The Minnesota Twins are about to get a burst of new life into their lineup with their latest roster move.
On Friday morning, reports surfaced that the Twins are calling up top infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper to make his major league debut. JD Cameron of Just Baseball Media was first with the news.
Culpepper, 23, was Minnesota's first-round pick and the 21st overall selection in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Kansas State. Since being drafted, he has torn up the minor leagues and quickly established himself as one of the best prospects in baseball.
This season, Culpepper has thrived at Triple-A St. Paul, hitting .271/.367/.478 with 14 home runs and 17 stolen bases. He also owns an 11.4% walk rate and an impressive 18.7% strikeout rate.
The right-handed shortstop missed about two months earlier this season with a left glute strain, which limited him to just 74 games. If he had stayed healthy, the Tennessee native likely would've already matched or eclipsed the 20 home runs he hit in the minors last season.
Culpepper isn't just one of the highest-ranked prospects in the Twins organization, but in all of baseball. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the No. 29 prospect on its Top 100 list.
As for his defense, there have been questions about whether shortstop will be Culpepper's long-term position. MLB Pipeline's scouting report notes that he lacks "first-step quickness" and overall range, which has gotten him into trouble at times. However, he has reportedly made great strides this season and has become much more consistent in the infield.
The Twins' current shortstop has been Ryan Kreidler, who has played well defensively but struggled with the bat. Entering play Friday, Kreidler is hitting .232 with five home runs, a .679 OPS and an 88 wRC+.
Minnesota got a major spark on July 30 when Kody Clemens delivered a walk-off ultimate grand slam. However, the team has faltered since, losing back-to-back series against the Seattle Mariners and Kansas City Royals.
Now in need of another offensive spark, Minnesota is turning to Culpepper to help push the club into the playoffs. The Twins sit just a half-game behind the Texas Rangers for a Wild Card spot and three games behind the Chicago White Sox in the division.
Culpepper will arrive just in time for a major test. Minnesota begins a tough series tonight at 6:40 p.m. CT against the Milwaukee Brewers, who own the best record in baseball.
