AL Central: Prospect patience in MIN

Minnesota Twins

21-year-old Walker Jenkins and 23-year-old Emmanuel Rodriguez are currently the crown jewels of the Twins' farm system, with Jenkins ranking 9th on the HQ100, and Rodriguez coming in at 49. Neither will be opening the season with the Twins—Jenkins was assigned to Triple-A last week, and Rodriguez was assigned there on Monday—but that doesn't mean they won't get MLB playing time in 2026.

There are several ways that could happen (from most likely to least likely):

  • Byron Buxton could land on the IL, something he's done each of the last nine seasons. Even in a relatively healthy and productive 2025 season, he spent 31 days on the IL. Both Jenkins and Rodriguez have spent time at CF in the minors.
  • The Twins could tire of

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