Twins No. 1 prospect Walker Jenkins finally returned to in-game action on Saturday, beginning a rehab assignment. He had been sidelined since May 3 after suffering a grade 2 AC joint sprain in his left shoulder while running into the outfield wall making a catch for Triple-A St. Paul. Jenkins began his rehab stint by starting at designated hitter and hitting second in the lineup for Low-A Fort Myers, going 4-for-5 with a home run and a double as the Mighty Mussels lost to the Dunedin Blue Jays 15-5 in Fort Myers.
What a day for Twins top prospect Walker Jenkins! pic.twitter.com/ACir36gwwu
— Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (@MightyMussels) June 14, 2026
Jenkins' outstanding performance on Saturday has fans urging the Twins to call him up. Jenkins, MLB Pipeline's No. 11 prospect, will almost certainly return to Triple-A at the conclusion of his rehab assignment, but there's a good chance he will be in the majors by season's end.
I second this
— Justin Sieve (@twolvesbaby) June 14, 2026
Jenkins is in the Mighty Mussels' lineup for Sunday's matchup with Dunedin, batting second and playing center field. Dan Hayes of The Athletic reported on Friday that Jenkins is expected to play for Fort Myers on Saturday and Sunday, meaning his rehab assignment will likely be shifted to High-A Cedar Rapids or Double-A Wichita after today's game.
Jenkins deserves to make MLB debut this season
With Austin Martin's recent struggles, the Twins could consider swapping him for Jenkins soon. However, the team also likely wants to give Matt Wallner another shot in the big leagues. Since being optioned to Triple-A on May 14, Wallner has slashed .265/.339/.559 (123 wRC+) with eight home runs across 25 games.
An injury may be what opens the door for Jenkins' MLB debut. Another trade deadline fire sale could also clear a roster spot for Jenkins. Regardless, he should reach the big leagues this season as long as he remains healthy.
Jenkins had a rough start at the plate with the Saints this season, but a strong stretch before landing on the IL improved his overall slash line to .256/.396/.389 over 111 plate appearances. He slashed .286/.399/.451 across four minor-league levels last season.
Jenkins, 21, has suffered numerous injuries since being drafted No. 5 overall by the Twins in 2023. He missed six weeks in 2024 because of a left hamstring strain and eight weeks in 2025 because of an ankle sprain. He also suffered a left hamstring strain in spring training.
Jenkins and the Mighty Mussels are set to take on the Dunedin Blue Jays at 11:05 p.m. CDT on Sunday. The game will be available to watch on BallySport. Meanwhile, the Twins are slated to take on the Cardinals at 1:10 p.m. CDT today, with streaming available on Twins.TV.
Add us as a preferred source on Google