MANHATTAN, Kan. (KCTV) – A recent star of the K-State baseball program is set to make his Major League debut this weekend in Milwaukee.
Kaelen Culpepper, who starred for the Wildcats from 2022 to 2024, was called up by the Minnesota Twins on Friday in the midst of a standout season for their Triple-A affiliate, the St. Paul Saints.
This year, Culpepper has batted .271 with 14 home runs, 46 RBI and 17 stolen bases in Triple-A.
The 23-year-old from Memphis, Tennessee, was picked by the Twins with the 21st overall pick in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft.
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, left, and Kaelen Culpepper, right, pose for a photo after Culpepper was selected 21st overall by the Minnesota Twins in the first round of the MLB baseball draft in Fort Worth, Texas, Sunday, July 14, 2024. (AP Photo/LM Otero)(LM Otero | AP)
At K-State, he was D1 Baseball’s Second Team All-American in 2024, as well as an All-Big 12 Second Team selection. During his junior season with the Wildcats he batted .328 with 15 doubles, six triples and a career-high 11 home runs.
Culpepper will become the 17th K-State product to play in an MLB game when he makes his debut.
The Twins start a three-game series in Milwaukee with the Brewers Friday night at 6:40 p.m. CT.
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