Carter Jensen was benched for the Royals and Twins game on Thursday.
The Kansas City Royals were defeated by the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, losing by a final score of 5-1. Top prospect Carter Jensen was scratched before the game. Some wondered if it was due to an injury concern, but apparently that wasn't the case. According to Anne Rogers, Jensen overslept before the contest which led to his benching against the Twins.
Jensen addressed the situation after the loss, via Rogers.
"Felt like I let teammates down, coaches down," Jensen said. "Just learn from it and know it won’t happen again."
Jensen's mistake is far from ideal, but it seems like he learned from it. It obviously cannot become a habit. It is something that cannot happen again. He may just need to add an extra alarm the next time the Royals play an early game.
Carter Jensen's Future is Still Bright
Jensen is the Royals' No. 1 overall prospect. He has the potential to become one of the better catchers in the game. With Salvador Perez on the roster, Jensen is currently spending time at both catcher and designated hitter.
At only 22 years old, Jensen has displayed signs of serious potential. His power stands out, but Jensen should be able to become an all-around reliable MLB hitter. His defense behind the plate is still a work-in-progress, but he has a strong throwing arm and will make runners think twice before attempting to steal bases against him.
Kansas City has a quality core of players. Bobby Witt Jr. is arguably the best all-around position player in the sport. Maikel Garcia is becoming one of the better third basemen in the game. Jac Caglianone is one of the better young outfielders in MLB. The Royals believe Jensen can join that group and make an impact.
He has struggled at the plate so far in 2026. He has only appeared in five contests, however.
Analyzing Carter Jensen's Mistake on Thursday
Young players have made similar mistakes in the past. It's one of those things that most players surely believe will never happen to them. Once it does, it rarely happens twice.
The Royals benched Jensen for good reason. He surely learned a valuable lesson. Kansas City's loss will only make him feel worse about what occurred. He does not want to let his team down again.
It would not be surprising to see Carter Jensen back in the lineup for Friday night's game against the Milwaukee Brewers. It also would not be surprising if he was the first player to show up at the ball park.