Kaelen Culpepper Earns Second Straight MLB Futures Game Selection

For the second consecutive summer, one of the Minnesota Twins' brightest young stars will spend All-Star weekend in a major league stadium. Shortstop Kaelen Culpepper has been selected to the 2026 MLB All-Star Futures Game, giving him another opportunity to represent the organization among the game's top prospects.

Ranked as the Twins Daily's No. 2 prospect, Culpepper has continued his impressive rise through the system with an outstanding first half at Triple-A St. Paul. The 23-year-old has appeared in 63 games while posting a .272/.376/.492 slash line with an .868 OPS. He has collected 14 home runs, 43 RBI, scored 54 runs, and stolen 15 bases in 17 attempts. Perhaps just as encouraging has been his advanced approach at the plate, drawing 37 walks while striking out only 51 times across 250 at-bats.

His production stacks up well against the rest of the International League. Culpepper ranks among the league leaders in several offensive categories, including sitting seventh in runs scored. His 123 wRC+ also places him among the top young hitters in the league, ranking fifth among players age 23 or younger and sixth among International League shortstops.

Few players in professional baseball have been as dangerous at the start of games. Culpepper has launched six leadoff home runs this season, tying for the most in all of baseball alongside Byron Buxton, Shohei Ohtani, James Wood, and Rangers prospect Devin Fitz-Gerald.

His power has also shown up throughout games. Culpepper's 10 home runs leading off an inning are tied for the most in the minor leagues with Diamondbacks prospect Manuel Peña. Across both the majors and minors, only Buxton (14), Wood (13), and Ohtani (11) have hit more.

This will be Culpepper's second consecutive appearance in the Futures Game after participating during All-Star festivities in Atlanta last season. In the 2025 contest at Truist Park, he entered defensively in the fourth inning and recorded one plate appearance, lining out to left field.

According to the Saints, he becomes the fourth player to earn a Futures Game selection since the club became affiliated with the Twins. Josh Winder represented the organization in 2021, Spencer Steer followed in 2022, and Brooks Lee was selected in 2024 before earning a promotion to the Twins instead of appearing in the game.

The 2026 MLB All-Star Futures Game will be played on Sunday, July 12, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The annual showcase features many of baseball's top prospects as the American League and National League square off during All-Star weekend, with first pitch scheduled for 11:00 a.m. CT on NBC.