The Minnesota Twins are promoting top prospect Walker Jenkins ahead of Friday\u2019s series opener against the Chicago White Sox, a team source who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a move that hasn\u2019t yet been announced told The Athletic.<\/p>\n
Ranked the No. 16 prospect in baseball by The Athletic\u2019s Keith Law<\/a>, Jenkins is expected to take over in center field while Byron Buxton rests a sore right hip that caused him to leave Tuesday\u2019s game early.<\/p>\n The No. 5 overall pick of the 2023 draft, Jenkins entered Thursday hitting .308\/.407\/.532 with 12 home runs in 307 plate appearances for Triple-A St. Paul. Since Jenkins\u2019 return to AAA from his most recent injury \u2014 a Grade 2 AC joint sprain in his left shoulder from running into the outfield fence<\/a> while making a catch \u2014 he\u2019s been on a heater: .335\/.413\/.607 in 44 games with 10 homers.<\/p>\n Jenkins, the Twins\u2019 highest-rated prospect since Royce Lewis, hit eight of his 12 homers in August. The power surge demonstrates he\u2019s getting closer to reaching the final stages in his development.<\/p>\n With Buxton banged up since the All-Star break, fans have been clamoring for Jenkins. He\u2019s a five-tool athlete who\u2019s looked the part when he\u2019s been able to play. But injuries have limited Jenkins to 92 games since he arrived at St. Paul a year ago.<\/p>\n Invited to big-league camp for the first time this year, Jenkins missed most of spring training while recovering from a Grade 1 left hamstring strain. Jenkins returned in time for Opening Day, but sprained his left shoulder weeks later. He sat out nearly all of May before returning to the field in mid-June.<\/p>\n Because of previous ankle and hamstring injuries, Jenkins has never played more than 84 games in a season. But he\u2019s been an impact bat when he has been able to play, posting a career .303\/.404\/.490 slash line through Wednesday.<\/p>\n