially because I was able to play summer ball last year,” Brooks said. “The reaction time on hitting is probably the biggest thing, because I can take a couple of steps back on defense if I have to. ... But some balls are crushed at you.”
Brooks said when at bat, he has a different approach for different pitchers. But he generally looks for fastballs and likes the middle to outer corner of the strike zone, waiting on off-speed and going the other way if he needs to.
“I didn’t get a lot of fastballs this year,” said Lee. “I was kind of mad about that. But it helps in my development going forward to see off-speed pitches. I see it as a benefit, and I definitely got better at hitting all of those types of pitches.”
Lee said some of the highlights of the season included the team winning two out of three against UCLA, a nationally ranked team. Lee went 7-for-14 performance in the series, including three doubles, one triple, one home run and seven RBIs.
“The UCLA series was awesome,” Lee said. “The (Bruins) were a regional team this year and they were ranked very high throughout the year. So winning that series was awesome. ... Going down to USC in the second week of the season, too, those are cool experiences that I’ll always hang on to.”
The Mustangs won two of three against USC in Los Angeles, with Lee going 5-for-14 with his first home run of the season and a three-RBI game in a 9-4 win.
After the Mustangs lost nine of 10 games late in the season, they bounced back to finish with a stretch of 11 victories in the last half of May to wrap up, losing just once to UC Davis in their final run.
“We had a slump, and then once we started hitting and getting the advantage back on our side, it helped the pitching to take all of the stress off their back, and having some support,” Lee said. “If we give up a few runs, we should be able to score enough to get those back.”
Lee said playing for his father will be memorable for the rest of his life.
“It has been great,” he said. “I mean, every single coach, no matter if it’s your dad or not, has its ups and downs. It was definitely a different experience. I try to play hard and everything, but in the moment I also try to take some time to enjoy it the best I can because it will be over next year. I want to remember these moments because they won’t last for that long.”
A bright future of pro ball
Players coming out of high school who choose college over professional ball must wait until after their junior season or their 21st birthday for draft eligibility, per MLB draft rules.
While Lee could stay for his senior year (he was a freshman this year), he plans to enter the draft at the age of 21 after one more season.
When he’s drafted, he’ll follow in the footsteps of his father, Larry, and uncles, Terry and Mike Lee, who each played professional baseball.
Terry Lee was a first-round pick of the San Francisco Giants in 1974, while Mike Lee signed a free-agent contract with the Giants in 1973, according to Cal Poly’s sports information staff.
Larry and Mike never made it to the top level of pro ball. But Terry had a 15-game stint with the Cincinnati Reds in 1991.
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Brooks Lee’s goal is to play at the highest level, wherever he ends up getting drafted. He tried not to think about it during the season, but he has contemplated the future more since the season’s end, he said.
“It kind of just gives you the drive, especially just wanting to get with the right team,” Lee said. “To be a top prospect is great, but it’s more just about making it to the big leagues. No matter where I get drafted, I’ll be ecstatic no matter what. It’s something that helps me keep going.”
As a switch-hitter, he strives to improve from both sides of the plate, hitting with more power as a righty this year (three home runs versus seven from the left side).
He said going into next year he’ll focus on improving his foot speed as a fielder, pitch recognition at the plate and handling certain pitches better.
Of the national exposure he’s receiving, Lee said: “I’m super grateful for it. It’s great for me but also to represent Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo. I’ve played for myself, but I also like playing for my family in the city and college.”
This story was originally published June 17, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Cal Poly shortstop turned down millions to play for his dad. How are his prospects now?."
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