Kansas State University Athletics
Sharing a Great Experience
Jul 26, 2023 | Baseball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
They stood together along the first base line on the baseball field at Cary, North Carolina on June 30 — Kansas State infielder Kaelen Culpepper on the left and Consensus All-American right-hander Tyson Neighbors on the right. Both wore white uniforms with USA emblazoned across the chest and an American flag patch sewn into the right sleeve. It was a photogenic moment for sure.
Sophomores Culpepper and Neighbors had been selected to the College National Team as USA Baseball announced its full 31-man roster following the completion of CNT Training Camp.
It was a moment to behold.
"I knew at that moment that all my hard work had paid off," Culpepper says. "To find out I made the team was a surreal moment. They had individual meetings that day. If you didn't make the team, they took you to the airport. The head coach and general manager told me, 'Congratulations. You've worked hard to make the team and you've earned it.'"
Culpepper, a native of Memphis, Tennessee, finished his second season at K-State with a slash line of .325/.423/.576 with eight doubles, 10 home runs and 41 RBI. His slugging percentage led the offense while his batting average ranked second.
He was a late entry for the initial list of 56 prospective players who battled through a four-game intrasquad series, and he showed that he belonged on the 31-man roster.
He more than belonged.
As the smoke cleared on the Collegiate National Team's meetings against Chinese Taipei and Japan in a pair of five-game series, Culpepper led Team USA in batting average (.471), slugging percentage (.853), on-base percentage (.526) and home runs (three).
He hit two home runs in a single game.
"He was the best player on that team," K-State head coach Pete Hughes says.
D1baseball.com put Culpepper's performance this way: "Coming into the trials, Culpepper was thought of as an early Day Two talent, but leaving Cary he certainly played his way into Day One, and possibly into the top 30 overall picks."
Meanwhile, Neighbors, a native of Royse City, Texas, was among the first prospective players announced to try out for the Collegiate National Team squad.
Neighbors went 5-1 with a Big 12-leading 11 saves and posted a 1.85 ERA over 25 appearances out of the bullpen for the Wildcats in 2023. He struck out 86 batters over just 48 2/3 innings for an average of 15.9 strikeouts per nine innings. He broke the program's TrackMan-era pitch velocity record at 99 miles-per-hour during the season.
"It was awesome to wear the USA across the chest and compete for our country against other countries," Neighbors says. "It was great to be in the company of great players from across the country. Being able to go out there and dominate and do what we do, it was just such a great experience from beginning to end."
Twenty-four different schools were represented on the Collegiate National Team roster with six boasting a pair of athletes: Florida, K-State, Stanford, Tennessee, Virginia and Wake Forest.
Culpepper and Neighbors were just the second and third players in K-State history to earn a position on the national roster since K-State Hall of Famer Craig Wilson. Wilson played in the 1991 Pan-American Games, was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 1992, and was a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Baseball Team that competed in Barcelona.
"It's awesome to know that K-State is able to produce high-level players," Neighbors says. "It's just cool for people to see that it's possible at K-State. To play with KC, he's just such a great teammate and good guy, and clearly he's a really good player. It was awesome to be there with him.
"He deserves it all. He works his tail off every day. I expect nothing less. He's a first-rounder for sure in my eyes. He'll keep it up this year and we'll hear his name called on day one."
Culpepper was grateful to have Neighbors alongside him on the team.
"Two guys representing K-State? It makes the program look good," Culpepper says. "It was just amazing because we were able to be side by side and stay in the same room and live out the moment and experience together."
Neighbors is the first K-State player ever to be named an All-American by seven different organizations in a single season.
"First and foremost, I wouldn't be able to do it without my coaches and teammates and clearly that's thanks to them, but just going out there and competing at a high level has been great," Neighbors says. "It's awesome to get the recognition and get the K-State name out there and try to put K-State baseball on the map."
Hughes beams with pride over his players' accomplishments.
"They were able to put themselves into an elite class of college baseball players," Hughes says. "It's the elite of the elite. To be recognized at that level and to at the same time represent our country is as good as it gets. Those are two phenomenal kids to represent Kansas State and the community in that way. It's awesome for our program.
"Those two kids have stayed loyal to Kansas State and our program. They are in the true minority with what's out there in college baseball these days. They've stayed true to Kansas State and that's what makes them special."
Exactly what's the impact of earning a spot on the Collegiate National Team's roster?
"It certainly legitimizes them as prospects for next year's draft," Hughes says. "As soon as you become a Team USA member, you go from being a highly-rated prospect to a first-round type of guy."
Both are eager to carry their summer experience onto the field for the Wildcats this next season.
"This makes me more locked in because I have Team USA next to my name," Culpepper says. "A lot of guys will be looking at me differently. I have to prove myself again to basically tell them this is why I was chosen. I can't let off the pedal. People will see if I'm the real deal, so I have to go into the fall and into next season with that mindset to play the best every play and every game."
Adds Neighbors: "I'm super excited for us to show what we can do. Clearly, bullpen guys like myself aren't taken high in the draft but the game has kind of drifted away from having a pure closer-type position. Going out and showing them again this year what I can do, there's definitely the possibility to be the exception to the rule and drafted early and very valuable to a team."
Both Culpepper and Neighbors proved themselves to be very valuable to the Wildcats and to their country.
They stood together along the first base line on the baseball field at Cary, North Carolina on June 30 — Kansas State infielder Kaelen Culpepper on the left and Consensus All-American right-hander Tyson Neighbors on the right. Both wore white uniforms with USA emblazoned across the chest and an American flag patch sewn into the right sleeve. It was a photogenic moment for sure.
Sophomores Culpepper and Neighbors had been selected to the College National Team as USA Baseball announced its full 31-man roster following the completion of CNT Training Camp.
It was a moment to behold.
"I knew at that moment that all my hard work had paid off," Culpepper says. "To find out I made the team was a surreal moment. They had individual meetings that day. If you didn't make the team, they took you to the airport. The head coach and general manager told me, 'Congratulations. You've worked hard to make the team and you've earned it.'"
Culpepper, a native of Memphis, Tennessee, finished his second season at K-State with a slash line of .325/.423/.576 with eight doubles, 10 home runs and 41 RBI. His slugging percentage led the offense while his batting average ranked second.
He was a late entry for the initial list of 56 prospective players who battled through a four-game intrasquad series, and he showed that he belonged on the 31-man roster.
He more than belonged.
As the smoke cleared on the Collegiate National Team's meetings against Chinese Taipei and Japan in a pair of five-game series, Culpepper led Team USA in batting average (.471), slugging percentage (.853), on-base percentage (.526) and home runs (three).
He hit two home runs in a single game.
"He was the best player on that team," K-State head coach Pete Hughes says.
D1baseball.com put Culpepper's performance this way: "Coming into the trials, Culpepper was thought of as an early Day Two talent, but leaving Cary he certainly played his way into Day One, and possibly into the top 30 overall picks."
Meanwhile, Neighbors, a native of Royse City, Texas, was among the first prospective players announced to try out for the Collegiate National Team squad.
Neighbors went 5-1 with a Big 12-leading 11 saves and posted a 1.85 ERA over 25 appearances out of the bullpen for the Wildcats in 2023. He struck out 86 batters over just 48 2/3 innings for an average of 15.9 strikeouts per nine innings. He broke the program's TrackMan-era pitch velocity record at 99 miles-per-hour during the season.
"It was awesome to wear the USA across the chest and compete for our country against other countries," Neighbors says. "It was great to be in the company of great players from across the country. Being able to go out there and dominate and do what we do, it was just such a great experience from beginning to end."
Twenty-four different schools were represented on the Collegiate National Team roster with six boasting a pair of athletes: Florida, K-State, Stanford, Tennessee, Virginia and Wake Forest.
Culpepper and Neighbors were just the second and third players in K-State history to earn a position on the national roster since K-State Hall of Famer Craig Wilson. Wilson played in the 1991 Pan-American Games, was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 1992, and was a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Baseball Team that competed in Barcelona.
"It's awesome to know that K-State is able to produce high-level players," Neighbors says. "It's just cool for people to see that it's possible at K-State. To play with KC, he's just such a great teammate and good guy, and clearly he's a really good player. It was awesome to be there with him.
"He deserves it all. He works his tail off every day. I expect nothing less. He's a first-rounder for sure in my eyes. He'll keep it up this year and we'll hear his name called on day one."
Culpepper was grateful to have Neighbors alongside him on the team.
"Two guys representing K-State? It makes the program look good," Culpepper says. "It was just amazing because we were able to be side by side and stay in the same room and live out the moment and experience together."
Neighbors is the first K-State player ever to be named an All-American by seven different organizations in a single season.
"First and foremost, I wouldn't be able to do it without my coaches and teammates and clearly that's thanks to them, but just going out there and competing at a high level has been great," Neighbors says. "It's awesome to get the recognition and get the K-State name out there and try to put K-State baseball on the map."
Hughes beams with pride over his players' accomplishments.
"They were able to put themselves into an elite class of college baseball players," Hughes says. "It's the elite of the elite. To be recognized at that level and to at the same time represent our country is as good as it gets. Those are two phenomenal kids to represent Kansas State and the community in that way. It's awesome for our program.
"Those two kids have stayed loyal to Kansas State and our program. They are in the true minority with what's out there in college baseball these days. They've stayed true to Kansas State and that's what makes them special."
Exactly what's the impact of earning a spot on the Collegiate National Team's roster?
"It certainly legitimizes them as prospects for next year's draft," Hughes says. "As soon as you become a Team USA member, you go from being a highly-rated prospect to a first-round type of guy."
Both are eager to carry their summer experience onto the field for the Wildcats this next season.
"This makes me more locked in because I have Team USA next to my name," Culpepper says. "A lot of guys will be looking at me differently. I have to prove myself again to basically tell them this is why I was chosen. I can't let off the pedal. People will see if I'm the real deal, so I have to go into the fall and into next season with that mindset to play the best every play and every game."
Adds Neighbors: "I'm super excited for us to show what we can do. Clearly, bullpen guys like myself aren't taken high in the draft but the game has kind of drifted away from having a pure closer-type position. Going out and showing them again this year what I can do, there's definitely the possibility to be the exception to the rule and drafted early and very valuable to a team."
Both Culpepper and Neighbors proved themselves to be very valuable to the Wildcats and to their country.
Players Mentioned
INF
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RHP
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