Twins prospect Walker Jenkins could miss start of spring season with ankle sprain
FORT MYERS, Fla. — He should be ready for Opening Day, but Minnesota Twins prospect Walker Jenkins could miss the start of the minor-league spring schedule after suffering a mild left ankle sprain.
While his teammates were already taking live batting practice, the club's top prospect watched the drills in street clothes on Friday. Jenkins said he's limited to only working out (no baseball activities) as he recovers from a sprain he suffered while jumping for a ball during outfield drills following his arrival in minor-league camp on Sunday.
Advertisement
The Twins' minor-league exhibition schedule begins on March 12. The club said the injury could put Jenkins one to two weeks behind schedule. Though Jenkins may not be ready to open the spring slate, he isn't too far behind, general manager Jeremy Zoll said.
'He's just working his way back, but we don't think it's going to impact him in terms of being ready for the season,' Zoll said. 'We're getting close. … I don't know if it'll literally be for the first minor-league game, but he'll be in a good spot, as games are getting close, to get built up.'
Jenkins is the second Twins outfield prospect to be sidelined this spring after Emmanuel Rodriguez sustained the same type of injury last month in big-league camp. Zoll described the left-ankle injury suffered by Rodriguez, a Grade 2 sprain, as worse than Jenkins'.
Twins athletic trainer Nick Paparesta said on Saturday morning that Rodriguez is starting to run again after injuring his ankle in mid-February.
The fifth overall pick of the 2023 MLB Draft, Jenkins suffered a hamstring injury in the 2024 season opener at Low-A Fort Myers and didn't play again until May 20.
He batted .282/.394/.439 with 22 doubles and six home runs in 368 plate appearances across four minor-league levels last season.
MLB Pipeline currently rates Jenkins as the No. 3 prospect in baseball. The Athletic's Keith Law ranked him as the No. 4 overall prospect earlier this year.
GO DEEPER
Twins top 40 prospects for 2025, led by Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
4 hours ago
- New York Times
Twins' rotation takes another hit as Zebby Matthews joins Pablo López on injured list
MINNEAPOLIS — There's no such thing as too much rotation depth. For the second time in less than a week, the Minnesota Twins lost a starting pitcher to a strained right shoulder, placing Zebby Matthews on the injured list before Sunday's 6-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. He joins Pablo López, who went on the IL after leaving Tuesday's start against the Athletics. Advertisement No timeline for Matthews' return has been provided by the Twins' training staff. However, whereas López is expected to be out for eight to 12 weeks with a moderate teres major strain, team sources indicate Matthews' strain is in a different area of the shoulder and considered less severe in nature. Matthews said he initially felt soreness during a bullpen session in Tampa Bay at the beginning of the recent 10-game road trip, but he was cleared to take his next two turns in the rotation and pitched pretty effectively against the Seattle Mariners and Athletics, allowing five runs in 12 innings. 'I was able to throw through it in Seattle and Sacramento,' Matthews said. 'But ultimately now, I'm feeling it a little more. I'll have to take a little time off, but hopefully it's not too long. … It's not something we're too concerned with. It seems to be something we can respond to, hopefully, pretty quick.' Matthews underwent an MRI exam Saturday and will be shut down from throwing, likely for at least two weeks, after which the Twins will reassess the 25-year-old right-hander's status. As the Twins' reigning minor league pitcher of the year, there's reason to be cautious with his recovery. Zebby Matthews, 2Ks in the 1st. — Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 24, 2025 No rotation replacement has been named by the Twins yet, but here's a large hint: Simeon Woods Richardson was a healthy scratch from his scheduled start Sunday for Triple-A St. Paul and 'it's very likely' he'll be the fill-in choice, according to Twins manager Rocco Baldelli. Woods Richardson began this season as the Twins' fifth starter, but the 24-year-old right-hander was demoted to the minors after posting a 5.02 ERA in 37 2/3 innings, with Matthews replacing him in mid-May. Now, after four Matthews starts, Woods Richardson will get another chance in the majors. Advertisement 'We're going to have to just keep moving, bringing guys up and challenging guys in the way we have,' Baldelli said. 'We're going to continue to operate like that. If we have to get creative with the rotation or the way we're filling up some of these innings and winning games, then we will.' Starting pitching has been the Twins' biggest strength through the 65-game mark. Their rotation sits fifth in the American League with a collective 3.64 ERA while leading the league in strikeout-to-walk ratio and ranking fourth in Win Probability Added. But now the starter depth is being put to the test. Chris Paddack has turned his season around in a big way after an ugly first start, and the Twins will need to count on the oft-injured right-hander more than ever with López and Matthews injured and Bailey Ober's mechanical issues leading to diminished velocity. Paddack missed the entire second half of last season with a forearm strain and then got knocked around for nine runs by the lowly Chicago White Sox in his 2025 debut. But in 12 starts since, Paddack has a 2.51 ERA in 68 innings, holding opponents to a .211 batting average and just six homers. And yet the Twins have a 3-9 record in Paddack's past 12 starts because the lineup has scored only 2.7 runs per game and the bullpen has combined for a 6.62 ERA after he exits, allowing 26 earned runs in 35 1/3 innings. Oddly, the Twins' hitters and relievers have been terrible in Paddack's starts. Saturday's loss to the Blue Jays was a prime example. Paddack did his part by throwing six innings of two-run ball, but the Twins' lineup failed to get a hit with runners in scoring position and high-leverage relief duo Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran allowed three runs late in a 5-4 defeat. It was the opposite story last season. Paddack mostly struggled, posting a 4.99 ERA in 17 starts before being shut down with an injury at the All-Star break, yet the Twins went 11-6 in those games thanks to the lineup scoring an average of 5.8 runs and the bullpen producing far less flammable work. Funny game, baseball. Chris Paddack, Filthy 85mph Changeup. 👌 — Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 1, 2025 Paddack has totaled just 50 strikeouts in 68 innings over this 12-start span, including three or fewer in half of the games, which is reason for lingering skepticism. But he's kept his fastball velocity in the 93 to 95 mph range more regularly than last season and has issued more than two walks in a game only once. Advertisement Paddack is attacking hitters in the strike zone with a fastball that has more consistent juice two years removed from his second Tommy John surgery. And his changeup, which lost effectiveness for several seasons after being the go-to weapon early in his career, has generated more whiffs of late. Durability will always be a massive question with Paddack, and it's not realistic to expect him to post a sub-3.00 ERA because starters at that level usually miss way more bats. But the further he gets from surgery, the more plausible it is for him to pick up some of the slack created by other injuries. After an offseason filled with Paddack trade speculation, the Twins opting to hang on to the 29-year-old impending free agent — and not shed his $7.5 million salary despite a payroll crunch — is proving to be a smart and increasingly crucial decision by the front office. Out since mid-May with a strained forearm, reliever Danny Coulombe was activated from the injured list Sunday, replacing Matthews on the roster. Coulombe made one rehab appearance, Friday with Triple-A St. Paul, and the 35-year-old left-hander threw a scoreless inning while retiring all three batters he faced on nine pitches. He rejoins a Twins bullpen that was briefly without a lefty after the team optioned Kody Funderburk to the minors on Friday. Back for his second stint with the Twins on a one-year, $3 million contract, Coulombe was fantastic before the injury, making a big impact in a middle-innings role. He posted a 0.00 ERA in 16 2/3 innings and also stranded 10 of 12 inherited runners, rescuing other pitchers by escaping their jams. (Photo of Zebby Matthews: Lachlan Cunningham / Getty Images)
USA Today
5 hours ago
- USA Today
Texas extends offer to elite four-star 2027 DL DeMarco Jenkins
Texas extends offer to elite four-star 2027 DL DeMarco Jenkins Texas landed a commitment from four-star defensive tackle Dylan Berymon late Saturday night, their first at the position in the 2026 class. The Longhorns were doing work on the 2027 cycle this weekend as well. They extended an offer to four-star defensive lineman DeMarco Jenkins he announced via his social media after his visit. Jenkins now has 19 total offers. Texas A&M, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, and Houston have all offered and tried to keep him in the Lone Star State. Oklahoma and Nebraska are two of his other big offers. 247Sports composite rankings have Jenkins listed as the No. 272 overall recruit in the country, the No. 30 defensive lineman, and the No. 40 prospect in Texas. Jenkins had a pretty productive sophomore campaign for Pearland High School. He produced 27 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and three sacks. The next step for the Longhorns will be to get Jenkins on campus for an official visit. Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on X (Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Matthew on X @StarConscience
Washington Post
5 hours ago
- Washington Post
Lee and Vázquez go back to back to power Twins past Blue Jays 6-3 and avoid series sweep
MINNEAPOLIS — Brooks Lee and Christian Vázquez hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning and the Minnesota Twins beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 on Sunday to avoid a sweep and snap a three-game skid. Minnesota trailed 3-2 when Lee led off against Bowden Francis with his fifth homer. Vázquez followed with his second and the Twins were never behind again.
