This year, he’s hit 29 home runs — 16 as a freshman at Motlow State (Ga.) Community College and 13 and counting for the Champion City Kings.
“It just kind of came out of nowhere, honestly,” Cullen said.
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The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Prospect All-Star is having one of the best offensive seasons in the Kings’ six-year history. Through Thursday’s games, Cullen is hitting .341 with 13 home runs and a team-record 43 RBIs and counting.
In college, Cullen changed his approach at the plate and that’s when his power surge began.
“I’m just trying to hit the ball hard and make something happen,” Cullen said. “I’m trying to find a pitch up in the zone and hit it hard.”
The Cumming, Ga., native initially signed with Division I Georgia State University out of high school, but broke his foot and redshirted. He later transferred to Motlow.
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“I’m hoping to get back to D-I after this year and see where that takes me,” he said.
Cullen and teammate Bo Seccombe have combined for 28 home runs for the Kings this season.
Seccombe’s 15 home runs are a team record, passing the old mark set by Gehrig Anglin in 2018. Cullen has a few more games to pass him as Seccombe left the team earlier in late July to go to Italy with his family.
“He’s one of my best friends,” Cullen said. “We got really close. Right before he left he looked at me and said, ‘Don’t beat me in home runs’,” Cullen said. “We’ll see what happens. If I tie him or pass him, I’m FaceTiming him immediately.”
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Cullen also sports one of the best hairstyles in the entire league — a mullet.
Before Motlow’s conference tournament began in late May, Cullen, a redshirt freshman at Motlow Community College, and his teammates decided to transform their hair into mullets.
“I’m like, ‘All right, let’s do it’,” Cullen said. “I get a mullet and in the conference tournament I hit better than I ever had. I hit four home runs in two games with 15 RBIs. It was crazy.
“I said, ‘I’m never cutting this thing again.’ I’ve literally had a mullet for four or five months now. I’m just keeping it rolling.”
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As the Kings season progressed, Cullen continued to stay hot — he ranks in the top-10 in the Kings’ record books in several single-season offensive categories — and his mullet continued to grow.
“It’s pretty hot in the summer, but I’m sucking it up,” Cullen said. “It’s getting pretty strong right now.”
• Two to go: Entering Friday’s games, Champion City (23-31) had lost nine of its last 10 games. They’re currently in fifth-place in the East Division.
The Kings have two home dates remaining. They’ll host the West Virginia Miners at 4 p.m. Sunday.
The home season finale will be held at 6:35 p.m. Monday for Fireworks Night. All tickets cost $10.
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