Walker Jenkins has finally arrived in Minnesota, and the Twins are getting the kind of prospect who has been circling the big leagues for years.
The former South Brunswick standout chose the Twins over a scholarship to the University of North Carolina, signing an above-slot deal worth $7.14 million after a strong high school senior season. He got his pro start with the Florida Complex League Twins, then moved quickly to the Single-A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. Across 26 games between those two stops in 2023, he hit .362/.417/.571.
The path since then has been anything but smooth. Jenkins’ 2024 season was cut up by a hamstring injury, limiting him to 82 games while he bounced between the FCL, Fort Myers, High-A Cedar Rapids, and Double-A Wichita. Even with the interruptions, he still put together a .282/.394/.439 line with six homers, 56 RBIs, 53 runs scored, and 17 steals.
In 2025, ankle issues slowed him again, holding him to 84 games as he split time across four teams once more. That year he still produced at a high level, batting .286/.399/.451 with 10 home runs, 34 RBIs, 56 runs, and 17 stolen bases. By season’s end, he was named a Double-A All-Star.
The 2026 season opened with more setbacks. Early hamstring and shoulder injuries sent him on rehab assignments in Single-A and High-A before he caught fire again with the Saints. Over that stretch, he hit .308/.407/.532 with 12 home runs, and in his final 44 games before the call-up he was even hotter, slashing .335/.413/.607.
Minnesota needed him. Byron Buxton was out again, this time with a hip injury, and the Twins were losing ground in the Wild Card race. They were also heading into a heavy run of division games against the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, and Cleveland Guardians.
Jenkins made his debut at home against the White Sox, starting in center field and batting ninth. He went 1-for-3 with a walk.
The next day, he picked up his first major league extra-base hit, his first RBI, and his first stolen base. On Monday, he added his first home run, though it came against position player Zach McKinstry.
The Twins are betting on a player who checks a lot of boxes. Jenkins brings power, speed, and the kind of defensive value that lets him handle all three outfield spots. He was ranked sixth on Just Baseball’s latest Top 100 MLB Prospects list, and Minnesota is finally seeing what all the buzz has been about.
In Other News...
Twins Move On From Kyler Fedko In Painful Roster Twist
September roster churn brought an especially tough turn for Kyler Fedko, whose brief run in the Twins organization ended with a designation for assignment after a severe knee injury. Minnesota made the move while also promoting infielder Ben Ross to the 40-man roster and recalling right-hander Garrett Acton from Triple-A as part of the clubs September call-ups, a reminder that this time of year can be as much about paperwork as it is about opportunity.
Fedkos situation carries a painful layer beyond the roster math, since injury waiver rules mean he will be released because of the injury and then becomes available again afterward. The door is not necessarily closed from there, whether that leads to a return with the Twins or a chance elsewhere, but for now the transaction underscores how quickly a promising path can change when health intervenes. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Triple-A Lineup Is Suddenly Chasing An Even Bigger Record
The power surge in St. Paul has turned the Twins Triple-A affiliate into one of the most dangerous lineups in the minors, and the Saints just added another layer to an already historic season. Their latest long ball pushed them past the International League mark, passing the Omaha Storm Chasers and giving the club a new single-season home run record to chase the rest of the way.
Kalai Rosario supplied the tying blast before Cody Morissette delivered the record-breaker, and the balance of the lineup has been almost as striking as the raw total. The Saints now have 12 players with at least 10 homers, a depth of thump that has them within reach of the all-time minor league single-season home run record held by the El Paso Chihuahuas, giving Minnesota plenty to monitor as the year winds down. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Wallner May Be Running Out Of Time With The Twins
The Twins used their September call-ups to bring up Ben Ross and Garrett Acton from Triple-A St. Paul, and the move said plenty about where Matt Wallner stands right now. Once viewed as a promising outfield bat, Wallner was sent to the minors while Minnesota looked elsewhere for help, a sign that the clubs patience with his uneven production may be wearing thin.
Wallners profile has not helped him stay in the picture. The strikeouts and whiffs have piled up, his sprint speed has trended down, and his defense has not given the Twins much reason to keep waiting for a breakthrough. With the team continuing to promote other players instead of him, the question is no longer just how long Wallner can hold onto a roster spot, but whether the organization has already started to move on. [Read more 🡒]