Hello, Max Kepler.

Goodbye, Byron Buxton?

Kepler, a German-born outfielder, is scheduled to arrive in Cedar Rapids Wednesday afternoon and join the Kernels when they start the second half of the Midwest League season Thursday night at Wisconsin.

At this point, Kepler will be replacing pitcher Hein Robb on the 25-man roster following Robb's demotion to Elizabethton in the Appalachian League.

However, Kepler's arrival fuels further speculation that Buxton will be promoted to the Fort Myers Miracle in the Florida State League after playing in the Midwest League All-Star game Tuesday night.

Kernels Manager Jake Mauer could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon and there have been no announcements from the team regarding Buxton, a fan favorite who is hitting .344 with eight homers and 52 RBIs.

Kepler, 20, signed with the Minnesota Twins in 2009 when he was just 16 years old. He received a bonus of $800,000, which at the time was the largest signing bonus ever given to a European player.

Kepler, who is 6-foot-4 and left-handed, has been slowed by an arm injury this year. He hit .297 with 10 home runs and 49 RBIs in 59 games at Elizabethton last year, but has been working in extended spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., in an attempt to get healthy and join the Kernels.

Kepler is a center fielder, just like Buxton, but also can play left field or right field.

The Kernels' other three outfielders are Adam Brett Walker, J.D. Williams and Jeremias Pineda. The Twins could promote any of them and keep Buxton in Cedar Rapids, or they could keep five outfielders on the team. Pineda is hitting .171 for the Kernels in 19 games and could be vulnerable to a demotion to Elizabethton.

Kepler was scheduled to play center field in an extended spring training game in Florida Tuesday before flying to Cedar Rapids on Wednesday.