Walker Jenkins picked a memorable night to make his return to CHS Field.
Back in St. Paul for the first time in nearly two months after recovering from a shoulder injury, the Twins’ top prospect was already making an impact before the game even got going Tuesday. During the national anthem, Jenkins helped a child named Lincoln, who was on the verge of falling in the 90-degree heat.
Lincoln, identified in a social media post by the Class AAA St. Paul Saints, grabbed his chest and stumbled backward for a couple of steps after Jenkins reached out to steady him.
He then fell into Jenkins’ arms and did not answer when Jenkins tried to speak to him. Jenkins picked him up and carried him to the dugout, where a member of the Saints training staff met them.
The Saints later said Lincoln was doing well, and with the parents’ permission they shared video of the moment and said Lincoln bought a Jenkins shirt afterward.
“I’m glad I was able to help,” said Jenkins, nicknamed “Captain America” when he played for a Team USA age-group team in high school.
“Thankful the kid is OK. For a minute there, I didn’t know what was going on, so I’m thankful.
Lord willing, he was OK and good to go. He wrote me an awesome little note that I’m super thankful for, bought a shirt with my name on it.
I was like, ‘He’s the man.’”
Jenkins’ night only got better once the game started. In his first appearance back after a seven-week stint on the injured list, he went 3-for-5, scored three runs and finished a home run short of the cycle.
Before the injury, Jenkins felt his swing was beginning to click. He said he was lifting the ball more often, and that started turning into more doubles and homers. He had already dealt with a hamstring issue during spring training, and he believed he may have been a little cautious about swinging through his back leg early on.
Then came the setback: a grade 2 AC joint sprain in his left shoulder after he crashed into the center field wall while making a running catch.
In Other News...
Twins Fans May Need More Patience With Walker Jenkins Than Expected
Walker Jenkins has done plenty to reinforce why he remains the Twins top prospect, but the path from standout minor leaguer to big-league regular is still looking a lot longer than many fans hoped. Minnesota has not rushed him, and there are good reasons for that, starting with the way injuries have interrupted his development and the fact that the major-league outfield is already crowded enough to let the club be patient.
Jenkins also is not on the 40-man roster yet, which gives the Twins more runway before any decision becomes urgent. Add in the uncertainty around the next Collective Bargaining Agreement and the possibility of an offseason lockout, and the organization has even more incentive to avoid forcing the issue. For now, the focus remains on keeping Jenkins healthy and letting his talent keep doing the talking. [Read more 🡒]
How The Saints Keep Winning While The Twins Keep Pulling Talent
Even with the roster in St. Paul constantly being shuffled by injuries, call-ups and veterans choosing to opt out, the Saints have kept rolling through the first 80 games of the 2026 season. They sit at 46-34 and have become one of the most dangerous home run-hitting clubs in professional baseball, a run built on an offense that keeps finding new contributors as faces change around it.
Walker Jenkins, Kaelen Culpepper, Hendry Mendez, Gabby Gonzalez, Matt Wallner, Alan Roden, Ben Ross, Kala'i Rosario, Aaron Sabato and Tanner Schobel have all helped keep the lineup productive, and manager Brian Dinkelman has pointed to the clubs upbeat, connected atmosphere as a big reason it keeps winning. For the Twins, the Saints success is a reminder of how much talent is bubbling just below the majors, with five players already having been pulled up from St. Paul and more still knocking on the door. [Read more 🡒]