Keeping the Kansas City kid around is a no-brainer.
Carter Jensen has been making a case for himself as a key contributor in the Kansas City Royals' lineup this season, hitting .231 while knocking in 70 RBI, launching 23 home runs and recording a .766 OPS.
Most notably, he propelled the Royals to a 3-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night with his 2-for-5 performance at the plate in Fenway Park, an environment that's not exactly known for being hitter-friendly with its odd layout.
The 23-year-old catcher hit the ground running in the first, scoring off a one-run single from Salvador Perez while driving in Isaac Collins with a clutch RBI double that extended Kansas City's lead to 2-0 in the third. Jensen then came in for the game-winning run off a one-run single by Vinnie Pasquantino.
Other than Friday, Jensen delivered earlier in the month against the Miami Marlins, helping the Royals avoid a potential sweep with a three-RBI night during their Sept. 3 finale.
He also surged Kansas City past the San Diego Padres in extra innings on July 17 with his first-ever walk-off hit.
With that, Jensen has garnered attention not just from manager Matt Quatraro but also teammates like right-handed starter Seth Lugo who praised his impressive defense behind the dish.
"We know [Jensen is] a very good hitter, and I threw quite a few pitches tonight that I was kind of expecting to go to the backstop," Lugo said, according to MLB.com. "So, he did a great job back there keeping them in front, getting a glove on them. Watching what he's been able to do this year is pretty incredible."
While the Royals' playoff chances at this point are slim to none, Jensen has franchise cornerstone written all over him and general manager J.J. Picollo as well as the rest of the front office would be wise to consider throwing the bag at him.
Besides his consistent production on the field, Jensen has Kansas City in his DNA, growing up in the area and attending Park Hill High School where the team drafted him out of in 2021.
Keeping a hometown player like Jensen around could pay dividends for a struggling franchise and eventually attract high-quality free agents once the team manages to get past their rebuilding phase.
Furthermore, he has also earned the trust of 30-year-old reliever Nate Pearson whose performance has seen notable improvements with Jensen suited up.
"You know, I didn't really realize until I got here and everyone was saying how young he was," Pearson said. "And I was like, wow, to be [23] years old and doing what he's doing. I'm surprised at his catching. He rakes, obviously, but his catching behind the plate, pitch calling, I trust him 100 percent. I rarely have to shake him off. He knows the game plan going in, and especially handling the bullpen. I think he does a great job."
As the regular season draws to a close later this month, Jensen has shown that he's got both the bat and the brains needed to succeed as a major-league catcher at such a young age.
With him clearly engrained into the city, making sure he stays there will help the Royals boost their fanbase and maintain the strong chemistry that has kept them resilient in spite of their 66-82 overall record.
