Max Kepler

Kepler was born in Berlin, Germany. His parents, Kathy Kepler and Marek Różycki, were both professional ballet dancers; they met when they performed in the same ballet company in Berlin.{{Cite web |title=Twins' Kepler-Rozycki is in his element | MLB.com: News |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090923&content_id=7117716&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb |access-date=July 26, 2012 |publisher=Mlb.mlb.com}} His mother is from San Antonio, Texas, while his father is from Poland. He has one sister, Emma Różycki, a former golf prodigy.{{cite web | url=https://www.twincities.com/2016/08/12/becoming-max-kepler-the-twins-feel-good-story-of-2016/ | title=Becoming Max Kepler, the Twins' feel-good story of 2016 | date=August 12, 2016 }}

At the age of six, Kepler started baseball at the Little League level with the John F. Kennedy School in Berlin. Though he received a scholarship at age seven to the Steffi Graf Tennis Foundation, he decided to choose baseball.{{Cite news |last=ZEIT ONLINE GmbH, Hamburg, Germany |date=August 13, 2010 |title=Baseball: Die Ballet-Ikone mit Baseball-Stollen | Sport | ZEIT ONLINE |newspaper=Die Zeit |url=http://www.zeit.de/sport/2010-07/baseball-kepler-rozycki-minnesota-twins |access-date=July 26, 2012 |publisher=Zeit.de |language=de}} Kepler attended John F. Kennedy School, and the St. Emmeram Academy in Regensburg in 2008, where he was able to train in baseball more than the average American teenager.{{Cite web |date=January 26, 2011 |title=Schlagen für die große Baseball-Zukunft :: Homepage – Sport – Buchbinder Legionäre – Legionäre News :: Mittelbayerische Zeitung |url=http://www.mittelbayerische.de/index.cfm?pid=10855&pk=628435&p=1 |access-date=July 26, 2012 |publisher=www.mittelbayerische.de |language=de}}{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Cameron |date=July 7, 2009 |title=Baseball Insider – The Top European Prospect Ever |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/baseball-insider/2009/07/the_top_european_prospect_ever.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130721074837/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/baseball-insider/2009/07/the_top_european_prospect_ever.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 21, 2013 |access-date=July 26, 2012 |publisher=Voices.washingtonpost.com}} He played association football with Hertha BSC, and played baseball for Buchbinder Legionäre Regensburg of the Bundesliga, the highest baseball league in Germany.{{Cite web |date=July 4, 2009 |title=European Top Prospect Max Kepler-Rozycki to sign with Minnesota Twins – Europeans in the USA, News – German Baseball Leagues – Mister Baseball |url=http://www.mister-baseball.com/european-top-prospect-max-keplerrozycki-sign-minnesota-twins/ |access-date=July 26, 2012 |publisher=Mister-baseball.com}} .

Andy Johnson, an international scout working for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB), first noticed Kepler when he played in a junior national tournament at the age of 14. At 16, he signed with the Twins in 2009 for US$800,000, the largest signing bonus given by an MLB franchise to a European-born player.{{Cite web |title=Max Kepler-Rozycki: "Das ist wie bei der Bundeswehr" :: Homepage – Sport – Das MZ-Samstagsinterview :: Mittelbayerische Zeitung |url=http://www.mittelbayerische.de/index.cfm?pid=10106&pk=547204 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130211132209/http://www.mittelbayerische.de/index.cfm?pid=10106&pk=547204 |archive-date=February 11, 2013 |access-date=July 26, 2012 |publisher=www.mittelbayerische.de |language=de}} Kepler made his American debut in the rookie level in 2010 Gulf Coast League (GCL) with the GCL Twins. He was promoted to the Elizabethton Twins of the Rookie-Advanced Appalachian League in 2011. He was assigned to Elizabethton for the 2012 season.{{Cite news |last=Davis |first=Danny |title=Relearning game, nurturing talent in Tennessee |work=Star Tribune |publisher=StarTribune.com |url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/161514685.html |url-status=dead |access-date=July 26, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120710131116/http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/161514685.html |archive-date=July 10, 2012}} An elbow injury delayed the start of Kepler's 2013 season, when he was assigned to the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Single–A Midwest League.{{Cite web |date=April 20, 2013 |title=Chart: Update on injuries to Twins' prospects |url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/203861851.html?refer=y |access-date=November 20, 2013 |publisher=Star Tribune}} Following the regular season, the Twins assigned Kepler to the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League.{{Cite web |date=December 30, 2013 |title=Athletic Kepler boasts broad skill set |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20131230&content_id=66238584&vkey=perspectives&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb |access-date=April 23, 2015 |website=MLB.com}}

After the 2013 season, the Twins added Kepler to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, and he was invited to spring training.{{Cite web |last=Berardino |first=Mike |date=November 20, 2013 |title=Minnesota Twins add Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco to 40-man roster |url=http://www.twincities.com/twins/ci_24564525/minnesota-twins-add-max-kepler-jorge-polanco-40 |access-date=November 20, 2013 |publisher=TwinCities.com}} Kepler played for the Fort Myers Miracle of the High–A Florida State League in 2014, and opened the 2015 season with the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Double–A Southern League.{{Cite web |last=Paschall |first=David |date=April 7, 2015 |title=Half of Twins' top 10 prospects opening with Chattanooga Lookouts |url=http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/professional/story/2015/apr/07/half-twins-top-10-prospects-opening-lookouts/297247/ |access-date=April 23, 2015 |website=Chattanooga Times Free Press}} Kepler was selected to represent the Twins at the 2015 All-Star Futures Game,{{Cite web |title=Twins Jose Berrios, Max Kepler in Futures Game |url=http://m.twins.mlb.com/news/article/132834428/twins-jose-berrios-max-kepler-in-futures-game |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627192857/http://m.twins.mlb.com/news/article/132834428/twins-jose-berrios-max-kepler-in-futures-game |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 27, 2015 |access-date=July 12, 2015 |website=MLB.com}} though a sore shoulder prevented him from playing.{{Cite web |date=July 10, 2015 |title=Injured Max Kepler to miss Futures Game |url=http://m.twins.mlb.com/news/article/135977456/injured-max-kepler-to-miss-futures-game |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713042738/http://m.twins.mlb.com/news/article/135977456/injured-max-kepler-to-miss-futures-game |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 13, 2015 |access-date=July 12, 2015 |website=MLB.com}} Kepler finished the 2015 season with a .327 batting average, nine home runs, and 18 stolen bases. He was named Southern League Player of the Year.{{Cite web |date=September 4, 2015 |title=Lookouts Max Kepler Named Southern League Player Of The Year |url=http://www.chattanoogan.com/2015/9/4/307575/Lookouts-Max-Kepler-Named-Southern.aspx |access-date=September 22, 2015 |website=The Chattanoogan}}

The Twins promoted Kepler to the major leagues on September 21, 2015.{{Cite web |last=Bollinger |first=Rhett |date=September 21, 2015 |title=Twins call up German-born Kepler for stretch run: Recently named Southern League MVP, outfielder ranks as club's No. 6 prospect |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/twins-call-up-german-born-prospect-max-kepler/c-150905984 |access-date=September 22, 2015 |website=MLB.com}} After Donald Lutz, Kepler is the second German-developed player to play in modern MLB.{{Cite web |last=Sheldon |first=Mark |date=May 1, 2013 |title=Lutz gets first big league start in finale |url=http://m.reds.mlb.com/news/article/46326920/lutz-gets-first-big-league-start-in-finale/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170417235927/http://m.reds.mlb.com/news/article/46326920/lutz-gets-first-big-league-start-in-finale/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 17, 2017 |access-date=April 17, 2017 |website=MLB.com}} Kepler made his major league debut on September 27, 2015. He recorded his first hit on October 4, 2015.{{Cite web |last=Heneghan |first=Kelsie |date=February 9, 2016 |title=Kepler rides roller coaster to Minnesota: Twins prospect deals with disappointment, playoffs before first callup |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-163962648 |access-date=February 9, 2016 |website=Minor League Baseball}}{{Cite web |title=Max Kepler Statistics and History |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/keplema01.shtml |access-date=February 6, 2020 |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

The Twins assigned Kepler to the Rochester Red Wings of the Triple–A International League to start the 2016 season.{{Cite web |last=Kraft |first=Alex |date=March 25, 2016 |title=Twins option Kepler to Triple-A Rochester: Third-ranked prospect heads to International League for first time |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-169074566 |access-date=March 25, 2016 |website=Minor League Baseball}} After playing in two games for Rochester, the Twins promoted him to the major leagues to replace the injured Danny Santana on April 10.{{Cite news |last=Berardino |first=Mike |date=April 10, 2016 |title=Minnesota Twins: Top position prospect Max Kepler gets a surprise call |work=Pioneer Press |url=http://www.twincities.com/2016/04/10/minnesota-twins-top-position-prospect-max-kepler-gets-a-surprise-call/ |access-date=April 26, 2016}} Kepler was optioned to Rochester fifteen days later.{{Cite news |date=April 25, 2016 |title=Twins send top prospect Byron Buxton, batting .156, to minors |work=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/15355631/minnesota-twins-send-top-prospect-byron-buxton-minors-roster-shuffle |access-date=April 25, 2016}} On June 1, Kepler was recalled to replace the injured Miguel Sanó, and he began getting regular starts for the Twins in right field.

Kepler had his first multi-hit game on June 2 against the Tampa Bay Rays.{{Cite web |title=Tampa Bay Rays vs Minnesota Twins Box Score: June 2, 2016 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN201606020.shtml |access-date=December 21, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} His first Major League home run was a walk-off blast against Matt Barnes.{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Phil |date=June 12, 2016 |title=Kepler's first career home run is a walkoff winner over Boston |url=http://www.startribune.com/kepler-s-first-career-home-run-is-a-walkoff-winner-over-boston/382627071/ |access-date=June 13, 2016 |website=Minneapolis Star Tribune}} He became the first European-born Major League player to hit three home runs in a game on August 1 against the Cleveland Indians. This also made him the fifth Twins player to hit three home runs in a game, along with Bob Allison, Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva, and Justin Morneau.{{Cite web |title=Twins vs. Indians - Game Recap - August 1, 2016 - ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=360801105 |website=ESPN.com}} Kepler was named co-American League Player of the Week on August 8, sharing the honors with Twins teammate Joe Mauer.{{Cite web |title=Kepler, Mauer share AL Player of the Week honor |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/max-kepler-joe-mauer-are-players-of-the-week-c194354372 |website=MLB.com}}

He finished the season with a .235 batting average, hitting 17 home runs and driving in 63 runs over 113 games.

Kepler was an Opening Day starter for the first time in 2017, collecting a hit in his first at-bat of the season against the Kansas City Royals.{{Cite web |title=Kansas City Royals at Minnesota Twins Box Score, April 3, 2017 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN201704030.shtml |access-date=February 6, 2020 |website=Baseball-Reference.com}} He became the second player in Twins history to have a walk-off hit by the pitch in a game against the Chicago White Sox on August 31.

Kepler played in 147 games during the 2017 season. He hit 19 home runs and had 69 RBI, helping the Twins reach the postseason for the first time since 2010.{{Cite web |last=Opatz |first=Louie |date=September 29, 2017 |title=Which Twin had the most fun celebrating clinching the playoffs? |url=https://www.twinkietown.com/2017/9/29/16383010/which-minnesota-twins-had-the-most-fun-celebrating-clinching-the-playoffs-mlb-wild-card |access-date=December 21, 2023 |website=Twinkie Town |language=en}} He went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk in the 2017 American League Wild Card Game, but the Twins were defeated by the New York Yankees.{{Cite web |title=Yankees 8-4 Twins (Oct 3, 2017) Game Recap |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap/_/gameId/371003110 |access-date=December 21, 2023 |website=ESPN |language=en}}

Kepler hit a walk-off home run against Brad Peacock of the defending champion Houston Astros on April 11, 2018.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=April 11, 2018 |title=Twins survive Astros 9-8 on Max Kepler's walk-off homer in the ninth |url=https://www.twincities.com/2018/04/11/twins-survive-9-8-on-max-keplers-walk-off-homer-in-the-ninth/ |access-date=December 21, 2023 |website=Twin Cities |language=en-US}} He finished the season with a batting average of .224 and hit 20 home runs with 58 RBI.

File:Max Kepler in 2017 (34816208366).jpg

Kepler signed a five-year, $35 million contract with the Twins on February 14, 2019. The deal also included a team option for the 2024 season.{{Cite web |title=Twins reach 5-year deals with Kepler, Polanco |url=https://apnews.com/5c65a4bde6744adca2fbf85449d78a08 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |website=Associated Press|date=February 15, 2019 }}

He won his second career American League Player of the Week award for the week of May 26.{{Cite web |last=David Adler |title=Kepler, Arenado win Player of the Week honors |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/max-kepler-nolan-arenado-players-of-the-week |access-date=August 22, 2019 |website=MLB.com}} Kepler had his second career three home run game on June 6. All three home runs came against Trevor Bauer.{{Cite web |title=Minnesota Twins at Cleveland Indians Box Score, June 6, 2019 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE201906060.shtml |access-date=February 6, 2020 |website=Baseball-Reference.com}} He hit two more home runs against Bauer in a game on July 13.{{Cite web |title=Minnesota Twins at Cleveland Indians Box Score, July 13, 2019 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE201907130.shtml |access-date=February 6, 2020 |website=Baseball-Reference.com}} This was the first time in Major League history that a batter homered in five consecutive at bats against the same pitcher during a single season.{{Cite web |title=Twins' Max Kepler makes history by homering in five straight at-bats against Trevor Bauer |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/twins-max-kepler-makes-history-by-homering-in-five-straight-at-bats-against-trevor-bauer/ |access-date=February 6, 2020 |website=CBS Sports|date=July 14, 2019 }}

Kepler finished the 2019 season with 36 home runs, which is the single season Major League record for home runs by a European-born player. He passed former Giants outfielder Bobby Thomson, who hit 32 home runs during the 1951 season.{{Cite web |title=Kepler is new European-born home run king |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/max-kepler-sets-european-born-home-run-record |access-date=February 6, 2020 |website=MLB}} He also drove in a career high 90 runs, and finished 20th in the American League MVP voting.

Kepler was the Twins lead-off hitter on opening day, homering against Chicago White Sox starter Lucas Giolito on the first pitch of the season. He also homered again during his second at-bat of the game.{{Cite web |title=Watch: Max Kepler homers on 1st pitch of Twins season {{!}} Bring Me The News |url=https://bringmethenews.com/.amp/minnesota-sports/watch-max-kepler-homers-on-1st-pitch-of-twins-season |access-date=July 25, 2020 |website=bringmethenews.com|date=July 24, 2020 }} This made him the second player in Major League history to hit a home run in the first two innings of a season, following Ted Kluszewski of the Angels (April 11, 1961).{{Cite web |title=Ted Kluszewski starts things off right for the Angels |url=https://www.halosheaven.com/2020/4/11/21212836/angels-history-ted-kluszewski-first-game-home-runs-1961 |access-date=July 25, 2020 |website=www.halosheaven.com |date=April 11, 2020 |language=en}} Kepler had a walk-off single against the Detroit Tigers on September 22.{{Cite web |date=September 22, 2020 |title=Twins Now Half Game Behind White Sox After Beating Tigers 5-4 - CBS Minnesota |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/twins-now-half-game-behind-white-sox-after-beating-tigers-5-4/ |access-date=December 21, 2023 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}

He finished the 2020 season with a .228 batting average, hitting nine home runs and driving in 23 runs.

Kepler batted a career low .211 with 19 home runs and 54 runs batted in.{{Cite web |title=Max Kepler Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/keplema01.shtml |access-date=December 21, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} He had two walk-off singles during the season. The first came against the Boston Red Sox on April 15.{{Cite web |date=April 15, 2021 |title=Max Kepler blooper helps Twins walk off Red Sox with dramatic 4-3 win |url=https://www.twincities.com/2021/04/15/max-kepler-blooper-helps-twins-walk-off-red-sox-with-dramatic-4-3-win/ |access-date=December 21, 2023 |website=Twin Cities |language=en-US}} The second came against the Detroit Tigers on July 26.{{Cite web |date=July 27, 2021 |title=Kepler's RBI single gives Twins 6-5 win vs Tigers in 10 |url=https://apnews.com/article/sports-mlb-baseball-f838745405d69d90e6064a8e62764600 |access-date=December 21, 2023 |website=AP News |language=en}}

Kepler batted .227 with nine home runs and 43 runs batted in during the 2022 season. He was hampered by a second half toe injury, and was ultimately shut down in early September.{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=From penthouses to Paris: Twins outfielder Max Kepler makes offseasons spectacular |url=https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-twins-outfielder-max-kepler-fort-myers-spring-training-berlin-germany-paris-france/600251992/ |access-date=December 21, 2023 |website=Star Tribune|date= February 16, 2023}}

Kepler had a bounce back season in 2023, batting .260 and leading the Twins with 24 home runs.{{Cite web |title=2023 Minnesota Twins Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/2023.shtml |access-date=December 21, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} He was especially strong in the second half, batting .306 after the All-Star break.{{Cite web |title=Max Kepler 2023 Batting Splits |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.fcgi?id=keplema01&t=b&year=2023 |access-date=December 21, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} This helped the Twins win their third American League Central title in five seasons.{{Cite web |date=September 23, 2023 |title=Twins secure third AL Central title in last 5 years |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/38465721/twins-angels-clinch-al-central-title-again |access-date=December 21, 2023 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}

The Twins exercised their $10 million team option on Kepler on November 2, 2023.{{Cite web |title=Twins exercise '24 options on Polanco, Kepler -- but will they be back? |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/twins-exercise-2024-options-for-jorge-polanco-max-kepler |access-date=December 21, 2023 |website=MLB.com |language=en}} He broke the Target Field home run record on June 14, 2024, against the Oakland Athletics. Kepler also delivered a walk-off single later that night.{{cite web | url=https://m.startribune.com/minnesota-twins-beat-oakland-athletics-10-innings-max-kepler-jhoan-duran/600373713/?clmob=y&c=n&clmob=y&c=n | title=The latest from the StarTribune | website=Star Tribune }} Kepler recorded another walk-off single on July 24, against the Philadelphia Phillies. It was the 11th walk-off plate appearance of his career, which tied a franchise record.{{cite web | url=https://www.startribune.com/twins-beat-phillies-max-kepler-matt-wallner-bryce-harper-brooks-lee-aaron-nola/600385429/ | title=Twins rally late, beat Phillies on Max Kepler's bottom-of-the-ninth RBI single | website=Star Tribune | date=July 25, 2024 }} In 105 games for Minnesota, he slashed .253/.302/.380 with eight home runs and 42 RBI. Kepler was placed on the injured list with left patellar tendinitis on September 5.{{cite web | last=Park | first=Do-Hyoung | title=Byron Buxton remains injured, Max Kepler to IL | website=MLB.com | date=September 5, 2024 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/byron-buxton-remains-injured-max-kepler-to-il | access-date=January 31, 2025}} He was transferred to the 60–day injured list on September 27, ending his season.{{cite web | last=Nightengale | first=Bobby | title=Injury ends Max Kepler’s 2024 regular season and, possibly, his Twins career | website=Star Tribune | date=September 24, 2024 | url=https://www.startribune.com/twins-max-kepler-injury-hip-knee-season-ends-justin-topa-chris-paddack/601151079 | access-date=January 31, 2025}}

On December 20, 2024, Kepler signed a one–year, $10 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.{{cite web | last=Zolecki | first=Todd | last2=Casella | first2=Paul | title=Max Kepler contract with Phillies | website=MLB.com | date=December 21, 2024 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/max-kepler-phillies-contract | access-date=January 31, 2025}}

Kepler previously dated American soccer player Abby Dahlkemper, and American-born Mexican soccer player Katie Johnson.

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