Carter Jensen Building Momentum for Primary Catcher Role in 2026
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Kansas City Royals rookie catcher Carter Jensen has drawn attention since his eye-catching debut month in September last season. The 22-year-old will have eyes around the league on him in 2026 as he looks to replicate that early success.
Keith Law of The Athletic compiled a list of the top 20 rookies most likely to make an impact this season. Law ranked Jensen as the No. 1 rookie poised to make the biggest impact in 2026.
In addition to what Jensen brings offensively, Law also discussed his role behind the plate in 2026.
Could Jensen take over as primary catcher?
“I understand the desire for loyalty, especially given Perez’s tie to the 2015 World Series winning team, but Jensen should be the Royals’ primary catcher this year, with Perez backing him up and maybe playing some first or DHing if there’s a need,” said Law.
This could make diehard Royals fans uneasy, as Perez has long been a staple of baseball in Kansas City. However, Law makes a fair point. Perez is entering the latter stages of his career and will turn 36 in May. At some point, the torch will need to be passed, and fortunately for Kansas City, they may not have to look far to find its successor.
Jensen appears well-suited for the role and showed promising signs at the plate during his debut, slashing .300/.391/.550 while demonstrating an ability to adjust to big league pitching. Defensively, he has also drawn praise from teammates for his work behind the plate and overall ability as a catcher.
“There’s not enough I can say about him. The baseball IQ is there, he’s a hell of an athlete. For the two innings, 20 pitches we had, it was a lot of fun working with him,” Royals pitcher Bailey Falter said, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com.
Everyone has seen Jensen’s swing during his time in both the minors and majors. The power and plate discipline are clearly there. But hearing about his baseball IQ and ability behind the plate makes his long-term outlook even more exciting and gives fans even more reason to watch his development closely.
Jensen is already viewed as a strong candidate for the American League Rookie of the Year Award and has drawn attention well beyond Kansas City. There will come a time when Perez must pass the torch, and that transition could begin as early as this season.
Brian Sparks is a graduate of the University of Missouri–Kansas City with a background in digital journalism and sports media. Born and raised in Kansas City, he brings experience in writing, radio, and social media to sports coverage across multiple digital platforms.
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