By Jayson Henderson

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Junior shortstop Kaelen Culpepper was named to the ABCA/Rawlings All-Central Region Second Team on Tuesday. Projected to be selected No. 32 in the 2024 MLB Draft, Culpepper is the second K-State position player to earn all-region honors since 2014. He finished among the Big 12’s top offensive players, with 59 RBIs, 80 hits, and a league-leading six triples. Culpepper also hit 15 doubles and 11 home runs, maintaining a team-best .328 batting average. He played a pivotal role in K-State’s first NCAA Tournament run since 2013, hitting .474 with a .522 on-base percentage and a 1.053 slugging percentage. Culpepper became the fourth Wildcat to hit for the cycle during the tournament, aiding in a 19-4 victory over Louisiana Tech. The All-America teams will be announced on June 14, ahead of the College World Series.