Kaelen Culpepper Homers in Debut as Twins Beat Brewers 8-6

Shortstop Kaelen Culpepper hit a 390-foot home run in his first MLB game to help the Minnesota Twins overcome a four-run deficit against Milwaukee.

Minnesota Twins shortstop Kaelen Culpepper homered in his major league debut on Friday night, driving an 0-2 pitch from Shane Drohan 390 feet over the left-center field wall. The fourth-inning blast served as Culpepper’s first career hit and helped the Twins rally from an early 4-0 deficit to secure an 8-6 victory over the MLB-leading Milwaukee Brewers. The 23-year-old rookie, who was the 21st overall pick in the 2024 draft out of Kansas State, became the first Minnesota player to homer in his debut since Matt Wallner achieved the feat in 2022.

Culpepper’s home run occurred during his second plate appearance of the game, cutting the Brewers' lead to 4-3 before Minnesota eventually tied the score later in the fourth inning. The shortstop noted that despite falling behind in the count, he maintained his approach to drive the ball. Currently ranked as the No. 29 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline, Culpepper arrived in the big leagues after appearing in 74 games for Triple-A St. Paul this season. During his time with the Saints, he posted a .271 batting average, a .367 on-base percentage, and a .478 slugging percentage, totaling 14 home runs, 46 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases.

Defensive Performance and Roster Adjustments

While his offensive contribution was immediate, Culpepper experienced a learning moment in the field during the fifth inning. He fielded a ground ball but delayed his throw to first base, allowing Garrett Mitchell to reach safely on a two-out infield single. That play resulted in a run that allowed Milwaukee to tie the game at the time. Twins manager Derek Shelton commented that Culpepper has worked to improve his defender tools since spring training, noting the athlete's increased work ethic regarding his fielding mechanics.

The promotion of the young shortstop was part of a flurry of roster activity for Minnesota. The team placed two-time All-Star pitcher Joe Ryan on the 15-day injured list due to a left glute strain. To fill the roster gaps, the Twins selected the contract of pitcher Zebby Matthews from Triple-A St. Paul, designated pitcher Taylor Rashi for assignment, and optioned infielder Tristan Gray back to the St. Paul affiliate.

Joe Ryan Injury Impact

Joe Ryan’s move to the injured list comes as the right-hander holds a 6-8 record with a 3.65 ERA this season. Over 125⅔ innings, Ryan has recorded 138 strikeouts, though he struggled recently by surrendering 16 earned runs across his last 15⅓ innings of work. Manager Derek Shelton declined to provide a specific timeline for Ryan's return, stating the team must wait to see how the pitcher responds to treatment before he resumes throwing.

Culpepper expressed that his primary goal is to maintain the work ethic he established in the minor leagues to assist the Twins in their push for a postseason berth. He described the debut as a way to get "first-game jitters" out of the way while acknowledging there are areas of his game that require further growth. The victory moves Minnesota forward in their playoff hunt as they integrate their top-rated infield prospect into the starting lineup.