Rangers select high school center fielder Eric Jenkins in the second round (No. 45 overall) of the 2015 draft.
Ranked by FanGraphs’ Kiley McDaniel as the No. 38 prospect in the class, Jenkins is a 6-foot-2 center fielder who is loaded with tools including plus-plus speed. The left-handed hitter doesn’t project for much power, but he has a chance to be a top-of-the-order hitter with good bat speed and a short, quick swing. On the other side of the ball, the 18-year-old should have no problem staying in center field, where his average arm strength is a clean fit. Jenkins, who is committed to UNC Wilmington, batted .323/.438/.555 with 13 extra-base hits, 35 runs scored and 27 stolen bases in 31 games this spring. He went 57-for-58 on the base paths in 76 career games at West Columbus HS (N.C). The recommend slot value for the No. 45 overall pick is $1,360,100.
