Max Kepler Bio
Maximilian Kepler-Różycki, known professionally as Max Kepler, is a German-American professional baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins and the Philadelphia Phillies, making his MLB debut in 2015. Born in Berlin, Germany, Kepler bats and throws left-handed and holds the record for the most home runs hit in a career by a German-born player.
Across his MLB tenure, Kepler has combined steady on-base production, above-average pop, and reliable corner-outfield defense. His journey from a Little League field in Berlin to American big-league stadiums makes him one of the most recognized German-developed players of his generation.
Early Life and Background
Maximilian Kepler-Różycki was born on February 10, 1993, in Berlin, Germany. His mother, Kathy Kepler, is from San Antonio, Texas, and his father, Marek Różycki, is from Poland. Both parents were professional ballet dancers who met while performing in the same ballet company in Berlin. Kepler has one sister, Emma Różycki, a former golf prodigy.
At the age of six, Kepler started playing 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 instead. He attended John F. Kennedy School and later enrolled at the St. Emmeram Academy in Regensburg in 2008, where he was able to train in the sport more intensively than the average American teenager.
As a youth, Kepler also played association football with Hertha BSC, reflecting the diverse athletic environment of his upbringing. He then competed for Buchbinder Legionäre Regensburg of the Baseball-Bundesliga, the highest baseball league in Germany, gaining valuable experience against older competition.
Path to Baseball
Andy Johnson, an international scout working for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball, first noticed Kepler when he played in a junior national tournament at the age of 14. At 16, Kepler signed with the Twins in 2009 for US$800,000, at the time the largest signing bonus given by an MLB franchise to a European-born player.
Kepler made his American debut in 2010 with the GCL Twins of the rookie-level Gulf Coast League. He was promoted to the Elizabethton Twins of the Rookie-Advanced Appalachian League in 2011 and returned to Elizabethton for the 2012 season. An elbow injury delayed the start of his 2013 assignment with the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Single-A Midwest League, and after the regular season the Twins sent him to the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League.
After the 2013 season, the Twins added Kepler to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft and invited him to spring training. In 2014, he played for the Fort Myers Miracle of the High-A Florida State League, and in 2015 he opened the year with the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Double-A Southern League. He was selected to represent the Twins at the 2015 All-Star Futures Game, though a sore left shoulder prevented him from playing. He finished 2015 with a .327 batting average, nine home runs, and 18 stolen bases, earning Southern League Player of the Year honors.
Max Kepler Career
Early Career (2015)
The Twins promoted Kepler to the major leagues on September 21, 2015, making him, after Donald Lutz, the second German-developed player to appear in modern MLB. He made his major league debut on September 27, 2015, and recorded his first hit on October 4, 2015. He finished the year with one single in seven at-bats, a modest introduction that confirmed his readiness for the next level.
The Twins assigned Kepler to the Rochester Red Wings of the Triple-A International League to open 2016, but after two games he was promoted to the majors on April 10 to replace the injured Danny Santana. He was optioned back to Rochester fifteen days later, then recalled on June 1 to fill in for the injured Miguel Sanó and began receiving regular starts in right field.
Minnesota Twins Breakthrough (2016–2018)
Kepler had his first multi-hit game on June 2, 2016, against the Tampa Bay Rays, and his first Major League home run was a walk-off blast against Matt Barnes. On August 1, 2016, he became the first European-born Major League player to hit three home runs in a game, doing so against the Cleveland Indians and joining Bob Allison, Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva, and Justin Morneau as the fifth Twins player to accomplish the feat. He was named co-American League Player of the Week on August 8, sharing the honor with teammate Joe Mauer. He finished 2016 with a .235 average, 17 home runs, and 63 RBI over 113 games.
In 2017, Kepler was an Opening Day starter for the first time, collecting a hit in his first at-bat against the Kansas City Royals. On August 31, he became the second player in Twins history to have a walk-off hit by pitch against the Chicago White Sox. He batted .243 with 19 home runs and 69 RBI in 147 games, helping the Twins reach the postseason for the first time since 2010. He went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk in the 2017 American League Wild Card Game, but the Twins were eliminated by the New York Yankees.
Kepler hit a walk-off home run against Brad Peacock of the defending champion Houston Astros on April 11, 2018, and finished that season with a .224 average, 20 home runs, and 58 RBI.
Minnesota Twins Prime (2019–2024)
On February 14, 2019, Kepler signed a five-year, $35 million contract with the Twins that included a team option for 2024. He won his second career American League Player of the Week award for the week of May 26 and had his second career three-home run game on June 6, all three coming against Trevor Bauer. He added two more home runs against Bauer on July 13, becoming the first player in Major League history to homer in five consecutive at-bats against the same pitcher in a single season. He finished 2019 with 36 home runs, the single-season Major League record for a European-born player, surpassing Bobby Thomson’s 32 from 1951, while driving in a career-high 90 runs and finishing 20th in American League MVP voting.
On Opening Day 2020, Kepler led off and homered against Chicago White Sox starter Lucas Giolito on the first pitch of the season, then homered again in his second at-bat, becoming the second player in Major League history to hit a home run in each of the first two innings of a season, following Ted Kluszewski in 1961. He finished the shortened 2020 campaign with a .228 average, nine home runs, and 23 RBI.
In 2021, Kepler batted a career-low .211 with 19 home runs and 54 RBI, recording walk-off singles against the Boston Red Sox on April 15 and the Detroit Tigers on July 26. He batted .227/.318/.348 with nine home runs and 43 RBI in 2022 before a second-half pinkie toe injury ended his season in early September. He rebounded in 2023, batting .260 and leading the Twins with 24 home runs, hitting .306 after the All-Star break to help Minnesota win its third American League Central title in five seasons.
The Twins exercised their $10 million team option on Kepler on November 2, 2023. In 2024, he broke the Target Field home run record on June 14 against the Oakland Athletics and delivered a walk-off single that night, then added another walk-off single on July 24 against the Philadelphia Phillies, his 11th career walk-off plate appearance, tying a franchise record. In 105 games, he slashed .253/.302/.380 with eight home runs and 42 RBI before left knee patellar tendinitis and a hip injury ended his season.
Philadelphia Phillies Era (2025)
On December 20, 2024, Kepler signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. The move gave the Phillies a left-handed corner-outfield bat with postseason experience and a track record of clutch at-bats. Kepler was expected to slot into the outfield mix as a run-producing veteran presence. He is currently a free agent.
Driving Style and Strengths
Kepler is a left-handed hitter whose pull-side power plays up in hitter-friendly parks, and his patient approach allows him to work counts and punish mistakes. Defensively, he covers ground in the corner outfield positions and pairs well with pitching staffs that emphasize fly-ball contact. Across his career, his walk-off pop and ability to deliver in late-inning spots have become defining traits.
Notable Events and Milestones
Kepler’s signature moments include the first European-born three-homer game on August 1, 2016, the five-consecutive-at-bat home run streak against Trevor Bauer in 2019, and the single-season European-born home run record of 36 that same year. He also tied the Twins franchise record with 11 career walk-off plate appearances, underscoring his flair for the dramatic.
Max Kepler Career Wins
Across his MLB career, Kepler has built a reputation as a steady corner-outfield producer who can change a game with one swing. While his win totals as an individual position player are measured by offensive milestones rather than traditional victories, his clutch hitting and franchise-record walk-off plate appearances highlight his impact.
MLB Highlights
Kepler’s headline MLB numbers include a 36-homer season in 2019, four seasons with at least 19 home runs, and a 24-homer rebound in 2023 that helped the Twins capture the American League Central title. He has delivered multiple walk-off hits, including walk-off home runs against the Houston Astros in 2018 and walk-off singles against the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics, and Philadelphia Phillies in later seasons.
Other Performances
Before reaching MLB, Kepler starred for Buchbinder Legionäre Regensburg of the Baseball-Bundesliga and earned Southern League Player of the Year honors in 2015 with the Chattanooga Lookouts. He also represented the Twins at the 2015 All-Star Futures Game.
Max Kepler Family
Family Background and Lineage
Kepler was raised in a culturally rich household in Berlin, with his mother Kathy Kepler from San Antonio, Texas, and his father Marek Różycki from Poland. Both parents built careers as professional ballet dancers after meeting in the same Berlin ballet company, instilling in their children a strong appreciation for discipline and performance. His sister, Emma Różycki, is a former golf prodigy, continuing the family’s tradition of athletic excellence.
Personal Life
Kepler previously dated American soccer player Abby Dahlkemper and American-born Mexican soccer player Katie Johnson. Beyond these public relationships, he has generally kept his personal life private while continuing to focus on his professional baseball career.
2025 Season Performance
Kepler entered 2025 as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies on a one-year, $10 million contract signed on December 20, 2024. The Phillies added him to bolster their corner-outfield production and left-handed bat in a deep National League East race. His track record of postseason at-bats with the Twins gave Philadelphia an experienced run-producer for tight late-season games.
Although Kepler’s 2024 season ended early because of left knee patellar tendinitis and a hip injury, his overall resilience and bounce-back 2023 campaign suggested he could return to form. His familiarity with National League pitching from interleague play was expected to ease his transition into the Phillies’ lineup.
Heading into the 2025 season outlook, Kepler was positioned as a key veteran presence whose power and on-base skills fit the Phillies’ championship aspirations. He is currently a free agent.