Fangraphs released their annual Top-100 Prospects list for the 2024 season, and there are some interesting developments regarding their Minnesota Twins representatives. Most notably, Brooks Lee (ranked No. 42 on their list) no longer finds himself as the best or second-best prospect in the organization, at least in the eyes of Eric Longenhagen and Tess Taruskin.
Instead, they see Emmanuel Rodriguez (No. 39) as the next best prospect, behind Walker Jenkins (No. 26). The entire list is comprehensive, thorough, and well worth your time. Fangraphs always puts out top-notch evaluations on a league-wide and team-by-team scale.
While Lee and Rodriguez are three spots apart on this list, their makeup is vastly mismatched. So, what are the key differences between these two exciting young players who seem to be passing each other on the same highway to the big leagues?
Strengths
Fangraphs’ list highlights some enticing strengths for both players, hence their inclusion on the front half of this prestigious list. Longenhagen and Taruskin laud Lee’s advanced approach, flashy defense, and strong first impression after the Twins drafted him 8th overall in 2022.
He’s still capable of moving the barrel all over the strike zone and makes lovely, all-fields contact. A lot of Lee’s underlying data is still pretty strong, especially his 87% in-zone contact rate and his expected batting average and wOBA based on contact quality. He finds creative ways to make timely, accurate throws, and even though it sometimes looks awkward and like he is making the play harder than it needs to be, Lee makes a lot of fun, flashy plays for a bigger dude.
However, they love Rodriguez’s game-changing raw power and laser-precise eye at the plate. While he may not look the part of a plus-fielder in center, they like his instincts that will carry him for the time being.
Rodriguez has absurd plate discipline rivaling that of org-mate Edouard Julien (chase rate below 20%, virtually no uptick with two strikes), as well as plus-plus measureable power (108 mph 90th% average), which is amazing at age 20. Rodriguez can also really go get it in center field. His reads, routes, instincts and ball skills in center are all spectacular, and right now he has the foot speed to play there.
Weaknesses
It’s hard to peg many tangible traits that should be considered weaknesses for these two players because both have played fewer than 200 professional games. But their skill sets have definite vulnerabilities, and some are likely to keep trending south as they break into big-league-caliber competition.
Lee must find a way to balance his stocky build with his spectacular defensive instincts.
There was a definite physical regression for Lee, who looked a little less trim and rangy than he did in 2022. We’re less certain about his shortstop projection now than we were a year ago because he looked less mobile later in 2023. It’s possible he was just gassed from playing many more games than he had before, or it’s possible Lee is more permanently outgrowing the position like a lot of clubs anticipated prior to the draft.
Lee’s offensive numbers took a noticeable but expected dip once he reached Triple-A (.237/.304/.428 clip in 38 games played). However, there were a few factors at play. First, the competition at Triple-A can be more challenging, with many MLB-caliber pitchers making regular appearances there. Second, Lee was playing deeper into the year than ever before, so he could be experiencing natural fatigue.
On the other hand, Longenhagen and Taruskin found vulnerabilities in Rodriguez’s ability to make consistent contact as he progressed through the minor leagues.
In many of Rodriguez’s swings you can see his stiffness, especially in his hips, which is atypical of impact career big leaguers. His compact build and short levers allow Rodriguez to turn on inside pitches with huge power, but he struggles badly to get on top of fastballs up and away from him, and his contact rates are near the bottom of the big league scale.
So clearly, Lee and Rodriguez have pivotal years ahead, both in terms of showcasing their incredible strengths and finding a way to balance them with their respective vulnerabilities. These prospect rankings aren’t meant to be seen as pole positioning for a race to the majors. Instead, they are a hypothesis for how high they might be able to soar based on current data and projections. Fangraphs’ write-ups show there is work to be done for each to reach their potential as everyday big-league players in the near future. Still, they give plenty of reason to be excited for two of the best prospects to come out of the organization in the last 10 years.
