St. Paul – A week ago, Philadelphia didn’t seem like a city Walker Jenkins and his family would be checking off as a place to visit during the 2026 season.
But the Minnesota Twins’ top prospect will be heading to the nation’s first capital this upcoming weekend, because Jenkins was selected to play in the MLB Futures Game last Thursday.
“I was surprised that the Twins kind of gave me the go-ahead to do it, to be honest,” Jenkins said on Sunday. “Not that in my first few years I hadn’t gotten hurt and had some things. I don’t even know if I was invited or not, but being able to go is pretty awesome.”
Jenkins, 21, had missed seven weeks on the field with Triple-A St. Paul due to a Grade 2 AC joint sprain in his left shoulder after colliding with the CHS Field outfield wall on May 3. The injury has limited him to just 38 games this year, including four in a rehab assignment. However, Jenkins has produced at an All-Star level over those 38 games.
He owns a .305/.406/.504 slash line, five home runs, 26 RBI, a 13.3% walk rate, 15.2% strikeout rate, seven stolen bases, and a 136 wRC+ over 165 plate appearances. So even if injuries have limited his playing time for the third straight season, it’s no surprise to anyone that Jenkins is getting the nod.
“I think everyone knows he’s a clear top prospect in all of baseball,” said Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers. “He’s one of the most talented players in all the minor leagues, so despite missing all the time, no one questions the value and the talent that’s there.”
“For him to be out that long, to come back and continue to be the player he’s always been, and get the chance to showcase his stuff on the national stage is good for him,” said Saints manager Brian Dinkelman.
Jenkins will not be making the trip to Philadelphia for the All-Star Weekend festivities with just his wife. Teammate Kaelen Culpepper was also selected to represent the Twins at the Futures Game for the second straight year. However, due to being hit by a pitch on his left hand last Tuesday, Culpepper will not be playing in the game.
Still, Jenkins and his wife, Lexi, are looking forward to spending time away from the field with Culpepper and his girlfriend during the trip.
“It’s so awesome,” said Jenkins. “Something that I think is super cool to do at least once. My family is going to be there, my wife is going to be there, so it’s just a blessing to be able to have people there that have supported me or helped me get where I’m at to kind of see some of those things along the way, so it’s been so cool.”
Even with Culpepper set to spend his second Futures Game on the bench, having the two hitters the Twins are building their future around at the All-Star festivities is a sign that two of their cornerstone prospects are among the best players in the minor leagues. Injuries have occasionally sidelined both players this season. Still, their production has been crucial to the Saints lineup, which currently leads all of pro baseball with 152 home runs on the year.
“It’s good for both of them and the organization to have two guys that are respected in baseball to get the opportunity to go play in that game,” Dinkelman said. “So I know Kaelen got the chance to play in it last year and said it was an awesome experience. For this being Walker’s first time, you know we think highly of him, and hopefully a good experience for him to go show what he can do.”
And not only is it a matter of the two best hitters in the Twins farm system spending time together. Jenkins is excited to meet many of the game’s top prospects who will also be participating in the game. While no specific names stand out for whom he’d like to meet, there are still plenty of talented arms on the National League squad, such as Gage Wood, Liam Doyle, and Kash Mayfield, who will be welcoming challenges to face at the plate.
“It’s just cool to see some other top guys in the game at your age and your level and see how you stack up,” said Jenkins. “So I’m just excited to face some of those arms and see some of those guys do the same thing.”
The nod to the Futures Game comes at a good time for Jenkins. His season stats have backed up his selection, and so has his nine-game performance since returning from the IL. In those games, he’s gone 11-for-35 (.314 batting average), with five extra-base hits, two walks, and five strikeouts.
So even if the nod came as a surprise to Jenkins, the Twins and Major League Baseball recognize he’s earned it in a short time. It’s all thanks to the hard work Jenkins has put in all year and being back in the clubhouse alongside his teammates.
“I feel like picking up right where I left off, getting right back in the stride. It’s great to be back with the guys,” he said.
“There’s always something about just getting back into the clubhouse with the guys. I mean, when you come back month, month and a half off. You kind of feel like a foreigner in there, and you’re like, ‘Alright, haven’t seen these dudes in a while.’ So it’s really, really good to be back and to just be back with the boys.”
