Walker Jenkins is extra than simply the top-rated prospect within the Minnesota Twins system. Drafted fifth general in 2023 out of Southport, North Carolina’s South Brunswick Excessive College, the soon-to-turn-20-year-old is without doubt one of the sport’s high prospects. His left-handed stroke is a giant motive why. As Eric Longenhagen notes in Jenkins’ forthcoming High 100 prospect report, the outfielder “has thrilling really feel to hit and barrel management. He tracks pitches exceptionally effectively and might transfer his palms everywhere in the strike zone.” Longenhagen goes on to notice that whereas Jenkins is probably going a left fielder (the Twins have primarily deployed him in heart up to now), he “ought to hit sufficient to be a heart-of-the-order hitter and influence common no matter place.”
His first full skilled season was spectacular. In 368 plate appearances break up throughout 4 ranges — he completed the yr in Double-A — Jenkins had a 139 wRC+ to go together with six residence runs and a .282/.394/.439 slash line. Furthermore, he swiped 17 bases in 20 makes an attempt.
Jenkins mentioned his hitting method within the ultimate week of January.
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David Laurila: How would you describe your self as a hitter?
Walker Jenkins: “Above all issues, I’m a hitter who’s going to go up there and attempt to get my finest swing off. You could have guys that get categorized as, ‘Oh, they’re hitters, however they don’t have any energy,’ whereas for others it’s, ‘They’re all energy, however no hit.’ I need to be a very good hitter. I’m going to hit first, and after I get my A-swing off, that’s when my energy goes to come back.
“Should you can repeatedly hit the ball on the barrel, good issues are going to occur. That’s what I attempt to do, as a result of I don’t like hanging out. I don’t like giving at-bats away. However after I get in a hitter’s rely, I’m not going to get cheated.”
Laurila: An A-swing is perfect, however a hitter wants extra than simply that to succeed in opposition to high-level pitching. Do you agree?
Jenkins: “I imply, you’ve received to have a number of swings. If you may get your A-swing off each at-bat, that’s usually going to be an excellent sport. However you’re going to get into powerful counts, and pitchers are going to throw good pitches. You’ve received to have the ability to make issues work. And also you don’t at all times want your A-swing. I’ve hit a few of my hardest balls on what weren’t essentially my favourite swings.”
Laurila: Of their 2025 Prospect Handbook, Baseball America in contrast your swing to Joe Mauer’s. Does that make sense to you?
Jenkins: “Sure, sir. It’s a two-hand end, the place I’m fully balanced. All the things is in line, in sync. I’m not falling down. My physique is over the ball, staying balanced, and usually I hit it fairly onerous.”
Laurila: The report additionally known as it “a degree swing.” Numerous occasions, a degree swing can imply line drives, however not quite a lot of raise or residence runs.
Jenkins: “That’s positively true. At any time when I can get my A-swing off, I’m not essentially making an attempt to raise balls. Guys are too good now. They will get an excessive amount of motion on balls so that you can actually attempt to uppercut them, and that makes it powerful to cowl up within the zone. I’m making an attempt to hit line drives by means of individuals’s heads. It’s after I get that barrel a bit of additional out within the zone… that’s if you create some severe raise, with energy.”
Laurila: Are you primarily seeking to hit the ball out entrance?
Jenkins: “I imply, you make your cash if you hit the ball out entrance. That’s the place you’re going to supply extra harm, extra energy. Even on outdoors pitches. Should you take a look at the place hitters hit [pitches], even driving them to the [opposite] area, it’s nonetheless out in entrance of the plate the vast majority of the time. If I can get my palms prolonged and create that energy… that’s what I need to do.
“One factor about hitting is that all the things has received to be in sync. Shoulders, palms, hips, ft — all the things from the bottom up. If it’s not in sync, usually it’s onerous to get a swing off that you just’re making an attempt to get off.”
Laurila: Did you method hitting a lot the identical manner in highschool, or have you ever realized loads since coming to professional ball?
Jenkins: “I might say a few of each. The outlook on how to enter sure at-bats in opposition to sure pitchers has modified just because, first, I didn’t see as many good arms in highschool. Second of all, you don’t have the identical data [in high school]. Data helps you study extra, and that’s what the sport is about. How are you going to make an adjustment faster than the opposite man? That’s what I need to do. From at-bat to at-bat, pitch to pitch, sport to sport, how can I make an adjustment to achieve success? That’s what I’m type of determining. Whether or not we’re dealing with north, south, east, west — whichever type of man — I’m determining the place I need to set my zone, set my sights, and know what I have to assault and what I would like to depart alone.”
Laurila: How do you steadiness sticking together with your strengths versus adapting to the man on the mound?
Jenkins: “I need to go into an at-bat realizing what I’m making an attempt to do. At any time when I began to get away from that…usually, that makes it powerful to maintain a plan. Are you aware what I imply? So, I attempt to go in with an method, realizing who I’m dealing with, what they’re throwing, what they wish to throw. Then I simply type of stick with it. I really feel like I’m a adequate hitter, and I belief my talents and preparation sufficient, that even when I get [beat] on a pitch or two, I could make an adjustment and nonetheless win the at-bat.”
Laurila: You’ve had a particularly excessive contact price. Does that ever work to your drawback? Some pitches which might be put into play aren’t ones {that a} hitter can drive.
Jenkins: “For positive. I wouldn’t commerce it, although. I feel placing the ball in play is without doubt one of the most useful property you’ll be able to have. That mentioned, one factor that shall be huge for me this yr is getting forward in counts and never swinging at a pitcher’s pitch. Most occasions that I’m swinging, I’m going to place the ball in play, however such as you mentioned, generally it’s not really impacting the ball. So this yr, I really want to hone in on a sure zone, often center of the plate, after I’m forward within the rely. I need to be swinging at one thing I can actually do harm with.”
Laurila: How onerous will it’s to try this? So far in your life, you’ve been in a position to hit most all the things.
Jenkins: “It relies upon. Numerous occasions I need to hone in additional, however I additionally had an honest quantity of success on powerful pitches final yr. That makes you be like, ‘Man, I do know I can get this man, irrespective of the place he throws it.’ So it’s extra about, ‘Alright, am I going to be extra profitable swinging at a pitch in the midst of the zone?’ It’s about going into the at-bat realizing that if I get forward, I need to shrink [my zone] much more. I need to discover what I’m searching for, the place I’m searching for it, after which not miss it.”
Laurila: Would you determine as an influence hitter?
Jenkins: “Should you watch me in BP, I feel individuals would say sure. However like I mentioned, I’m a hitter earlier than the ability. The ability goes to come back if I hit the ball on the barrel. My method is that I’m not going to get beat, however I’m additionally going to attempt to hit the ball as onerous as I can. The ability goes to come back, so I really feel prefer it’s a combination.”
Laurila: What are the favourite conversations you’ve got together with your hitting coaches and coordinators?
Jenkins: “They’re about getting again to the issues that work. Whether or not I’m feeling nice, or not feeling good in any respect, it’s, ‘The place had been we? The place are we at now? The place will we need to be?’ Perhaps we’re taking a look at video. Say, a month in the past, after I wasn’t making outs, it was, ‘That is the place your physique was; that is the way you had been transferring.’ A month later, it’s, ‘That is the place you are actually.’ I like seeing these issues, as a result of it’s an extended season. You’re taking part in quite a lot of video games, and issues change, whether or not you imply for them to or not.
“I feel it’s superior to look, see these little adjustments, and virtually put the items again collectively like a puzzle. I really feel like I’ve recognized a few items that, if I can maintain them in my swing, I’m at all times going to achieve success. However once more, generally you get away from them, unintentionally. These are my favourite conversations, those the place it’s like, ‘Look, that is the place we have to work to get higher. That is how we get again to it.’”
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Earlier “Talks Hitting” interviews can discovered by means of these hyperlinks: Jo Adell, Jeff Albert, Greg Allen, Nolan Arenado, Aaron Bates, Jacob Berry, Alex Bregman, Bo Bichette, Justice Bigbie, Cavan Biggio, Charlie Blackmon, JJ Bleday, Bobby Bradley, Will Brennan, Jay Bruce, Triston Casas, Matt Chapman, Michael Chavis, Garrett Cooper, Gavin Cross, Jacob Cruz, Nelson Cruz, Paul DeJong, Brenton Del Chiaro, Josh Donaldson, Brendan Donovan, Donnie Ecker, Rick Eckstein, Drew Ferguson, Justin Foscue, Michael Fransoso, Ryan Fuller, Joey Gallo, Paul Goldschmidt, Devlin Granberg, Gino Groover, Matt Hague, Andy Haines, Mitch Haniger, Robert Hassell III, Austin Hays, Nico Hoerner, Jackson Holliday, Spencer Horwitz, Rhys Hoskins, Eric Hosmer, Jacob Hurtubise, Tim Hyers, Connor Joe, Jace Jung, Josh Jung, Jimmy Kerr, Heston Kjerstad, Steven Kwan, Trevor Larnach, Doug Latta, Dillon Lawson, Brooks Lee, Royce Lewis, Evan Longoria, Joey Loperfido, Michael Lorenzen, Mark Loretta, Gavin Lux, Dave Magadan, Trey Mancini, Edgar Martinez, Don Mattingly, Marcelo Mayer, Hunter Mense, Owen Miller, Colson Montgomery, Tre’ Morgan, Ryan Mountcastle, Cedric Mullins, Daniel Murphy, Lars Nootbaar, Logan O’Hoppe, Vinnie Pasquantino, Graham Pauley, David Peralta, Luke Raley, Julio Rodríguez, Brent Rooker, Thomas Saggese, Anthony Santander, Drew Saylor, Nolan Schanuel, Marcus Semien, Giancarlo Stanton, Spencer Steer, Trevor Story, Fernando Tatis Jr., Spencer Torkelson, Mark Trumbo, Brice Turang, Justin Turner, Trea Turner, Josh VanMeter, Robert Van Scoyoc, Chris Valaika, Zac Veen, Alex Verdugo, Mark Vientos, Matt Vierling, Luke Voit, Anthony Volpe, Joey Votto, Christian Walker, Jared Walsh, Jordan Westburg, Jesse Winker, Bobby Witt Jr. Mike Yastrzemski, Nick Yorke, Kevin Youkilis
