Inside The Twins

Watch: Twins top prospect Walker Jenkins destroys first CHS Field homer

Jenkins demolished a baseball for the St. Paul Saints on Sunday. His swing should have Twins fans excited about the future.
Will Ragatz|
Walker Jenkins absolutely crushed his second homer in a St. Paul Saints uniform on Sunday.
Walker Jenkins absolutely crushed his second homer in a St. Paul Saints uniform on Sunday. | St. Paul Saints

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Minnesota Twins

Walker Jenkins' first home run at CHS Field was one to remember.

The Twins' top prospect absolutely demolished a baseball in Triple-A St. Paul's 11-7 win over Columbus on Sunday afternoon. It was his second in a Saints uniform and his 10th of the season across all levels. Jenkins got a 1-0 fastball down the middle and didn't miss, hitting the ball onto a rooftop well beyond the right field wall.

Statcast says it left his bat at 107.8 miles per hour and traveled 388 feet, which is about 70 feet shorter than it looked.

If Twins fans are looking for reasons to be optimistic about the future, Jenkins — and his sweet lefty swing — is perhaps at the top of that list. The fifth overall pick in the 2023 MLB draft is just 20 years old and has risen quickly through the Twins' minor-league system.

Jenkins has produced at the plate at every level. He had a .989 OPS between rookie ball and Low-A in 26 games during his draft year. Last season, across four levels (mostly Low-A and High-A), he had an .833 OPS in 82 games and made it to Double-A before the year was over. This season, he had a .912 OPS in Double-A and has a solid .753 OPS in his first 18 games at Triple-A.

Plus, Jenkins was just 1 for 20 in his first six games with the Saints. In September, he's 16 for 49 (.327) with two homers, three doubles, and a triple.

The only issue for Jenkins so far in his professional career has been staying healthy. He's spent time on the IL in each of the last two seasons. But when he's been on the field, his talent has been undeniable. In 187 minor-league games, he's hit .297 with 19 homers, 71 total extra-base hits, 38 steals, and an .870 OPS. He's also a strong defender in center field who seems likely to end up in a corner spot with the Twins due to Byron Buxton's presence.

It seems likely that Jenkins will hit for average in the majors. The key to reaching his ceiling will be unlocking 30-homer power at the next level.

Jenkins, who MLB Pipeline ranks as the No. 14 prospect in all of baseball, figures to make his MLB debut at some point next season as a 21-year-old. He'll presumably begin the year with the Saints, but if he continues to produce like he has at every stop, he'll be in the Twins' lineup before too long.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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