SEATTLE – With a consensus five top players available in the major league draft, and the No. 5 overall pick, the Twins took the one who was available to them.
The Twins selected Walker Jenkins, a North Carolina high school outfielder who impressed throughout the spring and was considered one of the two best prep players in this year's draft class. It was a fortunate position for the Twins after they leapt eight spots in the inaugural draft lottery last winter.
"This is the first step to getting to my final goal of being the best ballplayer ever," Jenkins told reporters in North Carolina. "I want to go No. 1 because I want to be the best, but that's not always how it works. I plan on going out and proving that to everyone, and the first four teams that didn't take me, proving it to them that they're ultimately going to regret their decision."
Jenkins, 18, was rated the No. 4 player in the draft class by Baseball America. The 6-3, 205-pound lefthanded hitter stands out because he uses such a simple, compact lead-in to his swing, but he hits for as much power as any high school hitter.
ESPN draft analyst Kiley McDaniel wrote Jenkins is the "best prep hit/power combo since Bobby Witt Jr. in 2019 and has a shot to be the face of a franchise." ESPN will rank him as the No. 21 prospect in the sport once he signs. The slot value for the No. 5 pick is $7.14 million.
At Jenkins' high school, South Brunswick, players did not have to ride the bus back from away games because of the distance. It gave many of them a chance to return home faster. There were times when the team bus arrived, and Jenkins was already at the school taking more swings in the batting cages.
"Win or loss, he could be 3-for-4 or, unfortunately, a game where he gets walked every at-bat," said Mike Anderson, who coached Jenkins in his sophomore and junior seasons, "he would be in there just working away because he wasn't satisfied with the outcome of that particular game. It's something I've never witnessed before with a player."
Scouts view Jenkins, a University of North Carolina commit, as a potential 30-home run threat. He features solid speed and may be given a chance to start his pro career in center field, but he could be an impact corner outfielder with his power profile. He's the top North Carolina high school position player prospect since Josh Hamilton was the No. 1 pick in 1999.
