Royals Catcher Carter Jensen Poised for Breakout Season

The 24-year-old is expected to contribute immediately as a designated hitter and potential future starting catcher.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 3:26pm

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Carter Jensen, a 24-year-old catcher, is poised to make an impact for the Kansas City Royals in the 2026 MLB season. Despite the presence of veteran Salvador Perez behind the plate, Jensen is projected to bat seventh in the Royals' lineup as the designated hitter, with a wRC+ (Weighted Runs Created Plus) of 102, which is above league average. MLB.com's Mike Petriello has also identified Jensen as one of his seven breakout hitters for the upcoming season, noting his impressive barrel rate in limited plate appearances in 2025.

Why it matters

Jensen's potential breakout season could provide a much-needed boost to the Royals' offense and help the team compete in the American League Central division. As a young catcher, Jensen's development could also pave the way for him to eventually take over the starting role from the veteran Perez, who has been the Royals' primary catcher for over a decade.

The details

In the 69 plate appearances he had in 2025, Jensen posted an impressive .941 OPS, which Petriello notes was not a fluke. The Royals are expected to give Jensen ample opportunities to showcase his hitting ability in the early part of the 2026 season, and if he can maintain that level of production, he could become a dangerous offensive threat for the team.

  • Jensen had 69 plate appearances in the 2025 season.

The players

Carter Jensen

A 24-year-old catcher for the Kansas City Royals who is expected to contribute as a designated hitter and potential future starting catcher.

Salvador Perez

The veteran catcher for the Kansas City Royals, who has held the starting role for over a decade.

Mike Petriello

An MLB.com writer who has identified Jensen as one of his seven breakout hitters for the 2026 season.

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What they’re saying

“Among players who had at least 50 plate appearances, Jensen's barrel rate was the highest in the sport, where Judge, Ohtani, and Pete Alonso were next. We cannot stress enough that 69 plate appearances are something like 10% of what those stars took, and that in no way does this say that Jensen is as talented as they are. What it does say, though, is that he didn't dink-and-dunk-and-good-luck his way to fluky numbers over a few weeks.”

— Mike Petriello, MLB.com Writer

What’s next

The Royals will give Jensen plenty of opportunities to showcase his hitting ability in the early part of the 2026 season, and if he can maintain his impressive production, he could become a key offensive contributor for the team.

The takeaway

Carter Jensen's potential breakout season could provide a much-needed boost to the Royals' offense and help the team compete in the American League Central division. His development could also pave the way for him to eventually take over the starting catcher role from the veteran Salvador Perez.