The Minnesota Twins are fighting inconsistency at the big-league level. They’re in the midst of a six-game losing streak and have gone 3-7 in their last ten games. While they were surging thanks in part to a summer sausage provided by Ryan Jeffers, they’ve cooled a bit and are sitting in third place at 24-22. One thing going for the Twins is that they seem to be getting healthier. Two of the Twins top prospects got great news on the health front in outfielder Walker Jenkins and shortstop Brooks Lee. They were sent out on a rehab assignment that is starting with the FCL league.
Brooks Lee and Walker Jenkins both played today for the #MNTwins’ FCL team and each went 0-for-4, though Jenkins also walked.
First game for each on a rehab assignment.
— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) May 20, 2024
Walker Jenkins and the Twins
Jenkins is the Twins No. 1 prospect entering the season, according to MLB Pipeline. The book on Jenkins is that he could be a plus hitter with plus power from the left side of the plate. The power was a bit lacking in a small sample during his first professional season in 2023. He hit 3 homers with five doubles and three triples. Jenkins also carried an eye-popping .362/.417/.571 slash line throughout the season between two lower levels of the minors.
Jenkins, 19, currently sits at No. 8 in MLB’s Top 100 after being selected No. 5 in the draft last season. He hasn’t played as he’s working his way back from a hamstring injury that he suffered in the season opener. Jenkins went 0-4 with a walk in his first rehab game.
Brooks Lee Inches Closer
MLB Pipeline has Brooks Lee reaching the majors this season. He’s the second of the Twins top prospects starting a rehab assignment, but he’s a bit different than Jenkins. Lee is a switch-hitter who has impressive contact skills and an advanced approach. Last season, across Double and Triple-A, those skills were on display with a .275/.347/.461 slash line. He struck out 91 times in 565 plate appearances while walking 56 times. He has moderate power, having hit 16 homers across both leagues.
Lee, 23, was taken in the first round of the MLB draft in 2022. Despite suffering a back injury in spring training, he’s No. 15 in all of baseball while being the second of two to headline the Twins top prospects. He’ll head out on a rehab assignment in hopes of making the big club by the end of the season. Lee went 0-4 in his first rehab game.
The Twins Top Prospects and the Farm System
As the Twins are looking to contend in an AL Central that became crowded with the Kansas City Royals joining the Cleveland Guardians and Twins in being relevant, a farm system is necessary to plug holes at the big league level. While the Twins were ranked 15th in the preseason, they’ve proven so far that they can withstand a little bit of an injury bug while still competing for the top spot in the AL Central and a potential Wild Card berth.
With the American League being up in the year, it’ll be interesting to see if Brooks Lee finds his way onto the roster. With Carlos Correa always being a question mark with injuries and Lee playing mostly shortstop and third base, there is a path for him this season. We will likely see Jenkins in a couple of years.
