Twins Daily 2025 Top Prospects: #8 Kaelen Culpepper, SS

[Cody Christie]

Minnesota’s current front office regime has focused on college bats in recent MLB Drafts. Their most recent first-round pick offers much to be excited about after a solid pro debut. 

 

Image courtesy of William Parmeter

Age: 21 (DOB: 12/29/2002)
2024 Stats (Low- and High-A): 26 G, .242/.330/.394, 4 2B, 3 HR, 11 BB, 15 K  
ETA: 2027
2024 Ranking: NR

National Top 100 Rankings
BA: NR | MLB: NR | ATH: NR | BP: NR

What’s To Like?
Kaelen Culpepper was drafted out of Kansas State University with the 21st overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. Culpepper brings a blend of athleticism, versatility, and approach that could make him a key asset for the Twins' future. Known for his defensive prowess, Culpepper is most comfortable at third base but has demonstrated enough range and arm strength to hold down shortstop and second base when needed.

Offensively, Culpepper offers a balanced skill set that combines contact and occasional power. During his final collegiate season, he hit .328/.419/.574 with 32 extra-base hits in 61 games. After turning pro, he showcased his ability to drive the ball into the gaps for power. In his very short time at Fort Myers, his 90th-percentile EV was 102.6 mph. He was also a patient hitter with a mature understanding of the strike zone, with 11 walks in 112 plate appearances. As he physically matures, the Twins can continue to refine his swing to build on his impressive exit velocities from pro debut. 

What’s Left To Work On?
Despite his many strengths, Culpepper still has areas to refine. The most significant developmental focus will likely be his power potential. He currently lacks the raw power seen in some of his peers. Some scouts describe his swing as being “flat,” which doesn’t allow him to drive the ball in the air. Even as a right-handed hitter, he struggled to hit lefties consistently, going 3-for-16 (.188) with one double and four strikeouts. The Twins' coaching staff may work with him to adjust his swing mechanics, to tap into more power without sacrificing his contact skills.

MLB Pipeline grades Culpepper as having 50 run grade (on the 20-80 scouting scale), while FanGraphs puts his speed at slightly above average (55). In his pro debut, he went 12-for-16 in stolen base attempts, but his running skills are likely going to show up outside the stolen base column. Yes, Culpepper has the potential to steal 15+ bases, but his speed will be more important in taking extra bases and turning singles into doubles. There is also a chance that he loses a step as he matures physically but that is something players sacrifice for more power.   

What’s Next?
Culpepper’s future is bright, and his path to the majors looks promising. With his defensive versatility and high baseball IQ, he projects as a player who could move quickly through the Twins' system. He finished the 2024 season at High-A, so he is projected to start the season back at that level. Players can prove a lot in the first full professional season and a lot of eyes will be on Culpepper as a former first round pick. 

In the best-case scenario, Culpepper could join the big-league roster in the next two years. His ceiling is as a Gold-Glove caliber third baseman, but he must continue to add power to stick at the hot corner. If Culpepper fails to stick on the left-side of the infield, he has more than enough defensive skills to slide over to second base. For a late first round pick, Culpepper offers a lot to be excited about. 

---

Do you agree with Culpepper’s ranking? What are your expectations for Culpepper in 2025? Leave a comment and start the discussion. 

View full article

[CrusherDoescher]

Question….Twins always draft SS but in reality those drafted SS never become SS. Why is this and is this a problem with our scouting department ?  For a position  of such great importance, you’d have to say the Twins have failed!

[LambchoP]

Good looking prospect. Twins sure do love to draft these athletic shortstops who always wins up elsewhere in the infield. His bat looks good plus he's actually right handed. I worry that we're going to have a bit of a logjam in the infield with guys like Lewis, Correa, Lee, Julien, Miranda, Eeles, Keaschal, Culpeper, Severino, Amick, Winokur, Doncon....of course we could trade some of these guys, and not all of them will reach the majors. Either way I can see Culpeper starting back at high A and ending the year with a good amount of at bats in AA.

[mikelink45]

12 minutes ago, CrusherDoescher said:

Question….Twins always draft SS but in reality those drafted SS never become SS. Why is this and is this a problem with our scouting department ?  For a position  of such great importance, you’d have to say the Twins have failed!

Teams in HS and college put their best athletes at SS - that does not mean that they are suited for that in the pros, but these teams have fewer choices.  If they have a SS they put their best in CF.  The positions they play at those levels are irrelevant going forward.

[mikelink45]

Is he positioned well for the end of the Correa contract?  We have an abundance of infielders and it will we interesting to see how the FO takes advantage of this after they establish their payroll and sell the team.  But right now the current MLB group, plus Eeles, Keaschall, and Culpepper makes a really full cupboard.  Is it enough for them to consider trading Lewis or Lee or Correa?  

[DJL44]

I expect Culpepper's development will not happen at an accelerated pace. Full season at High-A this year, Double-A next season. If he misses some time due to injury, he'll make his Twins debut in 2028 at age 25.

[chpettit19]

1 hour ago, CrusherDoescher said:

Question….Twins always draft SS but in reality those drafted SS never become SS. Why is this and is this a problem with our scouting department ?  For a position  of such great importance, you’d have to say the Twins have failed!

The failure of the Twins is in drafting guys who have high chances of sticking at SS in the majors. Being drafted as a SS and being a likely major league quality defensive SS are 2 very, very different things. The scouting hasn't been a problem, the Twins just tend to care more about the bat than the glove when drafting. Noah Miller being one of the more notable exceptions, but he was traded away.

But, generally speaking, you shouldn't pay much attention to the position listed when a player is drafted if your goal is to determine where they're likely to play if they reach the majors. It really doesn't mean much of anything when it comes to projections for where that guy is likely to play in the future. You want guys who played up the middle in high school and college as it likely means they were better athletes than their peers, but it doesn't mean they're all that likely to stick there as they progress.

[jmlease1]

He should be a fun one to watch. He struggled at Cedar Rapids for sure, but it's a fairly small sample and making the jump up to High A in your first professional season is impressive regardless of what happens in that final stop.

I think it's a good sign that he didn't just have a power explosion in his final year of college; he hit exactly the same his last two seasons at K-State, so that suggests it wasn't a mirage. And the Big 12 has quality competition. There's a lot to like here about his ability as a hitter, and if he can elevate his swing a little more while maintain strong contact skills he should be a dangerous hitter.

Cedar Rapids is a good place for him to start the season. Twins haven't been afraid to promote guys aggressively, so if he come out the gate firing and hits like he's capable of he could be in Wichita later in the year.

I hope the Twins don't walk away from his speed and just bulk him up and ignore his potential as a runner. I'm not expecting him to steal 40+, but they should be working on having players like him with good speed and the ability to swipe bags continue to refine it. there's good value-added in that and playing station to station baseball should be the default. 

[bean5302]

1 hour ago, mikelink45 said:

Is he positioned well for the end of the Correa contract?  We have an abundance of infielders and it will we interesting to see how the FO takes advantage of this after they establish their payroll and sell the team.  But right now the current MLB group, plus Eeles, Keaschall, and Culpepper makes a really full cupboard.  Is it enough for them to consider trading Lewis or Lee or Correa?  

No, and the chances he is able to replace a 4-5 WAR SS (one of the best players in the game) is 1% at best. Correa was the #1 overall draft selection in 2012 and arguably the best shortstop in MLB just a few years later. Culpepper struggled at the plate in A+ ball last year and his fielding is probably middle of the road at best. 25% shot making MLB at all right now.

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

I expect Culpepper's development will not happen at an accelerated pace. Full season at High-A this year, Double-A next season. If he misses some time due to injury, he'll make his Twins debut in 2028 at age 25.

Agreed. It's a good draft pick, with potential to start at short. 

[Doctor Gast]

Culpepper impressed me with defense at SS, he was a lot better than I expected, He's a very good line-drive hitter, with good contact & doesn't SO much. Leave him alone, don't bulk him out & try to make him into a slugger, he could be another Correa (Correa is big, isn't a slugger or runs fast but he has excellent instincts) if he doesn't sacrifice speed he does have for bulk.

[Mike Sixel]

18 minutes ago, Doctor Gast said:

Culpepper impressed me with defense at SS, he was a lot better than I expected, He's a very good line-drive hitter, with good contact & doesn't SO much. Leave him alone, don't bulk him out & try to make him into a slugger, he could be another Correa (Correa is big, isn't a slugger or runs fast but he has excellent instincts) if he doesn't sacrifice speed for bulk.

I'm with you here for the most part. I mean, he'll get bigger, but I hope that's isn't the focus

[GNess]

Bigger generally equates with stronger. Stronger is a good thing. No athlete is diminished by being stronger as long maintaining range of motion and flexibility are taken into account..

[mikelink45]

4 hours ago, bean5302 said:

No, and the chances he is able to replace a 4-5 WAR SS (one of the best players in the game) is 1% at best. Correa was the #1 overall draft selection in 2012 and arguably the best shortstop in MLB just a few years later. Culpepper struggled at the plate in A+ ball last year and his fielding is probably middle of the road at best. 25% shot making MLB at all right now.

You misunderstand what I am saying.  Correa is the SS now and next year.  Does he stay there as he is aging?  Who takes his place when he either is traded, moves positions or finishes his contract?

[bean5302]

42 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

You misunderstand what I am saying.  Correa is the SS now and next year.  Does he stay there as he is aging?  Who takes his place when he either is traded, moves positions or finishes his contract?

Ah, Correa is going to be the Twins shortstop for the foreseeable future. He's got 4 guaranteed years left on his contract, and he just turned 30. I'd be surprised if he moved off SS before that time period was up (a33 season).

No idea who the backup is at this point. The Twins are solidly incompetent when it comes to choosing defensive positions and coaching defense.

[DocBauer]

What i remember initially about him was a potential selection with the comp pick and questions about staying at SS. And would he have enough bat for 3B? He felt like a tweener to me.

As the draft got closer, I began to read more reports that he had legitimate SS potential. Post draft...and i have to watch him play a lick...I've heard and read reports from those that watched him that he's definitely a true SS, as long as he doesn't outgrow the position, always a possibility. Not a GG caliber SS, but potentially a solid one. 

His bat and approach appear solid based on college production, scouting reports, and a generally solid debut. While a powerful, line drive swing is great for doubles, if he can adjust his swing for a little more lift, I could see some increase in power potential. He's got a good frame, and I'd hate to see him bulk up a lot and lose the SS ability. If he really does have the potential to stick at SS, then I'd like to see them concentrate a little more on elevating the ball for pop/power vs big muscle increase and lose speed and flexibility. 

Of course, if he really has potential 20HR power and GG ability at 3B, that's pretty hard to argue with, right?

Again, I thought he might be a tweeter initially. And he wasn't my target at 21 this draft as I thought there were some higher upside players available. But as he's debuted and I've read and heard more, I think they got a pretty intriguing young player to work with that might fit at 3 different spots. I'm getting a little more excited about him than when he was initially a consideration.

No question he's at CR to begin 2025. But with a sound approach at the plate, I could see him at AA before the season is done. 

I can also see a scenario where one of he, Keaschall, or Lee is moved as part of a deal a young catcher from someone else.

 

[Fatbat]

21 hours ago, DJL44 said:

I expect Culpepper's development will not happen at an accelerated pace. Full season at High-A this year, Double-A next season. If he misses some time due to injury, he'll make his Twins debut in 2028 at age 25.

As a college age player, his D is already a plus and with a few refinements to his swing, he could be in AAA by the end of ‘25.  Its all about how quick his bat will play in the upper minors.  He wont be in Iowa long. 

[Trov]

23 hours ago, CrusherDoescher said:

Question….Twins always draft SS but in reality those drafted SS never become SS. Why is this and is this a problem with our scouting department ?  For a position  of such great importance, you’d have to say the Twins have failed!

This is common for most teams.  It is because out of HS or College the SS and CF are normally the best player on the team.  However, when you take all the best players on the teams and put them in 1 pool, only the best of the best will rise tot he top, and the others will filter down to other positions.  

SS can always shift to other positions, but other position players cannot normally shift to SS. Right now we have CC at SS who is better than anyone we have, so they have to find new positions at MLB level. However in a few years CC will most likely need to move off SS due to age, which will get maybe some like Culpepper a chance there. 

[Riverbrian]

On 11/18/2024 at 8:30 AM, CrusherDoescher said:

Question….Twins always draft SS but in reality those drafted SS never become SS. Why is this and is this a problem with our scouting department ?  For a position  of such great importance, you’d have to say the Twins have failed!

The best players on any college team or high school team tend to play SS. A college coach or high school coach isn't going to play their best player at 2B because he might project as a 2B in professional baseball. That player is going to be his SS because he is the best they got.

Teams draft the best players on any college team or high school team. 

Therefore an excess of SS's drafted.

Therefore the strong possibility of moving to another position or positions in their professional career when they find themselves surrounded by lots of drafted SS's in the system. 

The Twins are just like the other 29 teams in this regard.  

[Punto4President]

On 11/18/2024 at 7:30 AM, CrusherDoescher said:

Question….Twins always draft SS but in reality those drafted SS never become SS. Why is this and is this a problem with our scouting department ?  For a position  of such great importance, you’d have to say the Twins have failed!

This is true of all teams, the best players generally play SS but when they are drafted and play on much more competitive teams many of them switch positions. Teams draft a lot of SS that they know will not end up there.

[cmoss84]

Justin. Upton. 

 

Gonna be a stud. 

[twinstalker]

LOL.  He belongs around 20, admittedly ahead of DeBarge and Amick.