The Minnesota Twins are in a surprising spot coming out of the All-Star break. No matter what you think about the current state of the franchise or the team’s Major League cosplay, there’s a good chance that most fans would take their current position, tied for the final Wild Card spot in the American League with the Seattle Mariners.
The half-empty side is that the Twins are in contention with a 48-49 record and it will take an addition or two to help get them back to the playoffs for the first time since 2023. While they could be buyers ahead of the trade deadline, the Twins may be sitting on a wild card in their own organization, giving an intriguing case to call up Walker Jenkins in the second half.
Walker Jenkins debut could help the Twins capture a playoff spot
The No. 1 prospect in the organization and the No. 14 prospect overall according to MLB Pipeline, Twins fans have been waiting for Jenkins's debut for a while. It may have already happened if he hadn’t injured his shoulder after crashing into a wall last May. But it’s becoming clear that Jenkins has done everything he can at the Triple-A level.
Jenkins is hitting .277/.386/.440 with three homers, 13 RBI and seven stolen bases on eight attempts for the Saints this season and seems to be getting more comfortable with each game. While his career production of five homers, 21 RBI and 11 stolen bases on 12 attempts in 61 Triple-A games seems a little light, it’s the most time and at-bats (232) he’s seen at any level during his professional career.
With him playing steady defense in the outfield and having the ability to play the corner spots, Jenkins’s bat would be great depth for a Twins team that already has the highest-scoring lineup in the American League at 4.86 runs per game. He would also be insurance for Byron Buxton, who is currently on the injured list after battling a sore hip, over the final weeks of the first half.
Still, it may be a complicated path for Jenkins to make his debut. The Twins outfield is pretty much set when healthy as Trevor Larnach has had a career year and Buxton has continued his late-career resurgence. Right field is a bit of a question mark, although Luke Keaschall has played well in limited duty, and Austin Martin is still on the roster with Kody Clemens also available to spend time in the outfield, although he has settled in as the everyday second baseman.
There’s also a playing time incentive for the Twins to keep Jenkins in the minors. If Jenkins isn’t going to play every day, it may be more beneficial for him to do so in St. Paul. It is also worth noting that major league players can not be sent down to the minors if MLB locks out as expected this winter, giving Minnesota another reason to keep Jenkins down and continue his development.
Still, adding Jenkins could be a big benefit. If Buxton goes on the shelf again, Jenkins would likely be their best replacement. He also seems to be in greater standing in the organization than Matt Wallner, who owns a .915 OPS in St. Paul but also continues to have a large swing-and-miss component with 55 strikeouts in 184 at-bats.
The longer the Twins are in contention, the more fans will wonder if Jenkins and fellow top prospect Kaelen Culpepper could get the call for the stretch run. And even though his path is blocked, Jenkins is showing enough to suggest he could be a player who could push the Twins over the top in a wide-open American League playoff race.
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