Kaelen Culpepper is preparing himself to fill two roles the Twins desperately need—offensive strength and defensive reliability. If the Triple-A season were a round of golf, he might be two under par through the first five holes. While not yet a scorching start, Culpepper’s numbers show promise. He’s hitting .250/.335/.465, with 8 home runs among 15 extra-base hits, and walking a healthy 10.4% of the time. His batting average is solid, though his ground ball rate remains problematic. With a 50% ground ball percentage in 2025, there’s a noticeable gap between his offensive output and the major-league standard. However, he’s making progress. After clubbing 20 home runs in 113 MiLB games in 2025, he’s aiming to hit 8 more in 31 games, with those 15 extra-base hits overall. His exit velocity numbers look promising, with an average EV of 91 mph and a MaxEV of 110.2 mph. These stats place him in a good power zone, good for somewhere in the range of 20-26 home runs per season. A strong chase rate still exists, but it’s shifting—more inside, less down and away. This change suggests he’s honing his focus on one productive part of the strike zone, rather than being defensive or deceived. Through the end of the week-long series in Vegas, Culpepper’s BABIP remains stable at .269, indicating no major issues with his contact skills, quality of contact, or batted-ball profile. Despite his solid 103 wRC+, I believe he’ll heat up and produce more. The Twins are encouraging him as a potential average big-league shortstop, likely slightly better than current expectations. If he fills several voids the Twins need him to, he could become an everyday player. An above-average defensive infielder, and at the very least, a solid, two-win, everyday player. In another 30 games or so, he may knock on the door a little more loudly.
