Walker Jenkins is extra than simply the top-rated prospect within the Minnesota Twins system. Drafted fifth total in 2023 out of Southport, North Carolina’s South Brunswick Excessive Faculty, the soon-to-turn-20-year-old is among the sport’s prime prospects. His left-handed stroke is an enormous cause why. As Eric Longenhagen notes in Jenkins’ forthcoming Prime 100 prospect report, the outfielder “has thrilling really feel to hit and barrel management. He tracks pitches exceptionally effectively and may transfer his fingers 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 thus far), 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 along with six dwelling runs and a .282/.394/.439 slash line. Furthermore, he swiped 17 bases in 20 makes an attempt.
Jenkins mentioned his hitting strategy within the remaining 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’ve gotten 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 hitter. I’m going to hit first, and after I get my A-swing off, that’s when my energy goes to come back.
“If you happen to can constantly 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 putting out. I don’t like giving at-bats away. However after I get in a hitter’s depend, 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 bought 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 robust counts, and pitchers are going to throw good pitches. You’ve bought 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 utterly balanced. Every part is in line, in sync. I’m not falling down. My physique is over the ball, staying balanced, and usually I hit it fairly exhausting.”
Laurila: The report additionally referred to as it “a stage swing.” Numerous instances, a stage swing can imply line drives, however not a whole lot of elevate or dwelling runs.
Jenkins: “That’s undoubtedly true. At any time when I can get my A-swing off, I’m not essentially attempting to elevate 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 robust to cowl up within the zone. I’m attempting to hit line drives via folks’s heads. It’s after I get that barrel a little bit additional out within the zone… that’s if you create some critical elevate, with energy.”
Laurila: Are you primarily trying 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 provide extra harm, extra energy. Even on outdoors pitches. If you happen to have a look at the place hitters hit [pitches], even driving them to the [opposite] discipline, it’s nonetheless out in entrance of the plate the vast majority of the time. If I can get my fingers prolonged and create that energy… that’s what I need to do.
“One factor about hitting is that every thing has bought to be in sync. Shoulders, fingers, hips, toes — every thing from the bottom up. If it’s not in sync, usually it’s exhausting to get a swing off that you simply’re attempting to get off.”
Laurila: Did you strategy hitting a lot the identical method in highschool, or have you ever discovered so much since coming to professional ball?
Jenkins: “I’d 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]. Info helps you be taught 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 must assault and what I want to depart alone.”
Laurila: How do you stability sticking along with your strengths versus adapting to the man on the mound?
Jenkins: “I need to go into an at-bat figuring out what I’m attempting to do. At any time when I began to get away from that…usually, that makes it robust to maintain a plan. Have you learnt what I imply? So, I attempt to go in with an strategy, figuring out 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 fee. Does that ever work to your drawback? Some pitches which can be put into play aren’t ones {that a} hitter can drive.
Jenkins: “For certain. I wouldn’t commerce it, although. I feel placing the ball in play is among the most respected property you possibly can have. That mentioned, one factor that will likely be huge for me this yr is getting forward in counts and never swinging at a pitcher’s pitch. Most instances that I’m swinging, I’m going to place the ball in play, however such as you mentioned, typically it’s not truly impacting the ball. So this yr, I actually need to hone in on a sure zone, often center of the plate, after I’m forward within the depend. I need to be swinging at one thing I can actually do harm with.”
Laurila: How exhausting will it’s to try this? So far in your life, you’ve been in a position to hit most every thing.
Jenkins: “It relies upon. Numerous instances I need to hone in additional, however I additionally had a good quantity of success on robust pitches final yr. That makes you be like, ‘Man, I do know I can get this man, regardless 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 course of the zone?’ It’s about going into the at-bat figuring out that if I get forward, I need to shrink [my zone] much more. I need to discover what I’m in search of, the place I’m in search of it, after which not miss it.”
Laurila: Would you determine as an influence hitter?
Jenkins: “If you happen to watch me in BP, I feel folks would say sure. However like I mentioned, I’m a hitter earlier than the facility. The ability goes to come back if I hit the ball on the barrel. My strategy is that I’m not going to get beat, however I’m additionally going to attempt to hit the ball as exhausting as I can. The ability goes to come back, so I really feel prefer it’s a mixture.”
Laurila: What are the favourite conversations you could have along 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 have been we? The place are we at now? The place can we need to be?’ Possibly 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 have 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 enjoying a whole 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 modifications, and nearly put the items again collectively like a puzzle. I really feel like I’ve recognized a few items that, if I can preserve them in my swing, I’m at all times going to achieve success. However once more, typically 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 via 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