Why Kaelen Culpepper Should Make the Twins' Opening Day Roster

Kaelen Culpepper has made a strong case for a spot on the Minnesota Twins' roster next season, batting .274 and knocking in 11 RBI following a late-season call-up to the major-league roster in early August. Moreover, the 23-year-old shortstop launched three home runs and recorded a respectable .721 OPS through 33 games. Culpepper had one of his best games against the Atlanta Braves, going 3-for-4 at the plate and scoring a run to help Minnesota come away with a 6-4 win. Even when it was clear that the Twins weren't going anywhere in the playoff race, Culpepper remained a bright spot in the lineup. He was a key contributor in the team's Sept. 5 victory over the division rival Chicago White Sox, driving in a run and recording two hits. Besides his sharpness in the batter's box, Culpepper has shown early aggressiveness on the basepaths, nabbing second base the day prior when Minnesota lost 4-1. He went 1-for-5 in the team's season finale against the Texas Rangers, but that doesn't erase the life Culpepper has brought to a Twins offense that needed a spark.His potential stretched back to his time in the minors when he slashed .271/.367/.478 and logged a solid .845 OPS for Triple-A St. Paul. At that point, he proved why Minnesota made the right call in selecting him 21st overall out of Kansas State University in the 2024 MLB Draft.Furthermore, there is a chance that Culpepper could get more opportunities than fellow call-up Walker Jenkins who finished the season hitting .226 after falling into a 4-for-45 slump prior to Sept. 17. While Culpepper may have to split reps with Ryan Kreidler, he could be on his way to earning more playing time next year and deservedly so. Kreidler didn't have the season the Twins would've expected with him batting .218 and only plating 29 runs. As a result, Culpepper will come in handy as the former keeps working to improve his bat.Even then, the Twins need more to go right next season beyond Culpepper continuing to produce. General manager Jeremy Zoll will have his work cut out as he navigates the possibility of catcher Ryan Jeffers departing in free agency. Minnesota must also address their pitching depth with Mick Abel and David Festa recovering from season-ending surgeries. In the meantime, the Twins can rest assured that Culpepper has been panning out exactly like they envisioned.