Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro had a Carter Jensen message to share this week.
The Kansas City Royals are entering the 2026 season with a mix of established talent and rising prospects, and one name generating increasing buzz is Carter Jensen. As the organization continues building toward sustained contention, Jensen’s development behind the plate has become one of the most compelling storylines of the spring.
A third‑round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, Jensen has steadily worked his way through the minor leagues, earning a reputation for his advanced approach at the plate and leadership behind it. His progression has come at the perfect time for Kansas City, which is beginning to think about the future at catcher beyond veteran Salvador Perez.
Jensen’s 2025 MLB debut offered a strong glimpse of what he can become. In 20 games, he hit .300 with a .391 on‑base percentage and a .941 OPS, adding three home runs and 13 RBIs. Those numbers, even in a small sample, stand out for a young catcher adjusting to big league pitching while handling the demands of the position. It reinforced the belief that his bat is much closer to being MLB‑ready than initially expected.
That growing confidence was echoed by manager Matt Quatraro, who did not hold back when discussing Jensen’s upside.
“He's a rat. He's going to do everything in his power to be as good as he can be... you've gotta think sky is the limit [for him],” Quatraro said on an MLB Network appearance this week.
The praise speaks to Jensen’s work ethic and makeup just as much as his on‑field performance. Being labeled as someone who will outwork others carries weight inside a clubhouse, especially for a young player trying to carve out a significant role.
Ranked as the No. 18 overall prospect in baseball, Jensen enters the 2026 season as a legitimate American League Rookie of the Year candidate. His ability to contribute offensively while continuing to develop defensively could make him one of the more impactful young players in the league.
For the Royals, this development is significant on multiple levels. Not only does it give them a potential long‑term answer at catcher, but it also strengthens a lineup aiming to take another step forward in a competitive American League landscape.
If Jensen continues trending upward, Kansas City may have found its next cornerstone player, one capable of helping lead the organization into its next era of contention as long as he stays healthy.