Walker Jenkins' Emotional Calls Make Twins Promotion Even More Special

There are certain moments and phone calls baseball players dream about their entire lives.

Walker Jenkins finally got to live his.

The Minnesota Twins are calling up their top prospect. The 21-year-old is set to make his major league debut against the Chicago White Sox at Target Field.

For Jenkins, this news represented a lifetime of work; a journey that started a long time ago. A path that started long before he was selected as the No. 5 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft was finally finding its golden bricks.

The moments immediately after he learned he was headed to the majors proved just how much it meant.

Walker Jenkins Gets The Long-Awaited Call

"Walker, you're going to the big leagues"

Be here for his debut tonight: https://t.co/06wukmRyhh pic.twitter.com/O4yMOAvOGG
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) August 28, 2026

Videos have been released that captured Jenkins learning he was headed to Minnesota and then him sharing the news with the people who have been by his side through it all.

His first call was to his wife, Lexi.

In a rare moment, this was a time when baseball took a back seat, if only briefly. Jenkins has spent years working toward the major leagues and navigating all the challenges that come along with that. There’s no doubt he has been under a lot of pressure trying to live up to the expectations that come with being the number one prospect on a team.

When he finally got that call, Lexi was the first person he wanted to share it with. According to several of Jenkin’s social media posts, Lexi has been by his side for years, and there’s no doubt she has been a rock in his world.

The next calls were to his parents.

“Are you working tomorrow?” Jenkins asked each of them separately.

He followed that up with the reason for his call.

“Well, I’m going to The Show, so I’m going to need you to be there.”

Such a simple message that carries a lifetime of work, investments, and sacrifice.

We're not crying, you are 🥹

"Well I'm going to the big leagues so I'm gonna need you to be there" pic.twitter.com/HfcNW1o6Ug
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) August 28, 2026

Jenkins was one of the most highly regarded players in the country when the Twins selected him in the 2023 Draft from South Brunswick High School in North Carolina.

His parents, Clay and Tana, well, they were there for that moment, too.

The family watched the draft together from their home in North Carolina. Jenkins later described hearing his name called as rewarding for everyone involved in the process of getting him there.

That was just the beginning.

Jenkins Had to Fight Through Setbacks

As everyone expected, Jenkins became one of the elite prospects in the league, but the path to the MLB field hasn’t been smooth sailing.

Injuries have hindered his progress at times.

A hamstring injury held him back in 2024. A few other setbacks happened in 2025 before a significant injury occurred this year.

Jenkins suffered a Grade 2 AC joint sprain in his left shoulder when he collided with the outfield wall. It cost him about seven weeks of the 2026 campaign.

The 21-year-old didn’t that hamper his progress or his quest to see the Majors.

When he stepped back on the field in June, he started playing some of the best baseball of his career. By the time the calendar turned over to August, it was becoming impossible for the Twins to justify keeping him in Triple-A.

He hit .411 with a .488 on-base percentage and eight home runs through the first 18 games in August. He had stepped up his impressive game yet again.

The Dream Is Now Reality

There will be a lot of time to analyze just exactly what Jenkins arrival means for the Twins.

Minnesota is holding on to the hope of seeing the postseason. The organization is going to have to see where Jenkins fits into the outfield, where Buxton will eventually return. Then, Jenkins will be facing the enormous expectations that go along with being one of the best prospects in baseball.

Those questions can wait.

For a few short minutes, Jenkins wasn’t the former No. 5 overall pick. He wasn’t Minnesota’s top prospect. He wasn’t the player Twins fans have been longing to see at Target Field.

He was a 21-year-old who was getting to deliver the most incredible news to the people he loves most.

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