The 5 best hitting prospects in MLB are going to change the game

2. Walker Jenkins, Minnesota Twins

Coming in second is the youngest player on this list: Minnesota Twins 19-year-old phenom Walker Jenkins. Jenkins was drafted fifth overall in the 2023 MLB Draft out of South Brunswick High School in North Carolina. Jenkins turns 20 on February 19, but despite his youth, the outfielder is one of the most mature hitters in minor league baseball.

While he did battle an injury early on in 2024, Jenkins put together a very impressive season, advancing all the way to Double-A Wichita before the end of the year. Across four levels of the minors, Jenkins posted a slash line of .282/.394/.439 with a 139 wRC+. Among players 19 years old or younger across all levels of the minors, his wRC+ ranked eighth while his OBP and .833 OPS both ranked within the top 15.

Perhaps the most impressive part of his game is his plate discipline. Since he entered Minnesota's system following the 2023 draft, he carries a 1.07 BB/K with a 13.5 BB% and just a 12.6 K%. He does a great job of living up to his first name.

On top of that, his ability to pick and choose the right pitches to hit puts him in a good position to hit the ball hard often. His raw power numbers are average for a prospect his age, but he'll likely tap into more of that power if he sticks to his approach as he gets older and really grows into his 6'3" frame.

While his lower body injury early in the season kept him in a DH role for a large part of 2024, Jenkins will hopefully get a lot more time in center field where he has a 55-grade glove and a 60-grade arm. That will play at any outfield position, but it looks like Jenkins has a better shot at sticking in center field long-term than Roman Anthony.

On top of the glove, Jenkins has also shown the ability to run the bases well as he stole 17 bases in 2024. Once again, this is another 30 home run/20 stolen base threat at the major league level if he continues on his current trajectory.