The Kansas City Royals suffered a 5-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, giving the club a 3-3 record through six games. It was a contest that was supposed to feature one of the team's top prospects, Carter Jensen, but he didn't make an appearance until the ninth inning.
Shortly after the loss, the 22-year-old catcher admitted he was scratched from the lineup due to oversleeping and arriving at the stadium late, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Jensen shared a remorseful statement after learning a lesson the hard way.
“Felt like I let teammates down, coaches down,” said Jensen. “Just learn from it and know it won't happen again.”
The good news is that Carter Jensen is young and should learn from this mistake. He made his MLB debut in 2025, playing in 20 games. Jensen flashed plenty of potential in a small sample size, recording a .300 batting average and .391 OBP while totaling 18 hits, three home runs, and 13 RBIs.
As previously stated, the second-year pro did get subbed into the contest. However, he simply replaced Salvador Perez at catcher to play defense. He did not get an at-bat during Thursday's matchup against the Twins. Jensen will have another opportunity to play on Friday when the Royals take on the Milwaukee Brewers at home.
Ultimately, Jenen's playing time will be decided by manager Matt Quatraro. There is a chance Perez gets another start behind the plate, as Jensen has been a bit cold offensively to begin the 2026 season. Luckily, it's a long year ahead for Jensen to turn things around.
