Twins prospect Walker Jenkins has tools to be great, both now and in the future

FORT MYERS, FLA. – Walker Jenkins marched to the batter’s box, and it instantly turned into one of those high-profile backfields matchups where scouts perk up.

Jenkins, the Twins’ top-rated prospect and the No. 5 pick in the 2023 amateur draft, went to the plate in a live batting practice session to face righthanded pitcher Charlee Soto, the No. 34 pick who can make a case for the top pitching prospect in the organization.

In a 0-2 count, Jenkins thumped a 98-mph fastball to the base of the left field wall, a probable double in a real game. Even in a pitcher’s count, there was nothing defensive about Jenkins’ swing. One American League scout turned to the person next to him and said, “He’s going to be really, really good.”

Jenkins is determined to prove that.

“I don’t think there is anybody who is going to go out there and love the game more than I am, and have more fun doing it,” Jenkins said. “When you love something, you want to be the best at it.”

Jenkins is 19 and he looks like he could blend in with NFL players. Listed at 6-3 and 210 pounds, he’s easy to spot. But his gift lies in the simplicity of his swing. He doesn’t need a huge leg kick to generate power. His hands are quiet before he unleashes a lefthanded swing that can drive the ball to all areas of the field.

His swing and athleticism in the outfield made him the fifth pick in a loaded amateur draft class featuring five players who typically would have been in the conversation for No. 1 overall. Jenkins, fueled by the times he was passed over for youth all-star teams, said after the draft his goal was making the four teams that picked in front of the Twins regret not picking him.

“I’m not saying the teams made bad decisions,” Jenkins said. “I think all those dudes in front of me are great, great ballplayers. But I want to show them why I should have been there.”

Jenkins lived up to his billing in his post-draft debut last year. He hit .362 with three homers, five doubles, four triples and 22 RBI in 26 games between rookie ball and Class A. He had nearly as many walks (nine) as strikeouts (14).

He had three multi-hit games to begin his career. He hit a walk-off single in his second game with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels.

What stood out to the Twins, as much as his statistics, was his work behind the scenes. When Jenkins flew to Florida after his introductory news conference at Target Field, he asked if he could take swings immediately once he arrived at the team’s spring training facility.

It was after midnight.

Jenkins hit for 45 minutes with Alex Hassan, the club’s vice president of hitting development. Hassan’s late night in the cages story isn’t unique: people who know Jenkins all have one. His high school coaches gave players the option to drive themselves to road games, so they could return home faster afterward. Jenkins often was hitting in the team’s batting cage by the time the bus arrived.

“Some people think it’s kind of inflated when people say [those stories], but I love it, man,” Jenkins said. “There are times when you get back from a baseball tournament and it’s like, I want to hit some more. Get home and it’ll be 10 or 11 o’clock with my dad. The time I got down here, I went out to sign, and I hadn’t hit in like a week. I was like, ‘Dude, I want to get some swings in.’”

Jenkins enjoys the practice work. He loves to study video of swings, whether it’s his own or the top players in the league. Twins officials rave about his hitting acumen, particularly for a high school draftee, and his refined two-strike approach.

One impressive stat from his 26-game introduction to pro baseball last year: he swung and missed at only one fastball, which was a 99-mph pitch from No. 1 pick Paul Skenes.

“I try not to overcomplicate it because you can definitely do that, and I’ve done that at times,” he said. “I think one of the best things for my development is self-evaluation, and diving in, ‘all right, how does this swing look?’”

As much intensity as Jenkins carries throughout his workout and games, he’s the opposite off the field. Stadium ushers in Fort Myers light up talking about Jenkins and his family. They laud how much time he spent with fans. After he lost a state championship game in high school and the dugout cleared out, he stayed back to pick up empty cups and trash.

When Jenkins was asked about some of his highlight games last year, he thanked his teammates and the Twins staff.

“Obviously, you’re feeling a little bit of pressure, but you’ve got guys that make you feel at home and make you feel comfortable even before I’ve played a game,” Jenkins said. “It just makes it that much easier to go in and do what you do.”

Jenkins drove 45 minutes most mornings to work out in Wilmington, N.C., during the offseason at the same facility as Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers. They trained together before Jenkins was drafted into the organization, and they’re both competitive in drills. In one social media video, Jenkins jumped over a bar that was 58 inches high with relative ease.

The part Jenkins relishes is the firsthand look at Jeffers’ routine in the offseason. Seeing the preparation in the weight room, hitting and throwing drills gives a guy entering his first full professional season a good blueprint.

Derek Falvey, the Twins’ president of baseball operations, said the organization couldn’t ask for more from Jenkins since the draft. Jenkins, though, says it’s just the start.