UNC baseball commit Walker Jenkins mocked to go Top 10
One of the biggest names fans are talking about ahead of tonight’s MLB Draft is South Brunswick (N.C.) High School outfielder Walker Jenkins, two-time Gatorade N.C. Player of the Year.
The 18-year old from Southport, who is currently committed to play baseball at UNC next year, is widely-regarded as the best high school player available.
Look at his numbers alone. According to GameChanger, Jenkins hit for a career .469 and recorded 97 hits across four varsity seasons, mashed 16 home runs, drove in 61 RBIs and stole 47 bases. Jenkins also showed plenty of discipline as a high school hitter, drawing 66 walks to just 19 strikeouts.
In his junior season, Jenkins helped the South Brunswick Cougars to a 25-5 (11-3) record, the Mideastern 3A/4A conference title and an appearance in the NCHSAA 3A state title series against South Rowan. South Brunswick won Game 1, 4-3, behind a 2-for-4, 1-RBI performance from Jenkins, but South Rowan took the next two.
Jenkins is a tall, powerful lefty who can hit the ball to any field and has a strong arm. Watch a couple of Jenkins’ highlights from last year – he’s got a good set of wheels on himself, too.
According to Keith Law’s latest MLB Mock Draft, Jenkins is currently projected to go 7th overall to the Cincinnati Reds. He’d be a good fit in Southwestern Ohio – not only because of his talent, but the fact that the Reds only have three listed outfielders on their active roster – Will Benson, Jake Fraley and TJ Friedl.
In other words, the likelihood of Jenkins ever stepping foot on UNC’s campus again is slim-to-none.
Jenkins wouldn’t start out in the MLB, but if his skills transition smoothly from the amateur to the professional level, he could see himself on a major league roster in a year or two.
Jenkins would be a huge boost to the Tar Heels’ lineup, especially with another power-speed threat in current Tar Heel Mac Horvath slated to be selected tonight.
If you’re projected to go top-10 in the draft, though, it’s pretty hard to turn that selection down.
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