Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Curveball: 45 | Cutter: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

Culpepper spent most of his first two seasons at Cal Baptist as a reliever, saving 13 games for the Lancers in 2021, with four more in the Cape Cod League that summer. He got the chance to start in 2022 and threw well enough to capture the Twins' attention, going in the 13th round of that summer's Draft. His stuff ticked up out of the gate in his first full season, though he tired by season's end following a promotion up to High-A ball. Still, the Twins were encouraged by his step forward and think they might have another late-round pitching find on their hands, though his progress was slowed in 2024 by a forearm strain that sidelined him for nearly two months.

When everything is clicking, Culpepper has a five-pitch mix with which to attack hitters. He came out in his full-season debut with Fort Meyers throwing harder than he did in college, averaging 95 mph and touching 97 mph with his fastball, a four-seamer with good action to it. He can throw his two-seamer almost as hard to get a lot of groundball outs as well. He has excellent feel to spin both his sweepy mid-80s slider and a newer, harder cutter that he throws around 90 mph. He can mix in a slower curve, and his mid-80s changeup is an effective spin-killer.

As Culpepper progresses, he'll need to show he can maintain his better stuff over a full season's workload after his velocity dropped as his first year wore on. While he's generally around the plate, working on his pitch usage and using his breaking ball and changeup more effectively in the zone are on his to-do list. He's trending in the right direction, with the chance to be a workhorse-like starting pitcher in the big leagues.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Curveball: 45 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

Culpepper played his college ball at California Baptist, spending his first season-plus pitching out of the bullpen and saving 13 games in 2021 before pitching well in relief in the Cape Cod League. A move into the rotation in 2022 helped him land with the Twins in the 13th round of the Draft. After throwing just an inning in the Florida Complex League last summer, he began his pro career in earnest in the Florida State League in 2023, earning a promotion up to High-A Cedar Rapids in late June.

He went through a velocity camp this past offseason and came out throwing a lot harder during his first full season, going from averaging 90 mph last year to 95 mph and touching 97 in the FSL. His four-seamer moves like a hard cutter, and he's added a sinking two-seamer that also sits 95 mph and generates a lot of ground-ball outs. His sweepy low-80s slider misses a lot of bats, his changeup has shown a good amount of progress, he mixes in a slower curve and, as if that wasn't enough, he's been messing around with a 90 mph cutter that acts like a harder slider.

Culpepper has been around the strike zone more often than not, giving him the chance to start long-term. He needs to be tested at higher levels, but there"s an up arrow next to his name. He could be the next in a line of Twins late-round arms such as Bailey Ober and Brent Headrick.

Awards

MID Pitcher of the Week

Week	Team
05/26/2024

FSL Pitcher of the Month

Month	Team
06/2023

FSL Pitcher of the Week

Week	Team
06/25/2023

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	08/13/2024	RHP C.J. Culpepper assigned to Wichita Wind Surge from Cedar Rapids Kernels.
	07/27/2024	Cedar Rapids Kernels activated RHP C.J. Culpepper from the 7-day injured list.
	06/01/2024	Cedar Rapids Kernels placed RHP C.J. Culpepper on the 7-day injured list. Right forearm strain.
	05/06/2024	Cedar Rapids Kernels activated RHP C.J. Culpepper from the temporarily inactive list.
	05/01/2024	Cedar Rapids Kernels placed RHP C.J. Culpepper on the temporarily inactive list.
	06/26/2023	RHP C.J. Culpepper assigned to Cedar Rapids Kernels from Fort Myers Mighty Mussels.
	06/23/2023	Fort Myers Mighty Mussels activated RHP C.J. Culpepper.
	06/15/2023	Fort Myers Mighty Mussels transferred RHP C.J. Culpepper to the Development List.
	06/15/2023	Fort Myers Mighty Mussels transferred RHP C.J. Culpepper to the Development List.
	04/02/2023	RHP C.J. Culpepper assigned to Fort Myers Mighty Mussels from FCL Twins.
	08/11/2022	RHP C.J. Culpepper assigned to FCL Twins.
	07/26/2022	Minnesota Twins signed RHP C.J. Culpepper.
	07/09/2022	RHP C.J. Culpepper assigned to College Workout.
	07/09/2022	College Workout activated RHP C.J. Culpepper.
	07/09/2022	College Workout activated RHP C.J. Culpepper.