Twins Looking Ahead to Next Season With Pair of Rookie of the Year Contenders

The Minnesota Twins went into the trade deadline in the thick of a playoff race but a rough stretch has seemingly knocked them out of the postseason.

They bet big at the trade deadline to bolster their pitching staff, but ultimately the loss of Byron Buxton was the final nail in the coffin.

That said, the Twins sure have a lot to be excited for next season as young talent continues to shine for this ballclub, which is highlighted by shortstop Kaelen Culpepper and outfielder Emmanuel Rodriguez, who have both taken the big leagues by stride.

Now, originally, it looked like Culpepper was going to lose his rookie status this year as he had already amassed nearly 110 at-bats, but unfortunately was placed on the injured list Wednesday afternoon with a mild hamstring strain.

Kaelen Culpepper hits a baseball in a black Twins jerse — Twins shortstop Kaelen Culpepper (12) hits a double against the Tigers. Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn I\ | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

So, there is a chance that the 23-year-old returns before September comes to a close. But he definitely won't get another 20 at-bats before the year is done. Therefore, all fans can do is look ahead to a promising 2027.

Rodriguez, on the other hand, made his big league debut in the last week and just finished his fifth Major League Baseball game. While the sample size is quite small, he has not given any reason to not believe him, especially with the power this young man is carrying in his swing.

Culpepper and Rodriguez Both Taking the Big Leagues in Stride

Emmanuel Rodriguez hits a baseball in a white Twins jerse — Twins center fielder Emmanuel Rodriguez (21) hits a solo home run against the Guardians. Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Culpepper made his debut back on August 7 and had the game that all prospects dream of as he launched a near 400-foot homer against arguably the best team in baseball, the Milwaukee Brewers— talk about adrenaline.

Since then, he has established a slugging percentage over .400 while logging 11 RBI, three home runs, and five doubles on 30 hits to complement a .275 batting average.

Emmanuel Rodriguez leaves the yard in his FIRST big league at-bat 👏 pic.twitter.com/4924nXjtmK
— MLB (@MLB) September 12, 2026

Rodriguez is a lot different seemingly, because he has had very little time in the majors, but a player can't fake barreling the baseball, and that is exactly what he has done since joining the Twins.

Like Culpepper, he found his first long ball during his debut, on his initial at-bat against the Cleveland Guardians. In the five games that he has played, he is slugging a monstrous .579 with a double and a triple to complement that home run against Cleveland.

The game hasn't been too much fun for Minnesota over the last month, but the team will figure it out. This is a really talented roster going into next year, and a couple will be battling for the AL Rookie of the Year title when the time comes around in 12 months.

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