Twins rookie Kepler hitting home runs at impressive pace
The Minnesota Twins are currently struggling through a lengthy losing streak, but rookie Max Kepler remains one of the team's biggest bright spots heading into a four-game series with the Chicago White Sox.
The German-born outfielder ranks third on the team with 16 home runs, and is averaging a homer every 19 at-bats, one of the best rookie rates in franchise history.
Former Twins outfielder Jimmie Hall set the club record in 1963, hitting 33 home runs in 497 at-bats and finishing third in American League Rookie of the Year voting.
Then-rookie Miguel Sano finished the 2015 season just behind Hall, hitting 18 home runs in 279 at-bats.
| Player | Year | AB/HR |
| Jimmie Hall | 1963 | 15.06 |
| Miguel Sano | 2015 | 15.5 |
| Max Kepler | 2016 | 19 |
| Gary Gaetti | 1982 | 20.32 |
| Tony Oliva | 1964 | 21 |
And while the Twins have struggled to pick up wins, they've been solid at the plate, and enter Thursday's series-opener with the AL's fourth-best team batting average in August.
| Team | Team BA |
| Cleveland Indians | 0.28 |
| Boston Red Sox | 0.276 |
| New York Yankees | 0.274 |
| Minnesota Twins | 0.27 |
| Chicago White Sox | 0.266 |
Second baseman Brian Dozier has been leading the way, and has already set career highs in home runs and RBI, and is also on pace for career highs in batting average and OPS with 29 games remaining in the regular season.
| 2016 | Career High | Year | |
| H | 135 | 148 | 2015 |
| HR | 32 | 28 | 2015 |
| RBI | 81 | 77 | 2015 |
| BA | 0.269 | 0.244 | 2013 |
| OPS | 0.886 | 0.762 | 2014 |
Statistics courtesy of STATS, LLC
