New Day, New Minnesota Twins Top Prospect Injured

The Minnesota Twins 2025 season has not gotten off to the best start. Well, at 3-8, that is putting it way too lightly. There’s been ineptitude from the lineup and, at times, their pitching has been worse.

For a team that had projections of winning the AL Central division, nothing gone well out of the gates, and that includes player health. While they did receive some positive news on Brooks Lee this week, after he started a rehab assignment down in Florida, before it was moved to Triple A St. Paul two days later.

Walker Jenkins on the Double-A injured list for MN Twins

But as could have been expected, as soon as one former top prospect is about to get healthy, the Minnesota Twins current top prospect — 2023 No. 5 overall draft pick Walker Jenkins — is now hurt. On Wednesday, the Double A Wichita Wind Surge placed the 20-year-old center fielder on injured reserve.

#MNTwins top prospect Walker Jenkins was placed on the Double-A Wichita injured list with a left ankle sprain.

Same ankle injury Jenkins was sidelined by during spring training. He played two games for Wichita.

— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) April 9, 2025

As Gleeman reports, this is the same ankle injury that forced Walker Jenkins to miss time during spring training. The South Brunswick high school graduate came into the 2025 season as a consensus top five prospect in baseball.

This, after he posted a .282/.394/.439 slash line last season with 22 doubles, four triples, and six home runs between low A and Double A ball last summer. It’s plausible the 20-year-old actually debuts with in the big leagues this season, but that’s only going to happen if he stay on the field and produce.

In 2024, Jenkins hurt himself on Opening Day, an injury that ultimately limited his season to just 82 games. This time around, the Wilmington, NC kid played just a pair of Double-A games, before finding his way to the shelf. Prior to landing on IR, Jenkins started the Wichita season 1-for-8 with a pair of strikeouts.

Walker Jenkins (ankle; day-to-day) was ruled out for the second straight game

Brian Dinkelman says his injury has been a "nagging discomfort" and they'll play it safe

"If it means sitting out a few days to be good for the next four months, that's hopefully where we're at" pic.twitter.com/O6KgXeimyE

— Noah Sacco (@NoahSaccoTV) April 9, 2025

Minnesota Twins top prospects bring all the injury risk

It remains to be seen how long his absence will be. Of course, the Twins will be cautious when it comes to getting Jenkins back on the field, as they should be. He is a huge part of their future.

For years Minnesota Twins fans have brought frustration to the table when it comes to their evaluation of Byron Buxton. He is a former top prospect that has struggled to stay on the field, and his 100+ games last year was just the second time he accomplished such a feat during his career.

Related: MN Twins Give Optimistic Update on Pablo Lopez Injury

Jenkins isn’t the only top prospect in the Twins system who’s been dealing with injuries this spring. Their second-best prospect, Emmanuel Rodriguez, missed much of spring training because of an ankle injury of his own.

Then, in the second game of the St. Paul Saints’ regular season, Rodriguez jammed his thumb which caused him to miss another game or two. Remember, Rodriguez had to have surgery on his other thumb this offseason.