Royce Lewis, Byron Buxton, and Alex Kirilloff are just a few of the team’s top-ranked prospects whose injuries significantly impacted their big-league careers. Minor injuries can slow development timelines, but the cumulative effect of multiple injuries can take a much greater toll.
Hopefully, this group will escape that fate, but for now, we need to stay abreast of the issues with which they’re already dealing.
Walker Jenkins, OF
TD Top Prospect Rank: 1
Injury: Left ankle sprain
Jenkins was diagnosed with a mild ankle sprain, sustained when jumping for a ball during spring training. The Athletic’s Dan Hayes reported that Jenkins will be barred from baseball activities while the injury heals. It’s considered a minor injury, but it’s still disappointing after his 2024 season was also disrupted by injuries. Last year, he suffered a hamstring injury in the season opener and was sidelined until May 20. Even with a delayed start, he was able to move from Low–A Ft. Myers to Double-A Wichita by the season’s end.
“He’s just working his way back, but we don’t think it’s going to impact him in terms of being ready for the season,” Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll said. “We’re getting close. … I don’t know if it’ll literally be for the first minor-league game, but he’ll be in a good spot, as games are getting close, to get built up.”
Return Timeline: The club reports that he is one to two weeks behind. He may be able to play in games on the minor-league side before the end of March.
Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF
TD Top Prospect Rank: 2
Injury: Sprained left ankle
Rodriguez has been sidelined since the middle of February with a sprained ankle that the Twins are calling a Grade 2 sprain. That means it’s a worse sprain than the one suffered by Jenkins. He’s also spent the offseason recovering from thumb surgery, due to a ligament tear. In 2024, he was limited to 47 games because of the recurring thumb issue. Minnesota continued to be aggressive with his promotion and moved him to Triple-A St. Paul to end the year. Rodriguez is a global top-40 prospect, but he’s been limited to fewer than 100 games in every professional season. He might have the highest ceiling in the Twins organization, but injuries have limited his ability to showcase his five-tool talent.
Return Timeline: He is beginning a running progression and is further behind the other two. His return from a thumb injury is also slowing him down. He might not be ready for the season’s start, especially if the club wants to prevent him from playing in colder weather.
Marco Raya, RHP
TD Top Prospect Rank: 5
Injury: Strained left quadriceps
Raya was scheduled to pitch in Friday’s Grapefruit League game, but he suffered a left quad strain during his bullpen session, leading into the game. During his professional career, the Twins have aggressively promoted Raya, even while limiting his pitch count and innings. In his first 55 career appearances, there was only one time when he threw more than 75 pitches. The Twins let him cross the 75-pitch mark in multiple appearances at the end of last season, so it becomes a balancing act of keeping pitchers healthy while also building a starter’s workload. It will be a critical season for Raya to prove he can increase his innings and pitch count.
Return Timeline: The club reports that he should throw to hitters this week and pitch in a game next week. He should return to play before Jenkins and Rodriguez.
All three of these prospects have the potential to impact the Twins roster this season, especially since Rodriguez and Raya finished last season at Triple-A. Health and performance are key for any player trying to break into the big leagues. Unfortunately, this trio is already behind to start the year, even if they are minor injuries.
