Twins Prospect Hits First MLB Homer Off 37 MPH Pitch

Walker Jenkins had one goal facing Detroit Tigers utility man Zach McKinstry on Monday night: "Dude. Don't strike out."

The Minnesota Twins' top prospect wasn't facing a flamethrowing closer in a tight game. He was staring down a position player lobbing 37 mph pitches in an 11-1 blowout. Nobody wants to look silly in that situation.

Jenkins didn't strike out. Instead, the 19-year-old crushed his first Major League home run 388 feet off the right-field foul pole at Target Field. The ball might have been moving slower than highway traffic when it left McKinstry's hand, but it counted all the same.

"I was more nervous for that than my normal at-bats, without a doubt," Jenkins admitted after the game. He'd faced high-90s heat from starter Jackson Jobe earlier in the night without breaking a sweat. But a position player on the mound? That's when the pressure kicked in.

The rookie fouled off one pitch before connecting on a 1-1 offering that cleared the fence. It was his third hit in just four big league games since debuting Friday night. As he rounded the bases, the Target Field crowd gave him a standing ovation.

Jenkins jogged back to center field laughing. "People giving me an ovation for hitting a homer off a position player," he said. "It was great, but I was enjoying the moment."

His teammates didn't miss the chance to razz him in the dugout. But they also knew the truth: your first home run is your first home run, no matter how it happens.

"Down the road, no one is going to remember, oh, he got to 20 because he hit the one off the position player," said teammate Kody Clemens. "It's a home run in the books and on the stat sheet. I'm super happy for him."

Sunny's Take

What makes this story shine isn't just the home run. It's Jenkins' ability to laugh at himself while still savoring a milestone moment. The baseball world often takes itself too seriously, but here's a kid ranked as the 15th best prospect in all of baseball who can appreciate the absurdity and joy of the game in equal measure.

His coaches had actually prepared him for this exact scenario. "I've legit had coaches tell me if you face a guy like that, try to hit it off the foul pole," Jenkins said. "It worked out."

Twenty years from now, Jenkins might have hundreds of home runs to his name. But he'll always remember his first: a 37 mph meatball that became a cherished memory and a great story.