Brooks Lee impresses in first week of MLB baseball: ‘I’m just trying to enjoy it’

It’s barely been a week, but former San Luis Obispo High School and Cal Poly star Brooks Lee is off to a stellar start to his Major League Baseball career.

The 23-year-old switch-hitting infielder had at least one hit in all six of his first MLB games, including launching his first home run on July 6 in a 9-3 win over Houston, smashing a breaking pitch over the right field wall at Target Field in Minneapolis. Then he followed up with his second home run Wednesday against close friend and former roommate Drew Thorpe, who now pitches for the Chicago White Sox.

Called up to face the Detroit Tigers on July 3, Lee received a standing ovation from the home crowd in Minnesota, but he struck out looking.

From then on, Lee has been on a tear — recording 12 hits in 33 at-bats as of Wednesday, including a go-ahead single on the road in the top of the 11th inning versus the Chicago White Sox on Monday that proved to be the game-winning hit.

“Yeah, I tried to take in the moment in my first at-bat and I struck out looking,” Lee told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “So, I’ve just got back to playing normal baseball.

Lee was batting .364 with two home runs and nine RBI as of Wednesday. Lee has been playing third base after Royce Lewis went on the injured list with an abductor strain.

He’s also rapidly moved up in the batting order and hit leadoff for the first time on Wednesday.

“I didn’t know what to expect (at the major league level),” Lee told the Pioneer Press before Saturday’s game. “I just try to be the same player that I am, treat it as the same game.”

Getting to see him make the most of his opportunity, Lee’s parents Larry and Liz Lee flew out to watch their son play in the big leagues. They were shown on camera in the stands clapping after Lee launched his first home run over the fence in Minnesota.

“It’s very emotional for us as a family,” Larry Lee, Cal Poly’s longtime baseball coach, told KSTP Sports based in St. Paul, Minnesota, serving the Twin cities area.

“Brooks choose something that he wanted to do at a very young age, like a lot of kids in this country, and to have this come true, it’s just awesome for us,” Lee told the TV news station. “It’s great. We’re so happy for him and everything that he’s accomplished to get to this level and to continue to develop as a player, and hopefully be an impact player for a long time at this level.”

Larry Lee said that he realized his son could compete at a high level while representing Southern California and playing in the Area Code Games in Long Beach. The Area Code Games feature top high school players from around the country.

“For three days, you could see he was one of the better players in the country at that time,” Lee told KSTP. “But what also has really helped Brooks is that he’s very realistic about his ability, and he realizes what his strengths and weaknesses are. He makes those deficiencies his strengths. ... He calls me all the time. We have good talks. He’s a smart baseball player and understands the mechanics of a lot of different areas.”

Lee added that his son is good at making adjustments.

“Just recently, he had an at-bat left-handed for St. Paul (the Twins’ Triple-A team) and hit a home run,” Lee said. “It was at that moment I said ‘Alright, he’s ready.””

Liz Lee said, “It was such a happy moment for all of us as a unit” when she found out the news of his MLB callup from a smiling Brooks on Facetime while eating brunch at Lassen’s with her daughter, Brooks’ sister Jenna.

“I’m just trying to enjoy it and keep playing the way I do,” Lee told the Pioneer Press. “I’m sure things will fall into place. I pride myself on being a switch hitter, so I’m just making sure I’m ready from both sides of the plate, and I think things will take care of themselves.”