Every young pitcher dreams of that breakthrough moment—the chance to stare down a superstar in the batter’s box. Grip that ball, just a little tighter, and just go for the ultimate punch. For CJ Culpepper, Minnesota Twins’ star prospect, the dream has two names—Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto.
The 23-year-old right-hander is working his way through the minors. But he is thinking big already. However, CJ Culpepper’s 2024 season was far from smooth sailing. That’s not to say he didn’t show how much fight he has within him. But he did struggle a little in High-A before finding his groove, only to be sidelined again with a forearm strain in June. Thankfully, it wasn’t anything too serious.
Two months later, he was back on the mound for Cedar Rapids Kernels. Then after a few outings, he earned his promotion to Double A Wichita. His first few games were shaky, for sure. But that’s expected for someone who is just getting back into the rhythm. But come September, he was locked in.
Playing with the Wind Surge, Culpepper struck out 14 batters, walked just one, and allowed only two runs on eight hits in 13 innings. He was sharp and threw 69% of his pitches for strikes, and his ability to miss bats was on full display. The young man knows he has potential and has the confident to boot, too.
In an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, Culpepper was asked, “If you could strike out anybody in the game, who would it be?” And Culpepper’s answer? “I guess I would say Shohei, just because he’s the big name in baseball right now. So either him or Juan Soto—big names. So maybe probably those two,” said Culpepper.
Now Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto are big names indeed in the baseball world. Not to mention the highest-paid players of the game. Soto this time broke Ohtani’s $700 million contract deal with his eye-watering $765 million deal with the New York Mets. So, on paper, does Culpepper have what it takes to strike them out?
A fancy dream or assured reality for CJ Culpepper?
Culpepper’s biggest strength is his deep arsenal. The Minnesota Twins’ star prospect throws at least six or seven different pitches to keep the hitters off balance. He isn’t just another pitcher; he has the quality to adapt to different players and throw accordingly. And while there seems to be still time till he gets a shot at Ohtani or Soto, don’t be surprised if this manifestation of his comes true faster than you can blink! The only wrinkles that he’s still ironing out? He is still figuring out exactly who he is as a pitcher and how to maximize his s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁set to fulfil his potential.
The Minnesota Twins star only threw 58 ⅓ innings this season, but his 3.55 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 9.9 K/9 suggest he is on the right track. He was even ranked the No. 13 prospect in last year’s ranking, and for sure he is making a strong case for his big league future. Truly, what Sean Johnson and his scouting team have done with late-round picks, especially the 2022 class, is remarkable!
Now, Culpepper wanting to strike out two crème-de-la-crème hitters of the game is for sure bold, but looking at his particular s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 set, it’s not out of reach. With a little more polishing, experience, practice – and a lot of it – he might find his wish coming true. Do you think the Minnesota Twins prospect can make it so far into MLB? Let us know!
