Henderson's Tyrell Jenkins, a pitcher in the Atlanta Braves organization, takes part in a throwing drill Jan. 28 at APEC in Tyler. Jenkins was called up to the big leagues on Thursday. (Lang White/Correspondent)

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Braves called up right-hander Tyrell Jenkins, one of their top pitching prospects, from Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday. Jenkins was the Braves’ organizational pitcher of the year in 2015.

A Henderson graduate and All-East Texas first teamer in 2010, Jenkins was first drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals out of high school. He was then acquired with another Texan, Shelby Miller, by the Braves in a 2014 trade that sent outfielder Jayson Heyward to the Cardinals.

The 23-year-old Jenkins will work out of Atlanta’s bullpen. He joined the team for Thursday’s game against Cincinnati.

His reaction on Twitter (@TyrellJenkins14) to being called up was simply, “Momma we did it!”

Jenkins was 6-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 14 games, including nine starts, at Gwinnett this season. He worked only as a starter before this season.

Atlanta Braves reporter Kevin McAlpin (@KevinMcAlpin) tweeted Jenkins’ responses to an interview he did with the newest major leaguer on Friday.

“Called my mom, told her I was going to Atlanta,” Jenkins told McAlpin. “After that, we didn’t really talk for the next five minutes, we were just bawling.”

Right-hander Casey Kelly was optioned to Gwinnett after giving up three runs in one inning in Wednesday night’s 9-8 win over the Reds in 13 innings.

Jenkins was not called on to pitch in the Braves 7-2 win Thursday over Cincinnati, telling McAlpin, “every time the (bullpen) phone rang today, I was kind of antsy. Just waiting to get that call, hopefully it’ll be soon.”

Atlanta’s next game is 6 p.m. Friday at Citi Field against the New York Mets.