2025 Cedar Rapids Kernels Roster Preview: Big Tools and the Best of 2024 Draft Class in Store

[Jamie Cameron]

The Cedar Rapids Kernels start their season on Friday, April 4th, in a three-game set at the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Let’s take a look at an exciting 2025 Kernels roster.

Image courtesy of © Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Coaching Staff: The Cedar Rapids Kernels coaching staff for 2025 includes both returning and familiar faces. Manager Brian Meyer will be with the Kernels for his first season there, replacing Brian Dinkelman, who managed them for the past five seasons. Joining him are newcomers at pitching coach (Hunter Townsend), hitting and development coach (Julian Gonzalez), lead athletic trainer (Taylor Carpenter), assistant athletic trainer (Morgan Leichtenberger) and baseball technology fellow (Marcus Hill). Pitching coach Argenis (AJ) Angulo and hitting coach CJ Baker return for their second seasons in Cedar Rapids, while strength and conditioning coach Blake Kretovics is back for his third campaign.

Pitchers: Spencer Bengard, Ross Dunn, Tanner Hall, Alejandro Hidalgo, Ty Langenberg, Jeremy Lee, Juan Mendez, Juan Mercedes, Jack Noble, Jose Olivares, Paulshawn Pasqualotto, Samuel Perez, Wilker Reyes, Charlee Soto, Jacob Wosinski, Gabriel Yanez.

There’s plenty of talented pitching on the Kernels' roster. The rotation will be composed of Charlee Soto, Alejandro Hidalgo, Tanner Hall, Jose Olivares, Ty Langenberg and Ross Dunn. Of that crop, Soto will garner the most attention. He’s a fringe top-100 prospect now, and touched 100 mph in spring training after a solid debut season in Fort Myers. Langenberg went to the post consistently in 2024. In 108 innings across Fort Myers and Cedar Rapids, he managed a 3.28 FIP, an 18.9 K-BB% and added velocity across his arsenal. Dunn and Hall will look to take a step forward after peaks and valleys in 2024, while Olivares, just 22, performed well in Fort Myers in 2024, striking out 23.2% of hitters while managing a 2.82 FIP in 46 innings.

Catchers: Nate Baez, Khadim Diaw
Diaw is the headliner for the Kernels catching crop. The Twins' third-round selection from the 2024 MLB Draft, he got off to a solid start for Fort Myers at the end of last season, managing a 114 wRC+ and walking almost as much as he struck out in a 24-game professional debut. Baez will return to Cedar Rapids after finishing the 2024 season with the Kernels. The Twins' 2022 12th-rounder hit well in 2024, managing a 117 wRC+ in 82 games at High A in a more slug-reliant offensive profile.

Infielders: Billy Amick, Kaelen Culpepper, Danny De Andrade, Kyle DeBarge, Rayne Doncon, Brandon Winokur
On paper, the infield group is undoubtedly the strength of the Kernels roster. The Twins' first three picks from the 2024 draft are represented, in Kaelen Culpepper, Kyle DeBarge, and Billy Amick. Culpepper demolished pitching at Fort Myers before slowing down in a brief Midwest League debut in 2024. DeBarge showed signs of a good approach at the plate, but suffered from an elevated ground ball rate in the early going at Fort Myers. Amick started slowly, but heated up over the final two weeks of the season, finishing with a 121 wRC+ and showing an impressive 15.6% walk rate.

Doncon returns to Cedar Rapids after 56 games there in 2024. He held his own in his first stint at High A, managing a .730 OPS and showing solid defense at third base, while looking a little limited at shortstop. De Andrade played just 29 games due to injury in 2024. One of the better defensive shortstops in the Twins system, he’ll be looking to make up for lost time.

Finally, one of the prospects who excited Twins fans the most this spring, Brandon Winokur, will likely split time between shortstop and the outfield in 2025. A gifted athlete, he managed a 116 wRC+ in a full 94-game season at Fort Myers as a 19-year-old, mashing 14 home runs on the way. He’ll remain one of the most fun Twins prospects to follow in 2025, due to the massive upside his profile provides.

Outfielders: Jaime Ferrer, Gabriel Gonzalez, Kyle Hess, Caden Kendle, Misael Urbina.
The Kernels outfield features a pair of 2024 draftees, in Jaime Ferrer and Caden Kendle. Ferrer looked strong in his debut at Fort Myers, managing a .748 OPS and 122 wRC+ in a 24-game sample, while Kendle quietly demonstrated excellent bat-to-ball skills, striking out just 10.5% of the time. Gonzalez will be looking for a bounce-back season in 2025. Acquired in the Jorge Polanco trade, he was limited to just 82 games in 2024 through injury. 

Injured List: Miguelangel Boadas (60 Day IL), Matt Gabbert (7 Day IL), Xander Hamilton (60 Day IL), Rafael Marcano (7 Day IL), Nolan Santos (60 Day IL), Jose Salas, INF (7 Day IL).

The Cedar Rapids roster will be a fun follow in 2025. A particularly talented infield composed primarily of the top of the Twins' 2024 draft class is supplemented by high-upside prospects in Soto and Winokur. I’ll be interested to see which pitchers from this group take a step forward in 2025. I’d expect Langenberg and Dunn to pitch effectively, based on reports from Twins spring training. 

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Who are you most excited to see in Cedar Rapids in 2025? Who's being overrated? Weigh in by leaving a comment.

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[DJL44]

Why isn't DeAndrade in Wichita?

[jmlease1]

19 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Why isn't DeAndrade in Wichita?

Probably because he missed so much time last season that they want to at least have a reality check with him at high A before slotting up up to Wichita? He hasn't quite turned 21 yet, so seems fine.

Winokur is a fascinating prospect. He's got great athleticism, but still probably won't be able to stick at SS (I've heard Culpepper is definitely better there), so does it make sense to move him now, especially with DeAndrade & Culpepper both at Cedar Rapids? It sounds like he's plenty athletic for the OF, and it wouldn't hurt at all to have him as a giant target at 1B... I'll be interested to see how he hits this season.

Soto is very exciting and I'm glad he's in high A where he'll get challenged more. Looking forward to seeing how he refines his pitches this season.

[rdehring]

Very interesting group who should provide a wonderful season for the Cedar Rapids fans.

A bit disappointing that DeAndre and Winokur will both be with the Kernels.  With the Twins needing a couple big time prospects at shortstop, would be nice if both of these young men got to play the position every night.  Unfortunately, I don't know how a team can have two shortstops in the lineup every night.

Has to be a bit disappointing for both the Twins and Gonzalez that he is back in Hi-A for another year.  You didn't mention Urbina in your report.  Also a bit surprising he is repeating Hi-A, isn't it? 

[Mike Sixel]

I would also like the SS spread out more!

[LambchoP]

I think Winokur and Soto are the most promising and most fun to watch develop this year. Can Soto put together a full healthy season of good numbers and possibly make his AA debut this year? Can Winokur stick at short since we're going to need an MLB caliber SS soon? It's also an important season for Gabby Gonzalez. Hopefully last year was a fluke and he can put together a good solid year and put up some offensive numbers. Aside from whatever we get from Topa this year, Gonzalez is our last chance to get something out of the Polanco trade. It's looking like it might be more fun following the minor league teams rather than the MLB club this year 😂

[jrod23]

Bring on the Kernels!!!

[DocBauer]

1B will be a rotating player of the day?

Jaimie Ferrer was a catcher in HS and was listed on the Future Game roster as a catcher. Was that a misprint or might he be spending some time behind the plate?

That INF is going to be fun to watch, but it is crazy it's almost entirely SS.

Is this the season Hall finds enough velocity to have a break through? I think Langenberg is at AA by the 2nd half of the season. 

This could be a really fun team to follow this season!

 

[FlyingFinn]

1 hour ago, DocBauer said:

That INF is going to be fun to watch, but it is crazy it's almost entirely SS.

That really confuses me. Culpepper and DeAndrade should be at SS almost every day IMO. DeAndrade's bat must not be improving and thus he is repeating Cedar Rapids. He's in danger of being Noah Miller but not quite as good on D, maybe only a hair better at the plate.

[Mike Sixel]

35 minutes ago, FlyingFinn said:

That really confuses me. Culpepper and DeAndrade should be at SS almost every day IMO. DeAndrade's bat must not be improving and thus he is repeating Cedar Rapids. He's in danger of being Noah Miller but not quite as good on D, maybe only a hair better at the plate.

Deandre was hurt almost all last year, so it can't be his bat, as they can't judge it....

[gman]

I'm thinking Winokur should split time between outfield and first base. I haven't seen Culpepper play enough, but I still think DeAndrade could be Correa's replacement at shortstop in 2 years.

[Linus]

It would be so Twins like to finally have a SS prospect with upside in Winokur and not let him play there. None of those other guys have anywhere the ceiling Winokur has.