Right-hander Tyrell Jenkins is the latest touted pitching prospect to get his shot with the Braves.
The Braves recalled Jenkins from Triple-A Gwinnett before they faced the Reds on Thursday afternoon at Turner Field. Jenkins will pitch out of the bullpen for the Braves after the organization moved him to a reliever role for the first time in his career earlier this month.
In five relief appearances with Gwinnett, Jenkins was 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA, six strikeouts and five walks over 13 1/3 innings. He did not pitch in the Braves’ 7-2 victory over the Reds on Thursday.
“Being a starter, you are at your own pace,” Jenkins said. “As a bullpen guy, you don’t know when you are going to get the call. Just being ready and not piddling around the strike zone and go after guys and get quick outs.”
To make room for Jenkins on the roster, the Braves optioned right-hander Casey Kelly to Gwinnett.
Jenkins, 23, has posted a 2.91 ERA in 14 games (nine starts) for Gwinnett with 45 strikeouts and 24 walks in 65 innings. He was the Braves’ organizational pitcher of the year in 2015 after he had a 3.19 ERA in 25 games between Gwinnett and Double-A Mississippi.
Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said Jenkins would provide “depth and length” out of the bullpen.
“He’s been stretched out and we put him in the pen and he’s done a great job,” Snitker said.
ESPN’s Keith Law ranks Jenkins as the No. 8 prospect in the Braves’ organization. The Cardinals selected Jenkins with the No. 50 overall pick in the 2010 draft. He opted to sign with them for a $1.3 million bonus rather than play quarterback at Baylor in his native state of Texas.
The Braves acquired Jenkins and right-hander Shelby Miller as part of four-player trade with the Cardinals in November 2014. The Braves sent outfielder Jason Heyward and right-hander Jordan Walden to the Cardinals.
Jenkins said he got the call from the Braves at midnight Wednesday.
“I was kind of stunned,” he said. “I called my mom and told her I was going to Atlanta, and after that we didn’t really talk for the next five minutes, we were just balling on the phone. It was pretty special.”
