Minnesota Twins Prospect Hot Sheet, June 2, 2025: Two Prospects Entering Top-100 Territory

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge

Welcome to the Twins Prospect Hot Sheet! We will take a weekly view of multiple players rising on prospect lists due to their recent performance. This could be some of the organization’s top-ranked prospects, but it could also be some under-the-radar names that are putting themselves on the prospect map. Let’s dive in and see who makes this week’s Hot Sheet.

SS Kaelen Culpepper, Cedar Rapids Kernels
The Twins selected Culpepper with the 21st pick in last June’s MLB Draft, from Kansas State University. He was coming off a strong junior season, during which he posted a .993 OPS while transitioning to shortstop after playing third base earlier in his collegiate career. After signing with the Twins, Culpepper started his professional career by going 11-for-37 (.297) with five extra-base hits in nine Low-A games. Minnesota promoted him to High-A to end the year, where he struggled with a .616 OPS and a 13-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Still, there were high hopes for him entering the season. 

Hitting the Hot Button: Culpepper missed a little time during the season’s first month with a right wrist strain, but he’s shown no signs of slowing down since returning. Over his last 32 games, he has hit .295/.400/.470 with six home runs and five doubles. He’s gone 11-for-13 in stolen base attempts during that stretch and recorded nearly as many walks (19) as strikeouts (26). He’s cut back on his strikeout rate compared to college, which was likely one of the reasons he fell to the Twins in the draft. The Kernels have also been using him at shortstop every day. The Athletic’s Keith Law updated his top 50 prospects last week, and Culpepper was ranked 45th overall. As Law said, “He’s an above-average shortstop who might get a little better with more consistency, and I might have undersold his bat a little on draft day.”

LHP Connor Prielipp, Wichita Wind Surge
Prielipp is a name familiar to Twins prospect fans, ever since the club took him in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft. Fully healthy, he would have been a first-round pick, but he was returning from Tommy John surgery, raising questions about his durability. Sure enough, injuries have limited him to 30 total innings during his first two professional seasons. There was a lot of buzz surrounding Prielipp this spring, including his three pitches, all of which can be considered plus offerings. 

“It’s three 60s -- and the slider might be a 70,” Twins farm director Drew MacPhail said about Prielipp’s pitches on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. “He’s gotten a little slider-happy, which we understand because it’s so good. We want him to mix all three a little more evenly; the changeup is a real weapon. When he’s mixing all three, he’s pretty lethal.”

Hitting the Hot Button: Like Culpepper, Prielipp was featured on Law’s updated top prospect list—in that case, as an Honorable Mention—making him a borderline top-100 prospect. The Twins have been careful with his workload this season, as he has yet to throw more than 55 pitches in a game and has pitched a maximum of four innings. Still, the results speak for themselves. He has a 32.1% strikeout rate, with a career-best 5.5% walk rate. Wichita placed Prielipp on its developmental list on May 24, a move that was expected and allows the team to control his innings this season. He returned on Sunday and pitched four shutout innings, with four strikeouts and one walk. There is a chance the Twins could move him to a bullpen role later in the year, if the big-league club needs a lefty with a potential triple-digit fastball and a great slider. (Quick, try to name a club that doesn't.)

RHP Eli Jones, Fort Myers Miracle
Jones may not be as familiar to fans as the other two players on this week’s Hot Sheet. Minnesota selected him in the seventh round of the 2024 MLB Draft, from the University of South Carolina. In his final collegiate season, he posted a 5.24 ERA with a 1.60 WHIP across 68 2/3 innings in the SEC. After signing last season, the Twins waited to have him make his professional debut until the 2025 campaign. He had pitched a career-high number of innings during his junior year, and the results didn’t match those of his sophomore season. It made sense to have him rest and be ready for the spring. 

Hitting the Hot Button: In April, Jones struggled to find his footing, as he allowed 12 earned runs in 22 innings with a 1.36 WHIP. His results have improved significantly since the calendar turned to May. In 21 2/3 innings, he has allowed nine earned runs (3.74 ERA) with a 21-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Batters posted a .656 OPS against him in the season’s first month, and he dropped that by over 100 points in May. In two of his last three appearances, he has compiled seven strikeouts in six innings or less. He’s a long way from Target Field, but his changes over the last month are certainly something to keep an eye on. 

Culpepper and Prielipp’s early-round draft status already places them among the best prospects in the Twins organization. However, their performance so far in 2025 is catching national attention, and they will likely start showing up on other lists later this summer. Both players have a chance to advance to the next level later this summer. Jones isn’t among the team’s top prospects, but he’s showing promising signs. The Twins have had success with developing pitchers taken in the later rounds, and Jones can fit this mold.

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Which prospect has seen their stock rise the most this season? Leave a comment and start the discussion. 

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[mikelink45]

I am going to enjoy this feature.  Not sure it is worth a weekly column, but still the movement of prospects on TD and nationally is fun to follow.

[Tiantwindup]

29 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

I am going to enjoy this feature.  Not sure it is worth a weekly column, but still the movement of prospects on TD and nationally is fun to follow.

I will mildly disagree. I think is is a great feature and am fine with it being a weekly offering!

[jmlease1]

Nice to see Culpepper getting some national love. He's responded very well with being pushed up to High A and in addition to showing a good bat is looking like someone who can stick at SS.

Prielipp has always had the talent to be a big-time prospect, just questions about whether or not he could get healthy/stay healthy. This season he's really getting the chance to show his talent. Still not sure what his eventual role will be, because of his health history, but I will not be surprised at all if he';s with the Twins this season.

[Possumlad]

Full disclosure, I posted this same thing in an older less active thread:

 

ESPN (Kiley McDaniel) just updated their team-by-team top 10 Prospects lists. 

 

They have Khadim Diaw (Catcher) number #9 overall for the Twins w/ this note: "I liked Diaw and Schobel before the year and they have taken big steps forward this season."

 

Haven't seen almost any discussion of Diaw around these parts. Although I may have just totally missed some discussions. Anyone who spends time on these things have any thoughts or insights? Always nice to a see Catching prospect in the top 10.

 

Diaw was our 3rd rounder in 2024 out of Loyola Marymount. 21 Years old. Played 24 games last year at Fort Myers (0.715 OPS). Been at Cedar Rapids (High A) this whole year - 38 Games, 116ABs, 0.886 OPS

[FlyingFinn]

25 minutes ago, Possumlad said:

Haven't seen almost any discussion of Diaw around these parts. Although I may have just totally missed some discussions. Anyone who spends time on these things have any thoughts or insights?

The real bummer right now is that he is on IL.

[Dman]

43 minutes ago, Possumlad said:

Haven't seen almost any discussion of Diaw around these parts. Although I may have just totally missed some discussions. Anyone who spends time on these things have any thoughts or insights? Always nice to a see Catching prospect in the top 10.

 

Diaw was our 3rd rounder in 2024 out of Loyola Marymount. 21 Years old. Played 24 games last year at Fort Myers (0.715 OPS). Been at Cedar Rapids (High A) this whole year - 38 Games, 116ABs, 0.886 OPS

There hasn't been a ton of posting about Diaw, but until fairly recently there hasn't been much to go on.  In some ways it was a bit of a slow start to the season for him.  Lot's of singles and a fair amount of walks, but no power.  His defense hasn't been great but not horrible either.  It wasn't until he recently tapped into some power and moved his OPS up that people started to take notice.  

A week or two ago I mentioned in a post that both Diaw and Culpepper were worthy of being bumped to AA.  If room you could put DeBarge in there as well and Baez.  Cedar Rapids is in the hunt for a playoff spot being just behind Quad Cities so the Twins might slow play it a little bit (less than a Month) until half the year is over before moving them up.  

Diaw is the most athletic catcher I have seen the Twins pick in a long time and it is starting to look like he can hit as well.  Probably no hurry to move him but the sooner he can handle AA the sooner he can be an option at the Major league level.  It feels like he has a ways to go defensively as well, but this is only his first year so to be expected.  A lot of baseball left and catchers get dinged up so it is hard to keep their numbers up.  I don't think I would have him on my top 100 list, but he could fit in the top ten for the Twins. There is a fair bit of competition for those top ten spots though so he could be just outside it as well.

It seemed like the Twins thought he was a steal in the 3rd round and so far it looks like they might be right.  He was injured a fair amount in college so more of a projection pick.  We'll know more once he gets to AA.

[Dman]

A little surprised no mention of Hill for top 100 with his great K rate, very nice WHIP and while his FIP is little higher than you would like the ERA is a shiny 1.80.  Only 20 innings pitched so likely too small a sample to get him top 100 love, but if can keep this going gotta believe he makes it.  Pretty rare for a high school arm to come up in his his first pro year and be more dominant than most college arms.

[jkcarew]

Diaw: .it’s 100% about whether he’ll be a legit mlb-level catcher from a defensive standpoint. 
 

Hill is just so far away still it’s tough to make the top 100 quite yet.

I’d have ERod close to dropping out of the top 100.

[Dman]

22 minutes ago, jkcarew said:

I’d have ERod close to dropping out of the top 100.

I hear you on Rodriguez.  He had a 560 OPS in April which is typically his slugging percentage not his OPS.  Absolutely brutal numbers for a top prospect.  Still in May he has redeemed himself with a .950 OPS which is more in line with top prospect status.  Of course now he is hurt again as well so he still has that narrative. 

He typically has been a slow starter so I wouldn't have him out of the top 100 just yet.  One cold month and one hot one and once he gets going he generally has been just fine the rest of the way unless injured.  So we'll see.

[DocBauer]

As a fan, I sooo want to scream: "get Culpepper and DeBarge up to AA NOW"!

But then I stop and remember they were both still in college this time last season and it's only June 2nd. STILL, when top college players are performing this well, I can't believe they won't be promoted by July 1st.

I feel the same way about Prielipp. And I still a future with him as a SP if they just keep building him up. He's performing at a phenomenal level, even with a roughly 50 pitch cap right now. And then I remember how little he's pitched and the Twins comment they want to see a little better mix of his pitches. So im also thinking a few more weeks at AA can only help right? Good chance he's at 60 pitches his next start, or the one after that. He can be at AAA come July 1st and still have his IP monitored with a chance to help the Twins in September, and possibly beyond. 

Not mentioned was Schobel who I was begining to write off. But he's solved AA. I think he's about ready for AAA as well. Betting he moves up when Culpepper and DeBarge both do.

Diaw is athletic enough to have played some CF in college, and has done so in MILB when not behind thr plate. He's got real potential behind the plate, and AT the plate. But catchers are seldom "born" and drafted as great prospects. They usually have to be developed, at least to some degree. No matter how well he hits this season, I'd be OK if he just grew and learned at A+ this season and got ready for AA in 2026.

[twinstalker]

Thanks for this.  Not sure Jones is "hot," but it's interesting to get the update on his improvement over the month, just in case.

[Aerodeliria]

I really hope DeBarge's bat plays well enough to hit .250 in bigs. He is one of those players who can create havoc for the other team simply by coaxing a walk.

[FlyingFinn]

Not really a note on prospects but the Twins released Mike Ford, the player with the most AB's in St. Paul. Wonder if that means Sabato is moving up to AAA.

[LambchoP]

Culpeper and DeBarge have looked great in A ball this year but the real story has been Gabby Gonzalez. He hasn't slowed down at all since moving up to AA. Maybe he makes it to AAA this year? Pitching wise both Prelipp and Dasan Hill are very talented intriguing lefties. They both have nasty strikeout stuff but don't seem to be able to go more than a couple innings. Hill is farther away than Prelipp but if Connor can continue getting hitters out, maybe after a bump to St Paul, maybe a debut in the pen could be in his future. We need a good shut down lefty out there. Depending on Coloumbe coming back, he could be the guy. We all know it's not Funderburk....

[rdehring]

Thanks for the article, Cody.  It was great.

Enjoyed the comments, especially about Diaw.  The Twins are going to need a catcher by next spring at the latest.  A young stud would be fantastic.  Unfortunately, Diaw is too far away.  Is he their #1 catching prospect?

[jmlease1]

30 minutes ago, LambchoP said:

Culpeper and DeBarge have looked great in A ball this year but the real story has been Gabby Gonzalez. He hasn't slowed down at all since moving up to AA. Maybe he makes it to AAA this year? Pitching wise both Prelipp and Dasan Hill are very talented intriguing lefties. They both have nasty strikeout stuff but don't seem to be able to go more than a couple innings. Hill is farther away than Prelipp but if Connor can continue getting hitters out, maybe after a bump to St Paul, maybe a debut in the pen could be in his future. We need a good shut down lefty out there. Depending on Coloumbe coming back, he could be the guy. We all know it's not Funderburk....

It's way too soon to make any judgment on Hill about how many innings he can go in an appearance. He's barely 19 and already looking great in A-ball. They're going to be careful to build him up, especially coming out of HS.

With Preilpp's injury history, it wouldn't be a shock to see him end up in the bullpen...but who knows what will actually be better for his arm, starting once every 5 days and trying to go 5-7 innings or throwing 1 inning 3 times a week? The stuff is for real.  

[jkcarew]

18 hours ago, Dman said:

I hear you on Rodriguez.  He had a 560 OPS in April which is typically his slugging percentage not his OPS.  Absolutely brutal numbers for a top prospect.  Still in May he has redeemed himself with a .950 OPS which is more in line with top prospect status.  Of course now he is hurt again as well so he still has that narrative. 

He typically has been a slow starter so I wouldn't have him out of the top 100 just yet.  One cold month and one hot one and once he gets going he generally has been just fine the rest of the way unless injured.  So we'll see.

I’m afraid that if the BB rate declines and the K rate increases (and it’s pretty darn bad now)…even moderately, which is common when entering the majors…he quickly becomes unplayable.

Both the approach and health seem like a house of cards. I’d be happy to be wrong. Yes, we’ll see.

[jkcarew]

9 hours ago, FlyingFinn said:

Not really a note on prospects but the Twins released Mike Ford, the player with the most AB's in St. Paul. Wonder if that means Sabato is moving up to AAA.

Interesting. Fwiw, I’m happy with just about anyone getting these at-bats besides Mike Ford. Nothing against him, I wish him luck.

[Linus]

3 hours ago, jmlease1 said:

It's way too soon to make any judgment on Hill about how many innings he can go in an appearance. He's barely 19 and already looking great in A-ball. They're going to be careful to build him up, especially coming out of HS.

With Preilpp's injury history, it wouldn't be a shock to see him end up in the bullpen...but who knows what will actually be better for his arm, starting once every 5 days and trying to go 5-7 innings or throwing 1 inning 3 times a week? The stuff is for real.  

Ive wondered the same thing. Conventional wisdom is pitching out of the pen is easier on the arm but starters have quite a set routine where they can tailor their preparation for their next turn. Additionally they are pitching fewer innings. Relievers have to get up in a hurry, pitch on back to back days etc.