Top prospect Jenkins scratched from Spring Breakout due to quad strain

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Twins fans hoping to get a look at their club’s future outfield will have to wait a bit longer to see the full picture.

Walker Jenkins, Minnesota’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 10 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline, was scratched from the Twins’ Spring Breakout game vs. the Rays after straining his left quad, the club announced on Thursday ahead of Minnesota’s 5-1 loss to Toronto.

“Any time a muscle is strained, just want to knock it out,” president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said. “So however long it takes him to get that knocked out and in a better spot. He’s still able to do a lot of activity, we just don’t want him to push the running at full tilt, which he would naturally do if he was playing in a game.”

Though he hasn’t yet made his way from the Lee Health Sports Complex back fields across the parking lot to Hammond Stadium, Jenkins has wasted no time since being drafted fifth overall by Minnesota in 2023. The day after he signed and met with media members in Minnesota, Jenkins was on a plane to the Twins’ complex in Fort Myers.

A true “baseball rat,” Jenkins texted vice president of hitting development and acquisitions Alex Hassan that he wanted to hit upon arrival -- around 10 p.m. ET. So the stadium lights were switched on, the Minor League cages opened and Jenkins’ itch was scratched.

“I think with him, his work ethic, like he's truly incredibly advanced for his age and how he goes about his work every day,” director of player development Drew MacPhail told MLB.com’s Sam Dykstra. “There hasn't been a ton of adjustments or things we've given him, we really feel like he's in a fantastic place and has a really good routine.”

Jenkins spent time between the Rookie-level FCL Twins and Low-A Fort Myers last year, compiling a .362 average with three homers and 22 RBIs across 26 professional games. Now in his first spring camp, the club is focused on gearing the 19-year-old up for his first full season.

Having participated in offseason camps throughout October, November and January, Jenkins’ transition into Spring Training was near seamless. So much so that MacPhail said there have been few adjustments made with the outfielder. Described by Falvey as someone who often goes “full speed,” Jenkins is now being faced with the test of patience and slowing down.

“Our focus for him is just [to] make sure that we get him through,” Falvey said. “This is going to be [his] first [Minor] League season in full, it’s a long one. … So kind of getting him to understand what that looks like to make sure he’s healthy as possible when he goes to play. And that’ll be preaching patience and teaching patience, and that’ll take some time, but the baseline is good: This kid wants to work. And now we just gotta get him lined up for the season.”

Taco Thursday
Kyle Farmer and Royce Lewis may have been the winners of the Twins’ annual egg toss competition this spring, but the entire team was rewarded for the duo’s victory on Thursday.

After Lewis joked about using the cash winnings to cover his fantasy football losses and Farmer considered pocketing the money, Farmer resolved to put his prize to good use, hiring a taco truck to visit Hammond Stadium ahead of the game against Toronto.

“When I was with the Dodgers, Adrián González always would bring a taco truck in,” Farmer said. “Kind of break up camp and have some fun.”

La Bamba Mexican Grill, a food truck servicing the Southwest Florida area, was parked in the players’ lot from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Among the Twins’ players and staff who lined up at the truck for their pregame meal was Ryan Jeffers, who went 2-for-2 with a run scored against the Blue Jays.

Twins Pass returns
A fan favorite ticket package is back for the 2024 regular season, with a new payment option. The “Twins Pass” offers entry to 80 regular-season home games, with the exception of the April 4 home opener against the Guardians.

If purchased now through April 3, fans can choose from a payment plan of $59 a month, or a new option to pay a one-time upfront fee of $324 to save $30. If purchased between April 4 and May 2, the monthly fee increases to $69, and $79 when purchased after May 3.

Fans can purchase their Twins Pass online at twins.com/twinspass or by calling 1-800-33-TWINS, with a limit of five passes per customer.