A new month brings new opportunities, and after getting off to a rough start in 2026, Kaelen Culpepper is inching closer to what seems like an inevitable big league debut in the not-too-distant future.
Minnesota's No. 2 prospect clubbed a leadoff homer to keep his hot May rolling along for Triple-A St. Paul, which dropped a 7-6 decision to visiting Omaha on Saturday night at CHS Field.
Culpepper took the first pitch he saw off rehabbing Royals southpaw Cole Ragans and sent it 414 feet over the center-field fence for his fifth roundtripper this month. MLB's No. 39 prospect is now halfway to the career-high 20 jacks he hit last year across two Minor League levels.
COMPLETE TWINS PROSPECT COVERAGE
Culpepper's month-long hot streak is a welcome sight to the organization after their 2024 first-round pick got off to a sluggish start. Excluding the Saints' first four games in March, Culpepper hit just .205 in April, although he did leave the yard four times and drive in 12 runs.
But as the calendar flipped to May, so too did Culpepper's offensive ignition. The 23-year-old kicked off the month by hitting safely in 10 of 11 games and driving in 14 runs while homering four times. Culpepper is slashing .268/.398/.549 with 10 extra-base hits this month, boosting his OPS to .815, a shade under the .821 mark he's posted during his pro career.
COMPLETE TWINS PROSPECT COVERAGE
Drafted 21st overall out of Kansas State, the Memphis, Tenn., native earned Twins Minor League Player of the Year honors for 2025. The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder split the campaign almost down the middle between Double-A Wichita and St. Paul, slashing .289/.375/.469 with 39 extra-base hits, 77 runs, 64 RBIs and 25 stolen bases in 113 games.
That production came on the heels of a brilliant collegiate career for the Wildcats. Culpepper was named as a Second-Team All-American during his final season at Kansas State, which ultimately made him the first KSU position player drafted in the first round.
While Culpepper has a solid foundation as a defensive player and a strong arm, it remains to be seen where he ultimately will play in the big leagues. He's spent a majority of his time at his natural position of shortstop (27 games) this year, but he continues to get reps at third (8 games) and second base (4 games), increasing his versatility in preparation for the Majors.