September call-ups, if done right, can spark some momentum for a team that needs a last-second playoff push. And that’s what the Kansas City Royals are banking on this season.
On Sunday, following a lifeless 5-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers, the Royals wasted no time in making their intentions for the last month of the season known.
It’s a full-on youth movement, as Kansas City is returning their preseason No. 1 prospect to the lineup and calling up the potential successor to nine-time All-Star catcher Salvador Perez.
On Sunday evening, the Royals announced that they “anticipate” selecting catcher Carter Jensen from Triple-A Omaha to make his major league debut, while activating outfielder/first baseman Jac Caglianone from the injured list after suffering a hamstring strain in late July.
Kansas City also recalled right-handed pitcher Luinder Avila from Triple-A. One more corresponding move will be required on Monday to cut the active roster to the requisite 28 after the addition of one extra pitcher and one extra position player.
Jensen, the Kansas City native, was the Royals’ third-round pick in 2021. He’s had a brilliant season, especially since earning the call to Triple-A, where he’s managed 14 home runs and a 1.051 OPS in 43 games.
MLB Pipeline currently rates Jensen as the No. 2 prospect in the Royals’ farm system. Interestingly enough, the No. 1 prospect is also a catcher, 20-year-old Blake Mitchell, so it will be intriguing to see how Kansas City juggles their catching situation as Perez approaches the final year of his contract next year.
Meanwhile, Caglianone is hoping to parlay his excellent results from his Triple-A rehab stint into some success at the major league level, which eluded him in his first cup of coffee this summer. He batted .147 with a .485 OPS in his first 41 games as a Royal.
Lastly, Avila could be a youthful spark for the bullpen. The 23-year-old has thrown all of one inning in the majors, but in 53 1/3 innings for Omaha this season, he’s racked up 61 strikeouts. His 5.23 ERA, however, suggests he’s no sure thing to make an impact right away.
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