At only three years old, Jeremiah Jenkins began playing baseball and continued throughout his childhood in Maryland. In the summer of 2019, he played at a tournament in New Jersey where the University of Maine’s baseball recruitment coordinator was scouting. Jenkins hit two home runs in the game, and the coordinator was impressed by his swing. He invited Jenkins and his family to attend a camp at UMaine in the Fall. After a successful camp session at UMaine, the school gave him his first offer, and he eventually committed to play for the Black Bears.
Jenkins started out at Maine in 2022, and he says it was difficult at times being an 18-year-old playing against men that were 22 or 23. However, he made an immediate impact on the team and racked up significant accolades.
He played in 46 games for the Black Bears and made the America East All-Conference Second Team, the America East All-Rookie Team and was named a Freshman All American. After a great first year, Jenkins worked hard all offseason to improve for year two.
In his second-year season, Jenkins was incredible. His powerful left-handed swing led the team in hits, home runs and runs batted in (RBIs). The Black Bears finished with a season record of 32-21, including a 19-5 conference record that earned them the No. 1 seed in the America East tournament.
Maine won all three of their playoff games to secure the America East Championship, their first since 2011. Jenkins hit a home run in both the semifinal and final game and had a team-high five RBIs during the three-game playoff stretch.
The team punched their ticket to the NCAA College Baseball World Series, where they played two games in Florida. Despite losing both of their games, Jenkins hit a home run on the big stage. He says some of his favorite memories come from that trip and that the team was always smiling, dancing and having fun while playing.
Jenkins’ third and final year at Maine was dominant. He led the team in nearly every statistical category and hit his personal best 22 home runs. He credited his success to his offseason work and showing up every day looking to improve.
After the 2024 season and school year concluded, Jenkins went home to Maryland. He then played in a summer league for a few weeks and attended workouts with Major League Baseball teams, including the Boston Red Sox.
During the MLB Draft in mid-July, Jenkins was glued to his TV, nervously watching it unfold with his sister. Jenkins heard his name called in the fourteenth round, selected by the San Francisco Giants. He said it was an amazing moment, and his phone couldn’t stop blowing up with messages of congratulations from family and friends.
After being drafted, Jenkins attended a rookie camp in Arizona for a month. He was then called up to play for the San Jose Giants, the single-a minor league affiliate of San Francisco. He played two weeks before his team entered the playoffs and called it a learning curve, with more skilled pitchers to face.
In 11 regular season games, Jenkins had a .367% on base percentage with two home runs and seven RBIs. Despite losing both playoff games he appeared in, Jenkins hit a triple and an RBI single, proving he belongs on the field in big moments.
In the offseason, Jenkins is currently following a workout plan that the San Francisco Giants have given him. He lifts five days a week and tries to work on hitting or mobility, even on his off days. He has been working out with fellow Maine baseball alum Quinn McDaniel, who was also drafted by the San Francisco Giants, in the fifth round of the 2023 MLB Draft.
Jenkins says he is extremely grateful for the time he had at UMaine, and he wouldn’t trade it for the world. He says no matter what he did on the baseball field, he will always appreciate the friends and good times he had being a part of the UMaine community.
