Looking To Fill Your Fantasy Cart: Carter Jensen and Evan Carter Are Two Value Buys

Over the past two weeks, the high-stakes fantasy market has started to fight for Carter Jensen and Evan Carter, making them more challenging to time in fantasy drafts.

C Carter Jensen, Kansas City Royals | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Winning in fantasy baseball requires finding talent at a favorable price. Carter Jensen already has the sexy fantasy tag in 2026, but he must hit higher in the lineup to help his value in counting stats. Evan Carter looked primed to be well on his way to a winning MLB career late in 2023, but injuries over the past two seasons have derailed his development.

17 – Carter Jensen, Kansas City Royals (NFBC ADP – 206)

2026 Carter Jensen Hitting Stats | Shawn Childs

The Royals invested a third-round pick in the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft to acquire the services of Jensen out of high school. After spending his first year, at age 17, at rookie ball (16-for-57 with nine runs, one home run, 20 RBIs, and one steal), Kansas City gave him a full development year at A and High A over the next two seasons. He offered a high floor with his walk rate (17.8%) while controlling the damage with his strikeouts (22.7%). On the downside, Jensen only hit .218 over this span.

Over the next two seasons, his bat made steady improvement over three levels (High A, AA, and AAA) of the minors (.276 with 139 runs, 38 home runs, 141 RBIs, and 27 steals over 885 at-bats). He continued to take plenty of walks (12.8%) with some regression in his strikeout rate (24.1%).

Kansas City called him up last September, leading to a competitive 60 at-bats (.300/12/3/13). His walk rate (13.0%) and strikeout rate (17.4%) were better than expected. Jensen also hit well with runners on base (RBI rate – 23.8%).

Carter Jensen’s got career home run No. 1! pic.twitter.com/D6Lm5ZLah3

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) September 17, 2025

From 2023 to 2025, his average hit rate was over 1.700 at each level, giving him a chance at 25 home runs in the majors if given 550 at-bats. He also had strength in his contact batting average last year in the minors (.407) and with the Royals (.375). His exit velocity (95.4), hard-hit rate (58.3%), and barrel rate (20.8%) were exceptional in his short time in the majors. Jensen had similar results last year at AAA (exit velocity: 94.0; hard-hit rate: 58.8%).

Fantasy Outlook: Jensen brings a lot to the table at a young age (22), and his bat should continue to improve in power. He ran more over the past two seasons (27 steals), adding value to his profile at the catcher position.

The Royals gave him 12 at-bats against left-handed pitching, resulting in two hits, two walks, and no strikeouts. Jensen hit .290 last year in the minors against lefties with one home run, 14 RBIs, 17 walks, and 33 strikeouts.

Kansas City should find a way to get him in the lineup as much as possible, but Salvador Perez does clog up the DH position in many games. With 450 at-bats, I see Jensen as a five-category C2 advantage in his rookie season. I like his overall game, and he is in my catching draft thoughts in 2026.

63 – Evan Carter, Texas Rangers (NFBC ADP – 286)

2026 Evan Carter Hitting Stats | Shawn Childs

Carter comes off two consecutive injury seasons for the Rangers. He battled back stiffness in mid-May 2024 (117 missed games), which required a cortisone shot and no surgery, but he didn’t play in any games after May 26th.

Last season, the Rangers started him off at AAA (17-for-77 with 17 runs, three home runs, nine RBIs, and six steals). His bat was quiet over 12 games in Texas (.182/5/1/3/3 over 33 at-bats), followed by two weeks on the injured list with a quad injury. Carter hit .297 over his next 101 at-bats with 19 runs, three home runs, 15 RBIs, and nine steals while showing a favorable approach (strikeout rate – 19.3% and walk rate – 9.6%).

His back flared up again in early August, leading to another trip to the injured list. The Rangers lost him for the year on August 21st due to a fractured right wrist after getting hit by a pitch. Carter went 4-for-34 over his final 13 games with three runs and three RBIs.

Evan Carter launches his first homer of the season 💥 pic.twitter.com/N9vrEivBon

— MLB (@MLB) May 10, 2025

His exit velocity (86.7), hard-hit rate (34.6%), and barrel rate (5.9%) don’t paint an impactful picture so far in his major league career. He has 19 career barrels in the majors with 15 home runs.

Fantasy Outlook: Based on the Rangers’ roster in mid-February, Carter looks poised to bat leadoff this season despite only having 23 career at-bats in the first and second spots in Texas’s batting order. He has struggled so far against lefties (.083/8/0/3 over 60 at-bats) while striking out 30.9% of the time, suggesting a potential platoon role. Carter has gone homerless over his last 178 at-bats vs. left-handed pitching.

If health concerned was removed from his outlook, Carter has the talent to be a 20/30 player with a chance to score over 100 runs and drive in 70 RBIs. His batting average should also be an asset. His lower price point takes out much of the investment cost and injury risk. There are many hurdles to clear, but he has the talent to difference-maker this year if Carter stays upright for 500 at-bats.