Kaelen Culpepper | |
---|---|
Minnesota Twins | |
Infielder | |
Born: Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. | December 29, 2002|
Bats: Right Throws: Right |
Kaelen Kenneth Culpepper (born December 29,2002) is an American professional baseball infielder in the Minnesota Twins organization.
Culpepper attended Saint Benedict at Auburndale in Cordova,Tennessee. As a senior,he hit .394 with six home runs,30 runs batted in (RBI) and 13 stolen bases. He committed to Kansas State University to play college baseball.
Prior to his freshman season at Kansas State,he played for the Norwich Sea Unicorns of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League in 2021. As a freshman in 2022,he started 48 of 51 games at third base and hit .283/.356/.428 with five home runs and 22 RBI. After the season he played for the Bluefield Ridge Runners. As a sophomore in 2023,Culpepper started 40 games,hitting .325/.423/.576 with 10 home runs and 41 RBI. [1] After the season,he played for the United States national baseball team and in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Harwich Mariners. [2] [3]
Culpepper entered his junior season as a top prospect for the 2024 Major League Baseball draft. [4] [5] He moved from third base to shortstop. [6] [7]
Culpepper was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round,with the 21st overall selection,of the 2024 Major League Baseball draft. On July 30,2024,Culpepper signed with the Twins on a $3.9 million contract. [8]
Culpepper made his professional debut after signing with the Fort Myers Miracle and was later promoted to the Cedar Rapids Kernels. [9] Over 26 games between both teams,he hit .242 with three home runs and 12 RBIs. He was assigned to Cedar Rapids to open the 2025 season and was promoted to the Wichita Wind Surge in mid-June. [10] Culpepper was selected to represent the Twins at the 2025 All-Star Futures Game at Truist Park. [11]