Minnesota Twins rookie Kaelen Culpepper has landed on the injured list.
The Minnesota Twins have been hit with another injury setback, and this one lands on their most promising young infielder. Rookie shortstop Kaelen Culpepper has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a mild left hamstring strain. In a corresponding move, the club recalled rookie infielder Ben Ross from Triple-A St. Paul to replace him on the active roster.
Culpepper suffered the injury on Tuesday during a matchup with the New York Yankees. He tweaked the hamstring in the sixth inning while running out a ground ball. An MRI on Wednesday morning confirmed the severity of the strain.
Ross will likely take over at shortstop while Culpepper recovers. Ryan Kreidler is also another option for manager Derek Shelton. There is still a possibility for Culpepper to return this season, but it would only be for two games at most.
The timing stings mainly for developmental reasons. At 71-81 and sitting fourth in the American League Central, Minnesota is basically out of the postseason race. The Twins have also dropped seven of their last 10 games. As a result, the final stretch is more about evaluation of the club’s younger prospects rather than piling up wins. Culpepper is not the only prospect who has earned a September call-up.
Minnesota has also called up both Emmanuel Rodriguez. Top prospect Walker Jenkins was also called up in late August. Rodriguez has impressed this month. However, Jenkins is experiencing some growing pains as he adjusts to big-league pitching.
Culpepper’s debut season has been a bright spot for the organization. The 23-year-old has slashed .275/.333/.404 across 31 games, with three home runs, five doubles and 11 RBIs. Culpepper has also graded out as an above-average defender up the middle at shortstop. He also made his presence known right away, homering in his MLB debut on Aug. 7 against the Milwaukee Brewers.
His pedigree backs up the production. Culpepper was a 2024 first-round pick out of Kansas State. He is still ranked as a top prospect and will retain his rookie status heading into the 2027 season where he is expected to begin the season on Opening Day as the starting shortstop.
Culpepper is one of the main reasons that Twins fans should be excited about the club's future. For now, he is targeting the final two games as his window to return. If the hamstring cooperates, he can close his rookie season on the field rather than on the IL.
