Minnesota Twins Could Soon Have Baseball’s Best Prospect

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Walker Jenkins
Credit: Jonah Hinebaugh/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Minnesota Twins, who have one of the highest-rated farm systems in Major League Baseball, have promoted a bunch of guys to the big leagues, this season. While one of those top prospects, Brooks Lee, will soon surpass his rookie status, another may soon climb all the way to the top of the minor league rankings.

MLB Insider is all in on Minnesota Twins prospect Walker Jenkins

With a handful of top 100 prospects, the Twins’ future looks bright. That’s especially important for an organization owned by a Pohlad family that has recently tightened the player budget significantly.

But standing out above the rest of Minnesota’s current prospect pool, is the next great outfield superstar, 19-year-old Walker Jenkins. The Twins picked Jenkins No. 5 overall in the 2023 MLB Draft.

On Sunday, he was promoted to double-A Wichita, which will be his fourth stop on the season. The 6’3″, 210 lb phenom has hit .293, with 6 HR, 57 RBI and an .870 OPS (75 games) across three levels, to this point. Former MLB general manager, Jim Bowden (The Athletic) is all in on the Twins’ youngster.

“It was difficult to decide whether Walker Jenkins should be above or behind Clark because they are two completely different players. Clark is known for his speed, defense and ability to get on base while Jenkins has ridiculous upper-deck loft power to the pull side but also line-drive power to all fields. He’s an above-average base runner as well with strong baseball instincts. He’s batted .293/.399/.468 with more walks (48) than strikeouts (40) across three minor-league levels this season, collecting 30 extra-base hits despite missing six weeks with a hamstring injury.“

Jim Bowden on Walker Jenkins (The Athletic)

Bowden ranked Jenkins third on his recent top 50 prospects update. He also noted a willingness to put him ahead of Detroit Tigers prospect Max Clark (as most rankings have done). Bowden’s list is very interesting, and as he notes, much different than most others. Anyone who’s made their big league debut is excluded.

Whether it’s this list, or a multitude of others, the reality is this: Walker Jenkins is within a calendar year of being a legitimate contender for the number one overall prospect in baseball.

Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero topped Baseball America’s list, after starting the year as a top 10-15 player. That same rise is plausible for Jenkins, especially if he starts strong at High-A or Double-A in 2025.

Related: Watch Out: Twins Top Prospect Walker Jenkins is on a Heater…

Minnesota hasn’t had a prospect tough these heights since Byron Buxton. Jenkins is a different type of player, and while defense is a plus for him, his offensive abilities could be superstar level.

Emmanuel Rodriguez joins Jenkins as Bowden’s favorite Twins

It’s not just Jenkins that carries the top of the Twins system either. Emmanuel Rodriguez would be the top prospect in more than half of the organizations across the sport. It’s more likely that he finds his home as a corner outfielder, but he possesses strong athleticism and a great approach. Bowden ranked him 22nd on his list.

“Last season at High A, Emmanuel Rodriguez reached base at a .400 clip with 16 home runs and 20 stolen bases. Despite missing time for thumb and wrist injuries, he’s continued that success this year, slashing .279/.463/.579 with eight homers and nine steals in 42 games, mostly at Double A. The Twins promoted Rodriguez to Triple A earlier this week.“

Jim Bowden on Emmanuel Rodriguez (The Athletic)

Rodriguez was recently promoted to Triple-A. He ripped his first home run on Saturday night, and it was of the grand variety. His approach leans into taking counts deep. Sometimes that results in strikeouts, but his discipline at the dish has helped to rack up walks and generate a .422 OBP across 226 professional games.

There’s an outside chance that Minnesota may need to call upon Rodriguez in the final weeks of the season should Byron Buxton not return. He is already on the 40-man roster and has a more complete profile than the recently promoted DaShawn Keirsey Jr.

Related: MLB Insider Way High on Minnesota Twins’ Young Talent

The more likely outcome is that he debuts with the Twins at some point next summer. Minnesota being able to pair a duo at the top of their system like Jenkins and Rodriguez is truly impressive.

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