Twins' Top Prospect Walker Jenkins Faces Rehabbing All-Star in Return to Triple-A

His last Triple-A game was back on May 3

Feb 19, 2026; Lee County, FL, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Walker Jenkins (75) poses during photo day at Hammond Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins' No. 1 prospect, outfielder Walker Jenkins, is officially back in the lineup for the Triple-A St. Paul Saints for the first time since early May. And in his first at-bat during his highly anticipated return, the 21-year-old drilled an extra-base hit off a 2024 MLB All-Star.

Jenkins, MLB Pipeline's No. 11 overall prospect for 2026, went 1-for-3 with a walk in St. Paul's 3-2 loss on Tuesday. Most notably, though, the lefty-swinging outfielder crushed a triple to dead center field while facing Cincinnati Reds ace Hunter Greene, who recently began a rehab assignment after undergoing right elbow surgery in March. The Twins' 2023 first-round draft pick got a 1-0 fastball down the middle in the first inning and laced it 405 feet to the center field wall with an exit velocity of 108.7 mph.

Jenkins has dealt with several injuries this year and throughout his career overall. But now, many Twins fans will likely hope to see the team's top prospect remain healthy for the rest of this season and potentially make his MLB debut in the next couple of months.

Could the Twins call up Walker Jenkins in 2026?

South Brunswick's Walker Jenkins navigates the bases as the Cougars hosted Carrboro in the second round of the NCHSAA 3A state playoffs on Friday, May 12, 2023. | Michael Cuneo/STARNEWS / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

So far in 2026, Jenkins has been limited to just 30 minor league games, including his recent rehab appearances with the Single-A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels and the High-A Cedar Rapids Kernels. In 26 Triple-A games this season, the young outfielder has a .258 batting average, a .400 on-base percentage, and an .809 OPS with two home runs, nine RBIs, and five stolen bases.

Multiple injuries have caused Jenkins to miss a substantial number of games since being selected by the Twins with the fifth-overall draft pick in 2023. The top prospect played 82 minor league games in 2024 and 84 in 2025. He's already dealt with quad, hamstring, ankle, and shoulder injuries over the last three years, keeping him to just 222 games played in the minors thus far.

While the Twins aren't that far out of the American League playoff picture right now, they might wind up being a seller at the trade deadline, even if they aren't planning on moving star outfielder Byron Buxton. And if Jenkins can stay healthy and produce following his recent return to Triple-A, the 21-year-old could be a candidate to make his big league debut later this year.