Walker Jenkins Among Six Players Reassigned to Minor-League Camp

[Seth Stohs]

Image courtesy of William Parmeter

The Minnesota Twins made some roster news before taking on Team Puerto Rico in an exhibition game at Hammond Stadium on Wednesday. The Twins won 6-3. 

Over the weekend, Walker Jenkins hustled down the first base line in an attempt to beat out a potential double play ball. The next day, Jenkins was diagnosed with Grade 1 Hamstring Strain. It is the mildest grade, which is encouraging, but he likely wouldn't play in games for the next week or two. That is why he was one of six players whose lockers moved from Hammond Stadium, across the parking lot, and to the minor-league clubhouse. 

In addition to the young outfielder, catchers Andrew Cossetti and Ricardo Olivar, right-handed pitchers Raul Brito and Andrew Bash, and left-handed pitcher Christian MacLeod were assigned to minor league camp where things are getting more and more busy. 

A few days earlier, the Twins sent Matt Canterino and Cory Lewis to minor-league camp. Canterino continues to work his way back from surgery that cost him the 2025 season. Lewis had been shut down very early in spring training with arm issues.  

Cossetti and Olivar spent the 2025 season in Wichita where he hit 13 doubles, 13 home runs, and had 13 stolen bases. Olivar has been a borderline Top 20 prospect in the Twins system over the past few seasons. A catcher, he also plays some left field, to keep his bat in the lineup. Cossetti has played some first base and DHd quite often. Over the past two seasons in Wichita, he has hit 33 doubles, four triples, and 12 home runs. He was the Twins 11th round pick in 2022 out of St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia. 

MacLeod was the Twins fifth round pick in 2021 out of Mississippi State. He has primarily been a starter in his professional career. Last year, he made 13 starts and had a 2.63 ERA in Wichita. He made a couple of spot starts for the Saints, but 10 appearances out of the St. Paul bullpen. 

29-year-old Bash pitched in a variety of roles in the Blue Jays organization since joining the organization before the 2021 season. He went 6-2 with a 2.57 ERA in 40 games and 84 innings in 2025. He walked 36 and had 72 strikeouts. 

28-year-old Brito has spent the past three seasons in the Padres organization. Before that, he pitched in the Marlins organization from 2016 through the 2022 season. In 2025, he posted a 6.11 ERA over 48 games and 63 1/3 innings. He had 82 strikeouts but also walked 35 batters. 

These moves leave the Twins with 59 players in camp. 18 of them are non-roster players. There are 29 pitchers, six catchers, 11 infielders, 10 outfielders, and three utility players remaining. In addition, Pablo Lopez has been played on the 60-Day Injured List. 

Because the players reassigned were not on the 40-man roster, they can come back and play in games for the Twins during spring training. Players cut from big-league camp who are on the 40-man roster are "optioned" to the Saints or Wind Surge rosters. Semantics. 

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[TJSweens]

Jenkins starting the year on the shelf is getting predictable. 

[h2oface]

We sure seem to draft fragile bodied players. Over and over. Joining Royce as hurting themselves running to first base. I hope the early sprint in meaningless ST was worth it. 

[mikelink45]

I agree with the sentiments here - Walker has so much potential but so did Kiriloff.  The injury issue is a serious concern.

[twinstalker]

8 hours ago, h2oface said:

We sure seem to draft fragile bodied players. Over and over. Joining Royce as hurting themselves running to first base. I hope the early sprint in meaningless ST was worth it. 

The problem is thinking spring training is where you get conditioned.  You prepare for the season in ST, you don't get in shape for it.  Every movement, whether swinging a bat or avoiding a pickoff is intense, and yes, you need to be able to sprint.  It's not that hard to be prepared for that by introducing intensity and suddenness into one's offseason training.  Jenkins should not be deciding how he trains or how he approaches spring training.  This is the Twins responsibility.

[Twins GFP]

55 minutes ago, twinstalker said:

The problem is thinking spring training is where you get conditioned.  You prepare for the season in ST, you don't get in shape for it.  Every movement, whether swinging a bat or avoiding a pickoff is intense, and yes, you need to be able to sprint.  It's not that hard to be prepared for that by introducing intensity and suddenness into one's offseason training.  Jenkins should not be deciding how he trains or how he approaches spring training.  This is the Twins responsibility.

This is not the 1970's, were athletes sold cars in the offseason and used ST to get into shape. With millions of dollars at stake, these guys are working out year round. Sometimes injuries happen because they happen.