Walker Jenkins has his first homer of 2025.
The Twins’ first-round selection in the 2023 Draft (fifth overall) went deep for Single-A Fort Myers in the seventh inning of its 6-2 win over Palm Beach at Hammond Stadium on Friday night.
Jenkins, who is Minnesota’s top prospect (No. 6 overall), was playing in just his fifth game of the season after sustaining an ankle injury during Spring Training. He returned for the start of the Double-A campaign, but reinjured the ankle in his second game with the Wichita Wind Surge.
Jenkins was given a cortisone shot to treat a high ankle sprain in late April.
“I’ve got to stop running into walls,” Jenkins joked in an interview with Fort Myers media relations and broadcast manager Andrew Pawling earlier Friday.
Jenkins missed time in 2024 due to a hamstring injury as well.
“I like to play hard," Jenkins said. "I like to go hard in practice and in games, and I think I have to learn just when the right time to go 110 percent is. So I’m still learning, still getting there.”
The 20-year-old walked twice and scored a run for the Florida Complex League Twins in his first game back from the injury Tuesday. Two days later, he posted the same stat line for Fort Myers, before collecting two hits -- including the homer -- on Friday.
Jenkins is hitting .188 with three hits and two RBIs in five Minor League games this season. He hit .282 with 86 hits and six homers in 82 games last season, and slashed .362/.417/.571 with three homers in his debut season in 2023. Overall for his career, he’s slashing .298/.398/.469 and has stolen 23 bases in 113 games.
“I’m doing everything to win wherever I'm at," Jenkins said, "and [doing] everything I can to get better."