2024 MLB Draft Profile: Kaelen Culpepper
Draft Profile: Kaelen Culpepper (Kansas State)
Height: 6'0
Weight: 185
Bats/Throws: Right/Right
Kaelen Culpepper, one of the better two-way third base prospects, enters the 2024 season with a good chance to cement himself as a formidable selection in the first two rounds of the MLB Draft.
In 2023, Culpepper slashed .325/.423/.576 with 10 home runs and 41 runs batted in over 41 games.
Culpepper’s bat has an interesting profile that can grow more with his physical frame. He has a foundationally solid approach at the plate mechanically. Culpepper is a good example of hitting through the ball and finishing his swing when he makes contact, often leading to sound contact.
Culpepper can generate a lot of power with the lower trunk of his body and has a very compact swing that allows him to make contact at a very high rate, including an in-zone contact rate of 89%. While his above-average power primarily comes from his pull side, he does generate quality contact and can spray the ball throughout the field.
Culpepper’s fundamentally sound approach allows him to adjust his swing in certain situations to protect the plate. He can follow through with sound contact in various situations. This was evidenced by his low strike-out rate of 14.1% and 14.8% in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
He could show some progression in drawing walks in 2024, as his walk rate was below 10 percent in 2022 and 2023. With that in mind, he does a good job preventing himself from generating high strike-out numbers. He has a mature approach when it comes to swing decisions.
In the field, Culpepper’s projections are strong. He has a strong arm on the left side of the infield, demonstrating the necessary arm strength to stick at third base or perhaps even move to shortstop.
Culpepper also demonstrates the athleticism and range to make plays on the left side of the infield, especially at third base. He will likely be Kansas State’s starting shortstop in 2024, thanks to the departure of Nick Goodwin, but his defensive profile is very appealing at third base in the future with ample range, athleticism, and plus arm strength.
Culpepper’s profile is well-rounded for a position player in this class. He has the athleticism and arm strength to play multiple defensive positions, though I think he can stick on the left side of the infield. As for his bat, Culpepper can continue his contact rates in the potential development of a hit tool and hopefully can continue improving his in-game power thanks to his fundamental approach. If all goes well and he continues to progress, there is a good chance Culpepper will be selected on the first day of the 2024 MLB Draft.
