WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — He’s been up for less than a month, and the Minnesota Twins can already see Kaelen Culpepper is comfortable in the game’s biggest moments.From the level of execution he’s displayed in key spots to his ability to adjust when facing tough pitching to his overall performance at the plate, the Twins like what they’ve seen thus far from their 2024 first-round draft pick.Playing the majority of his first games in the majors against the National League’s top teams isn’t hindering the young shortstop, who homered again Wednesday night and is off to a blazing start to his career.Through Wednesday, Culpepper is batting .333/.381/.526.“This kid is going to like the lights,” Twins manager Derek Shelton said. “That’s an old Joe Maddon saying. He’s going to like the lights. The brighter it gets, (the more) he’s going to shine.”
KC sent that flying!! pic.twitter.com/q1pUoyHdN7
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) August 27, 2026Culpepper made his major-league debut Aug. 7 in front of a rowdy, sellout crowd in Milwaukee. Though the noise made it difficult for him to hear the team’s PitchCom system, neither the 42,118 fans in the crowd nor the constant noise bothered Culpepper. Instead, he focused on what he observed.“Everybody was smiling,” he said.Culpepper had a few defensive hiccups as he adjusted to the speed of the game, but aside from that, he felt comfortable in his first game, something he demonstrated with a home run in the second at-bat of his career.Since then, Culpepper’s comfort has only grown. Both he and Shelton cite a ninth-inning at-bat against Philadelphia Phillies closer Jhoan Duran on Aug. 16, one that included Culpepper’s fouling off four two-strike pitches ahead of a single.“I don’t think anything can prepare you for what you truly experience in The Show,” Culpepper recently said. “But over the last couple games, I was able to slow down a little bit, relax a little bit and really accept that I’m here now and here to stay, and I’m a part of this team, and I can help this team as much as anybody else. I’m really happy about that. I’m kind of getting back to myself and going back to my preparation and understanding why I’m here. They called on me to help the team win and make a playoff push. That’s my main focus right now.”One of Culpepper’s priorities at the moment is working with infield coach Ramon Borrego on his four-seam throwing grip, which they focus on every day during one-on-one drills. Borrego is working with Culpepper on techniques to quickly be in position to throw by establishing his grip earlier.In only a few weeks, Culpepper’s learned when he precisely needs to be on the field to meet Borrego and how valuable their 10-20 minute sessions can be.
