Jensen won't be a prospect for much longer, especially after accumulating 69 plate appearances with the Royals as a September call-up. That said, he had an incredible season in 2025, helping him shoot up the board on most Top-100 lists. 

In 111 games and 492 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A, Jensen hit .290 with 20 home runs, 72 runs scored, 76 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. He also posted a 0.49 BB/K ratio, an .878 OPS, and 136 wRC+ with the Naturals and Storm Chasers, combined. Those stellar numbers helped him earn the George Brett Hitter of the Year Award, which goes to the top Royals position prospect in the system.

While his Minor League numbers were incredible, they paled in comparison to what he did in his 20-game sample with the Royals as a 21-year-old.

In his MLB debut, he slashed .300/.391/.550 with three home runs, 12 runs scored, and 13 RBI. Jensen also posted a .941 OPS, a 159 wRC+, and hit one of the longest home runs in Kansas City Royals history in Sacramento. 

Now, Royals fans have seen solid September call-ups only to be fooled the following season. That said, Jensen's Statcast percentiles show a player who's mature beyond his years, not just in plate discipline but also in power and batted-ball ability.

Those levels of red, even in a small sample, aren't prevalent at the MLB level. In fact, Jensen's underlying metrics with the Royals in September caught the attention not only of Royals fans but also of national prospect experts. 

Here's what Thomas Nestico of TJ Stats said about Jensen, his No. 7 overall prospect in baseball, in Jensen's latest scouting report. 

Quote

Carter Jensen looked to be having a repeat of his 2024 season after he had a good, but not great, stint in AA. His contact rates improved, however there was no indication that his power was manifesting how the Royals hoped. That all changed following his promotion to AAA where he started to sell out for power and the home runs came in bunches. He posted an incredible 1.051 OPS in 43 AAA games supported by a 61.8% HardHit rate and 107.3 MPH 90th% EV. Although his strikeouts spiked, he consistently barrelled up the ball while laying off outside pitches. He quickly became one of the premier slugging prospects in baseball all while showing flashes of improvements behind the dish, particularly with his framing. Jensen didn't miss a beat in his cup of coffee in September and looks lined up to be the Royals long-term catcher entering 2026.

There's a lot to like about Jensen and what he can bring to this organization in 2026. Not just as a prospect, either, but as a regular contributor to the Royals lineup.

The emergence of Jensen is a big reason Kansas City was able to deal backup catcher Freddy Fermin at the Deadline, even though he was productive in that role over the past two seasons.  Even when Jensen isn't behind the plate, he should be getting regular time at designated hitter, especially against right-handed starting pitchers.

While Salvador Perez signed a two-year extension, manager Matt Quatraro will likely help preserve Perez's bat and stamina by giving Jensen more innings behind the plate. That catching playing-time split should not just help the Royals in the short term (maximizing Perez's offensive production), but also help ease Jensen into being Kansas City's catcher of the future after Perez finally retires.