Scouting Report

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 60 

Jenkins has slipped past Indiana's Max Clark as the top high schooler in the 2023 Draft this spring and is North Carolina's best prep position prospect since Josh Hamilton went No. 1 overall in 1999. A hamate injury hampered him on the showcase circuit during the summer and prevented him from making the U.S. national 18-and-under team after he did so in 2021, but his physical ability was still obvious. Scouts also praise his makeup as much as his considerable tools. 

Gatorade's North Carolina player of the year in both 2022 and 2023, Jenkins is built to hit for power with a strong 6-foot-3 frame and a quick left-handed stroke. He already shows the ability to turn on quality fastballs and drive them out of the park to right field, and his pop extends to the opposite field as well. While his hitting ability doesn't stand out quite as much as his double-plus raw power, he has a sweet swing and makes consistent hard contact. 

Though Jenkins displayed plus speed earlier in his high school career, he has slowed a bit as he has gotten stronger and now is more of a solid runner. His instincts may allow the North Carolina recruit to remain in center field, with his reads and routes enhancing his range. If not, his plus arm strength will help him to fit the profile of a slugging right fielder. 

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 60

The Twins were one of the bigger winners in the lottery to determine the top of the 2023 Draft, making a large jump up to nab the No. 5 overall pick. That enabled them to get Jenkins, one of the two top high school hitters in the class, and he quickly hit his way to full-season ball, whetting the Twins' appetites with a .988 OPS during his pro debut. A quad strain slowed him early and he missed six weeks at the start of the season with a hamstring injury, but the North Carolina native still managed to play his way to Double-A in his first full year.

Jenkins has every chance to be a plus hitter with plus power in time. He turns around velocity with a smooth left-handed swing, recognizes spin well and can hit the ball a long way to all fields. He doesn't swing and miss much and draws walks, making consistent hard contact. Once he literally got his legs under him following his injuries, the Twins saw what he could do with a .303/.404/.494 line in July and August. There's plenty more power for him to get to in games as he gets more reps. 

There may be a time when it makes more sense for Jenkins to slide over to right field, where his plus arm and offensive game profile very well. But he's an above-average runner whose plus instincts are an asset in center field, so there's no reason to move him permanently, even if he gets more exposure in the corners so there are options to get his bat into the lineup in the big leagues soon.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 60

The best high school hitter from North Carolina since Josh Hamilton was the No. 1 overall pick back in 1999, Jenkins was thought to be one of five legitimate 1-1 caliber talents in the 2023 Draft class. The Twins, who had the No. 5 pick courtesy of the first MLB Draft Lottery, were thrilled when Jenkins was still available. He signed for a full-slot bonus of $7.14 million and made a strong first impression by reaching full-season ball and posting a .988 combined OPS in 26 games during his pro debut.

With a strong 6-foot-3 frame and a ton of bat speed from the left side of the plate, Jenkins has the chance to be a plus hitter with plus power. He can punish good velocity, showing the ability to turn on balls already and hit them out to his pull side, though his double-plus raw pop shows up to the opposite field as well. He makes a ton of hard contact, and in his pro debut, he didn't swing and miss much, with his hit tool right now a touch ahead of his in-game power.

A solid runner with good instincts, Jenkins began his pro career mostly playing center field, and that's largely where he's going to play during his first full season of pro ball as well. He'll get some exposure to the corners just so he's comfortable there if there's an opening whenever his bat is ready for Minnesota, but there's internal conviction he can stay up the middle. 

Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 60

There was intriguing competition atop the 2023 Draft among the top high schoolers in the class: Jenkins and Indiana's Max Clark. While Jenkins had slipped past Clark on many boards and was North Carolina's best prep position prospect since Josh Hamilton in 1999, it was Clark who came off the board first, at No. 3 overall to the Tigers. After the Rangers took college outfielder Wyatt Langford No. 4, the Twins were thrilled to get Jenkins, his tools and makeup at No. 5, giving him a full-slot bonus of $7.14 million to sign.

Gatorade's North Carolina player of the year in both 2022 and 2023, Jenkins is built to hit for power, with a strong 6-foot-3 frame and a quick left-handed stroke. He already shows the ability to turn on quality fastballs and drive them out of the park to right field, and his pop extends to the opposite field as well. While his hitting ability doesn't stand out quite as much as his double-plus raw power, he has a sweet swing and makes consistent hard contact. 

Though Jenkins displayed plus speed earlier in his high school career, he has slowed a bit as he has gotten stronger and now is more of a solid runner. His instincts may enable the North Carolina recruit to remain in center field, with his reads and routes enhancing his range. If not, his plus arm strength will help him fit the profile of a slugging right fielder.

Awards

FSL Player of the Week

Week	Team
09/03/2023

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	09/09/2024	OF Walker Jenkins assigned to Wichita Wind Surge from Cedar Rapids Kernels.
	07/29/2024	OF Walker Jenkins assigned to Cedar Rapids Kernels from Fort Myers Mighty Mussels.
	06/04/2024	Fort Myers Mighty Mussels activated OF Walker Jenkins from the 7-day injured list.
	05/20/2024	Fort Myers Mighty Mussels sent OF Walker Jenkins on a rehab assignment to FCL Twins.
	04/08/2024	Fort Myers Mighty Mussels placed OF Walker Jenkins on the 7-day injured list. Left hamstring strain.
	03/07/2024	Minnesota Twins Prospects activated OF Walker Jenkins.
	08/23/2023	OF Walker Jenkins assigned to Fort Myers Mighty Mussels from FCL Twins.
	08/23/2023	Fort Myers Mighty Mussels activated OF Walker Jenkins.
	08/03/2023	OF Walker Jenkins assigned to FCL Twins.
	07/25/2023	Minnesota Twins signed OF Walker Jenkins.
	08/24/2022	USA Baseball 18U National Team activated OF Walker Jenkins.
	08/24/2022	OF Walker Jenkins assigned to USA Baseball 18U National Team.
	07/01/2022	OF Walker Jenkins assigned to High School Workout.
	07/01/2022	High School Workout activated OF Walker Jenkins.
	07/01/2022	High School Workout activated OF Walker Jenkins.