Jensen was named the American League Player of the Month and Rookie of the Month for September on Tuesday, capping a record first season.
The Kansas City Royals finished last in the American League Central, but the best news of their offseason so far came on Tuesday, when Major League Baseball named catcher Carter Jensen the American League Player of the Month and the American League Rookie of the Month for September.
The 23-year-old was one of the few bright spots on a team that went 69-93, and he finished the year on a tear.
His Big September
Jensen played in 21 games in September and hit .338 with eight home runs, and he led the majors with 19 extra-base hits while pacing all qualified hitters with a 1.194 OPS.
He also led all rookies in runs with 19, doubles with 10, home runs with eight and total bases with 63, according to the league's announcement.
Those are huge numbers for any hitter, and they came from a catcher, which makes them even more impressive.
He is the first hitter to win both awards in the same month since September 2025, and his eight home runs were the most in a month by a Royals rookie since July 1994.
It is also the second straight month a Royals hitter has taken the top award in the American League, after right fielder Jac Caglianone won it for August.
Changing the Plan
Jensen finished his rookie year with a .239 average, 27 home runs, 35 doubles and 81 RBI in 149 games, and those 27 home runs are a franchise record for a rookie.
He made team history with that home run total, and he also won a weekly award back in early September, which the team celebrated at the time.
What stands out is how he talks about it.
After a two-homer night against Cleveland on Sept. 25, Jensen was asked what his latest record meant to him.
"To me, that means the hard work's starting to pay off. But understanding that this year for me personally has been a lot of growth, on the field and off the field as a person and as a player," Jensen said.
That approach is a big reason the Royals should feel good about building around him.
A catcher who can hit for this much power is hard to find, and Kansas City now has two left-handed bats in Jensen and Caglianone who are both 23 and still getting better.
What Comes Next for Jensen
The awards are not done yet either.
Jensen, Caglianone and shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. are all on the ballot for the All-MLB Team, with fan voting open through Oct. 9 and the team set to be announced Nov. 11 in Las Vegas.
The bigger question is what the front office does with the rest of the roster.
The Royals finished 16 games out of first place, and the lineup around Witt, Jensen and Caglianone needs more help before this group can start winning.
After a season like this one, Jensen has earned his spot as one of the players this team is built around, and the job now is to give him a better team in 2027.
His September gave fans something to hold onto after a long year.
