Kaelen Culpepper Stats & Scouting Report

AB	215
AVG	.265
OBP	.368
SLG	.488
HR	13

Full name Kaelen Kenneth Culpepper
Born 12/29/2002 in Memphis, TN
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Kansas State
Drafted in the 1st round (21st overall) by the Minnesota Twins in 2024 (signed for $3,934,400).

View Draft Report

School: Kansas State
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.6
BA Grade: 50/High
Tools: Hit: 50. Power: 45. Run: 55. Field: 50. Arm: 60.

Culpepper is a well-rounded infielder with a 6-foot, 190-pound frame and lengthy track record of performance at Kansas State and in various summer leagues. His 2023 sophomore season was a breakout offensive effort, and he replicated that performance again in 2024 and is a career .312/.403/.529 hitter. He also played well in the Cape Cod League and was one of the top hitters for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team during the 2023 summer. Culpepper has an upright stance with a high handset and quick hands in the righthanded batter’s box. He uses a level swing and has raw power that should allow him to hit plenty of doubles but maybe a below-average total of home runs. He has solid contact skills, but is a better fastball hitter who will need to sharpen up his bat-to-ball skills against secondaries. Culpepper has a tweener defensive profile and is likely an above-average third baseman. He slid over to shortstop for the Wildcats in 2024 but might not have the actions to stick there. He has more than enough arm strength to stick on the left side of the infield, with a plus arm and great carry on his throws. Culpepper is an above-average runner and solid basestealer who has gone 27-for-31 (87.1%) for Kansas State. A team that views him as a shortstop could pop him in the first round, but he could slide a bit further than that with no clear carrying tool.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average

Adjusted Grade: 45

Track Record: Culpepper was a standout player at Kansas State, where he was a three-time All-Big 12 Conference selection and played for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team one summer. The Twins drafted him 21st overall in 2024, and he played 26 games after signing, making it to High-A Cedar Rapids. In 2025 he returned to Cedar Rapids and excelled, earning a promotion to Double-A Wichita in mid-June. Culpepper got off to a quick start there but saw his performance tail off at the end of his first full season. He was selected to the Futures Game in July and named the Twins’ minor league player of the year after hitting .289/.375/.469 with 20 home runs.

Scouting Report: Culpepper is an athletic infielder with minimal remaining projection. He has a balanced profile with no standout tool and no glaring weaknesses either. He has solid bat speed and clears his hips freely, allowing him to whip the bat through the zone. He’s comfortable hitting velocity and was one of two hitters in the Twins’ system with an OPS above .700 against both changeups and breaking balls in 2025. He rarely misses pitches in the zone, but his approach needs refinement. He is prone to chase, especially changeups down and out of the zone. He has average raw power that plays primarily to his pull side. His power plays below that in games, and he needs to elevate the ball more consistently. Culpepper has a plus arm but is not a lock to stick at shortstop due to his lack of range. He projects as fringe-average there but profiles better at second or third base, where he could be average or better.

The Future: Whether Culpepper starts at Double-A or Triple-A in 2026, he will continue to develop as a shortstop. He has regular potential even if he moves off the position, but his value would be maximized if he can stay up the middle.

Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Field: 50 | Arm: 60
BA Grade/Risk: 50/High.

Track Record: Before he ever stepped on the field at Kansas State, Culpepper had already hit .301 in the Futures Collegiate League as a rising freshman in 2021. It was a quick sign that Culpepper would hit the ground running, and he did as a three-year starter for the Wildcats before becoming Kansas State’s first-ever first-round position player draftee. His 2023 and 2024 seasons at KSU were near carbon copies as he showed the ability to make plenty of contact, get on base and produce gap power. He also led USA’s Baseball’s Collegiate National Team in batting average (.471), home runs (three), slugging (.853) and on-base percentage (.526), further adding to his lengthy résumé of hitting with wood. The Twins drafted Culpepper 21st overall in 2024 and signed him for a slot-value bonus of $3,934,400. He made a brief 26-game pro debut, reaching High-A Cedar Rapids.

Scouting Report: Culpepper has a hit-first, well-rounded infield profile. His level swing keeps the bat in the zone for a while and should allow him to hit for average, and velocity doesn’t bother him. But without some swing changes, he’s going to be more of a line-drive, doubles hitter than a slugger. He never topped 11 home runs with a metal bat. The big question is how that hit-first approach will work if Culpepper eventually has to slide to third base as expected. He played two years at third base before moving to shortstop as a junior at Kansas State. His actions and feet are stretched at short, but he’s an above-average defender at third base with a plus arm. He should be able to handle second base as well.

The Future: Culpepper finished 2024 at High-A and likely will start there in 2025 before getting bumped up to Double-A Wichita. His defensive and power development will determine whether he’s a solid contributor or a significant regular in the long term.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 40 | Run: 55 | Field: 50 | Arm: 60.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 40 | Run: 55 | Field: 50 | Arm: 60.

Draft Prospects

School: Kansas State Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.6
BA Grade: 50/High
Tools: Hit: 50. Power: 45. Run: 55. Field: 50. Arm: 60.

Culpepper is a well-rounded infielder with a 6-foot, 190-pound frame and lengthy track record of performance at Kansas State and in various summer leagues. His 2023 sophomore season was a breakout offensive effort, and he replicated that performance again in 2024 and is a career .312/.403/.529 hitter. He also played well in the Cape Cod League and was one of the top hitters for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team during the 2023 summer. Culpepper has an upright stance with a high handset and quick hands in the righthanded batter’s box. He uses a level swing and has raw power that should allow him to hit plenty of doubles but maybe a below-average total of home runs. He has solid contact skills, but is a better fastball hitter who will need to sharpen up his bat-to-ball skills against secondaries. Culpepper has a tweener defensive profile and is likely an above-average third baseman. He slid over to shortstop for the Wildcats in 2024 but might not have the actions to stick there. He has more than enough arm strength to stick on the left side of the infield, with a plus arm and great carry on his throws. Culpepper is an above-average runner and solid basestealer who has gone 27-for-31 (87.1%) for Kansas State. A team that views him as a shortstop could pop him in the first round, but he could slide a bit further than that with no clear carrying tool.

Top 100 Rankings

Career Transactions

SS Kaelen Culpepper assigned to St. Paul Saints from Wichita Wind Surge.
Minnesota Twins invited non-roster SS Kaelen Culpepper to spring training.
Wichita Wind Surge activated SS Kaelen Culpepper.
SS Kaelen Culpepper assigned to Wichita Wind Surge from Cedar Rapids Kernels.
Cedar Rapids Kernels placed SS Kaelen Culpepper on the 7-day injured list.
Cedar Rapids Kernels activated SS Kaelen Culpepper.
SS Kaelen Culpepper assigned to Cedar Rapids Kernels from Fort Myers Mighty Mussels.
SS Kaelen Culpepper assigned to Fort Myers Mighty Mussels from FCL Twins.
SS Kaelen Culpepper assigned to FCL Twins.
Minnesota Twins signed SS Kaelen Culpepper.
3B Kaelan Culpepper assigned to Bluefield Ridge Runners.
Bluefield Ridge Runners activated 3B Kaelen Culpepper.
3B Kaelan Culpepper assigned to Kansas State Wildcats.