Carter Jensen, Jac Caglianone Give Royals Plenty to Look Forward to in 2027

These two young sluggers bring optimism for the future

Sep 3, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen (22) reacts after hitting a two-run home run in the fifth inning against the Miami Marlins at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was made clear entering this season that the Kansas City Royals were banking heavily on the continued development of their young players, specifically Jac Caglianone and Carter Jensen.

That development has been on display all season for the young, slugging duo. It was evident in Thursday’s 7-3 win over the Miami Marlins, as Jensen and Caglianone were responsible for the bulk of Kansas City’s offense.

Jensen finished the game just a single shy of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with a home run, triple and double. Caglianone went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. In a season that did not go as planned for the Royals, these two players have provided optimism for Kansas City’s future.

Caglianone and Jensen have continued to deliver offensively for the Royals

Aug 18, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder Jac Caglianone (14) rounds third base to score a run during the seventh inning against the Athletics at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Caglianone is in the midst of a serious breakout season and has shown no signs of letting his foot off the gas. The 23-year-old is slashing .284/.333/.497 with an .829 OPS. He also leads the Royals in multiple offensive categories, including batting average, home runs (23) and RBIs (69).

This has been the breakout we knew Caglianone could bring to the big league level. After a rocky rookie season, many were eager to see how he would respond this year. The sky is the limit for the outfielder, as the power and bat-to-ball skills he possesses are out of this world.

After an impressive debut month last September, expectations were high for Jensen entering his rookie season. This year, he has shown flashes of just how dangerous the catcher can be at the plate. Jensen is slashing .231/.316/.442 and ranks second on the team with 67 RBIs and 22 home runs.

Jensen has opened the month of September on a heater. In his first 12 at-bats of the month, he has already hit three home runs and collected six RBIs.

Caglianone and Jensen give the Royals plenty to look forward to. While this season has not gone as planned for Kansas City, seeing these two display their abilities has been entertaining, to say the least.