Coaching your son at the Division I level is a difficult thing to navigate. It’s been said that the arrangement works best when the coach’s son is clearly a walk-on-type player who won’t play much. Or when the coach’s son is a superstar who no one can deny should be a centerpiece of the team.
Given that, Cal Poly coach Larry Lee is in an advantageous situation, because his son Brooks Lee is not only the best player on the Cal Poly roster—he’s also one of the best players in the country. No one is going to cry about nepotism when Brooks hits in the middle of the order and starts at shortstop, the most prominent position on the infield every day.
“If you coach your son in college, he better be really good or you know there’s a chance you get some flack from the outside world,” Larry said.
As Brooks played at San Luis Obispo (Calif.) High and on the showcase circuit, it would become clear just how talented and advanced he was, but there were earlier hints.
By seventh grade, Brooks was catching bullpens at Cal Poly. In eighth grade, when Cal Poly was short a guy or two during scrimmages, Larry would put his son in the field at second base or shortstop.
Those opportunities were a window into the competitive nature of a young Brooks Lee and illustrated his high standards.
Here he was fielding hotshot grounders and trying to turn double plays against Division I players in some cases eight years older than he was, and he was still bothered by the mistakes he made in those scrimmages.
“I still remember everything about it,” Brooks said. “I still remember all the errors I made and how fast the ball was going.”
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THE SERVICE TIME CONUNDRUM
MLBâs byzantine service time rules cloud rookie status and now PPI eligibility
LUIS TIANT WAS MLB'S MOST SUCCESSFUL CUBAN PITCHER
On a scouting trip to Cuba in 1957, Bobby Avila discovered 16-year-old righthander Luis Tiant on the island's Juvenile League all-star team.
ORGANIZATION REPORT
Outfielder Heston Kjerstad's career has been unique, to say the least.
TOP 10 NL EAST
From the moment Thomas White stepped on a high school mound, he was viewed as the top lefthander available in the 2023 draft.
PREPARATION PAYS OFF
lowa politician J.D. Scholten makes a surprising return to pro ball at age 44
MAKING THE GRADE
Assessing the future value of graduated National League prospects
TOP 10 NL WEST
Even in high school, Bryce Eldridge could hit the ball a mile. The 6-foot-7 righthander could also touch 96 mph off the mound.
Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.
Aaron Judge and Oneil Cruz are 6-foot7 sluggers who stand out for their power in this yearâs MLB Best Tools voting. Wood spent half of this season with Triple-A Rochester before making his MLB debut on July 1. While he was in the International League, he captured managersâ attention. Wood unanimously won Best Power Prospect and also claimed Most Exciting Player in a survey of league skippers. Wood hit .353/.463/.595 with 10 home runs in 52 games for Rochester. His .242 isolated slugging was the best for a player 21 or younger at Triple-A this season.
ROAD BLOCK?
Scholarship expansion puts mid-majors at a major disadvantage on the road to Omaha
ROYALS REVIVAL
A revamped and rejuvenated farm system has Kansas City ready to rebound