Max Kepler - 2015

[bluechipper]

Max Kepler

 

DOB: 2/10/1993 in Berlin, Germany- 22 years old

Position: Outfield and 1B

Height: 6'4

Weight: 205

Bats: Left

Throws: Left

 

Signed by the Twins as an International Free Agent on July 11, 2009 for $800,000, which is the largest bonus ever given to a European-born player. 

 

Kepler will begin the 2015 season in Double-A with the Chattanooga Lookouts where he will be a member of a very talented outfield.

 

2014 Statistics: At High-A Fort Myers: 407 PA, .264/.333/.393 (.726), with 20 doubles, 6 triples, 5 home runs, 59 RBIs, and 6 stolen bases, but those numbers were helped by a very strong second half of the season.

Kepler also got 75 ABs in the Arizona Fall League. He hit well, with a .307/.366/.440.

 

MLB.com ranks Max Kepler as the Twins #16 prospect. They describe solid skills across the board, with his tools graded as: Hit: 50, Power: 45, Run: 50, Arm: 45, Field: 50.

[jokin]

 

Max Kepler

 

DOB: 2/10/1993 in Berlin, Germany- 22 years old

Position: Outfield and 1B

Height: 6'4

Weight: 205

Bats: Left

Throws: Left

 

Signed by the Twins as an International Free Agent on July 11, 2009 for $800,000, which is the largest bonus ever given to a European-born player. 

 

Kepler will begin the 2015 season in Double-A with the Chattanooga Lookouts where he will be a member of a very talented outfield.

 

 

 

Max is not listed on the Lookouts roster, still on the Miracle roster:  

http://www.milb.com/roster/index.jsp?sid=t509

 

And he isn't in either lineup, either today or opening day.  I hope not more injury issues?

[bluechipper]

 

Max is not listed on the Lookouts roster, still on the Miracle roster:  

http://www.milb.com/roster/index.jsp?sid=t509

 

And he isn't in either lineup, either today or opening day.  I hope not more injury issues?

You are right. Max Kepler will begin the 2015 season back in Fort Meyers, even though it originally appeared as though he would be headed up to Chattanooga.

 

Kepler is also dealing with a left forearm strain, but apparently is nearing being back to 100%.

[bluechipper]

Kepler got game action for the first time tonight in the Miracle's third game. He played RF and batted cleanup and got two ABs before being replaced by Jason Kanzler.

[bluechipper]

Max picked up his first hit of the season tonight after dealing with a left forearm strain that only allowed him to play in one of the first six Miracle games. He finished 1 for 4 and also added a stolen base.

[Shane Wahl]

I do think that the majority of 2015 will be spent at Chattanooga still.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I do think that the majority of 2015 will be spent at Chattanooga still.

 

Agreed. 

[jokin]

 

I do think that the majority of 2015 will be spent at Chattanooga still.

 

Agreed. 

 

I would hope so, this is his second year on the 40-man, if this would turn out to be another lost season, Kepler's hourglass would be running pretty low.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I would hope so, this is his second year on the 40-man, if this would turn out to be another lost season, Kepler's hourglass would be running pretty low.

 

Agreed, if he's not in AA this year, he's probably not on the 40 man next year.

[bluechipper]

Max had his first multi-hit game of the year tonight. He went 2 for 4 with a walk and his second double and is now batting .263.

[bluechipper]

Max has been called up to Double-A Chattanooga. After spending all of 2014 with the Miracle, he only played in 6 games in Fort Meyers this year, where he hit .250/.308/.333 in his 26 plate appearances.

[Mike Sixel]

He's on the 40 man, they need to see what he can do this year......so moving him up made sense to me.

[bluechipper]

Kepler picked up his first Double-A hit last night, a double. He played LF and batted seventh and went 1 for 3 with a run scored on the game. 

[bluechipper]

Max hasn't done much offensively in recent games. Since his promotion to Double A he's hitting .185/.214/.296 in 7 games with a double, a triple, and a stolen base.

[bluechipper]

Through 54 ABs with Double-A Chattanooga, Max has a solid .278/.316/.407 (.723) line, with 3 doubles, 2 triples, and 3 stolen bases.

[bluechipper]

Max has kept up his recent hot streak by hitting his first homerun of the season last night.

 

Through his first 91 PA in Chattanooga, Max's triple slash line is .326/.363/.500 (.863), with 8 doubles, 2 triples, 1 homerun, and 8 RBI. He is also 5/6 on stolen base attempts, and his SO/BB is 5/9.

[bluechipper]

Kepler has continued to have a solid season in Chattanooga. Through 179 PA, his line is .299/.352/.488 (.840). He has 2 HR and 21 RBI to go along with 17 doubles, 4 triples, and 8 stolen bases, with a 14/20 BB/SO ratio.

 

Although Max has never hit more than 10 HR in a season (which he did In 2012 in Elizabethton), I'd be more encouraged to see more than just 2 HR so far on the season for a guy who is a corner OF/1B.

 

On the positive side, his SLG is solid due to his high number of doubles, so hopefully that translates to an uptick in HR in the near future.

[nytwinsfan]

I really don't understand why they have him playing 1B. I think that is a huge mistake. He is hitting as well or better than Harrison, and by all accounts, his outfield defense is better than Harrison (and maybe Walker) and his overall value as an outfielders is probably higher than Harrison and Walker (both of whom are legit prospects in their own right and neither of whom I am disparaging).  And Mauer is going to be 1B for the next three years, or if he's not, then wow, something bigger and probably really bad is going on. Even if Mauer isn't the 1B for the next three years, just hypothetically, someone like Vargas, Plouffe, or Sano probably will be. So I just don't understand the reason for keeping Kepler at 1B.

 

The only things I can think of are (1) that Kepler's outfield defense is so solid that he doesn't need the reps there as much as Harrison, and could diversify his defensive flexibility by learning how to play infield defense, or more likely (2) given his history of recent injuries they want to reduce the chances of another arm injury on a diving catch, at least until he gets the bat going for a significant period of time.

 

But if it is not (2), which I could buy, then I think the Twins organization is making a mistake by not keeping Kepler as primarily an outfielder.

[bluechipper]

.341/.400/.557 (.957) in 205 PA, with 3 HR, 26 RBI, 17 doubles, 7 triples, 9 stolen bases, and a 19/23 BB/SO ratio.

 

Leads the Southern League in BA, 3rd in doubles, 3rd in SLG (to only Adam Brett Walker and Kyle Schwarber), 2nd in OPS, and 2nd in triples (to Byron Buxton). Not too bad.

[amjgt]

I'm struggling to come up with a player that Kepler profiles like.

 

High average (moreso this year than in the past)

15-20 SB speed

Not a ton of power, maybe 10-15 HR eventually, but good XBH potential

Looks to me like he could play 1b, corner OF, or CF in a pinch.

 

Is what we are projecting Eddie Rosario to be, a decent comp?

 

Kubel before his knee exploded?

[Guest]

I hadn't thought about it that way, but the pre-injury Kubel might not be a bad comp. If anything, Kepler may be a more overall-athletic version of the young Kubel.

[nytwinsfan]

Yeah, hitting-wise maybe, but Kepler is much bigger and probably more athletic than even pre-injury Kubel.

[nytwinsfan]

Wow, in addition to going 3 for 3 with 2 walks, check out Kepler's awesome game-ending (and game-saving) catch to win it last night (video at the bottom): http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20150629&content_id=133536112&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_l111&sid=l111

 

But by all means, tell me again about how he's our First Baseman of the future. . .

 

[bluechipper]

.336/.412/.540 (.952) in 257 PA. 3 HR, 32 RBI, 21 Doubles, 8 Triples, 12 SB.

[bluechipper]

.337/.418/.553 (.971) in 323 PA, 6 HR, 46 RBI, 25 Doubles, 9 Triples, 13 SB.

 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Wow, in addition to going 3 for 3 with 2 walks, check out Kepler's awesome game-ending (and game-saving) catch to win it last night (video at the bottom): http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20150629&content_id=133536112&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_l111&sid=l111

 

But by all means, tell me again about how he's our First Baseman of the future. . .

 

And he replaces who in the OF? buxton? Hicks? Rosario?

 

that's the issue, if he's a MLB hitter, I'd want him on the roster, not sitting in AAA or AA because he's an OF and he needs to only play OF.

 

Btw, I'd be cool if they made space for him......

[nytwinsfan]

 

And he replaces who in the OF? buxton? Hicks? Rosario?

 

that's the issue, if he's a MLB hitter, I'd want him on the roster, not sitting in AAA or AA because he's an OF and he needs to only play OF.

 

Btw, I'd be cool if they made space for him......

 

I just posted a long post answering this question.  FYI, Buxton is likely to be out for a few more weeks.

[drjim]

People should brace themselves that barring an injury or two he isn't going to be called up in September.

 

Buxton and Arcia are ahead of him on the depth chart and they aren't going to call him up to sit on the bench.

 

Enjoy the awesome breakout season, his shooting up the prospect rankings in the offseason, and the fact he will get a good solid look in the spring before being sent down, likely as the first callup if an of/1b/dh is needed.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I just posted a long post answering this question.  FYI, Buxton is likely to be out for a few more weeks.

 

I thought we were talking about the future, like next year or the year after.....

[nytwinsfan]

Kepler continues to put up video game numbers. In his last 10 games he is hitting .361/.467/.806 (1.272) with 4 HR, 3 SB, 0 CS, and an 8/8 K/BB ratio.

 

His line at Chattanooga for the season is now at .334/.419/.554(.973).

 

Can he break 1.000 OPS?!?