The Kansas City Royals may have missed the postseason in 2025, but they do have a lot of things to look forward to. Last year, top catching prospect Carter Jensen made his Major League debut, and though it was a small sample size, he performed very well at the plate.
The Royals also made some intriguing moves this offseason, so they should be better in 2026. But beyond the Major League roster, there is a lot to look forward to down in the farm system, and some players are very close to being able to make an impact in the Majors.
MLB Pipeline released each Major League team’s Top 30 prospect rankings for 2026, and Jansen was at the top for Kansas City.
Carter Jensen leads way in Royals’ prospect rankings
Jensen took only 60 at-bats last year, but he made the most of them. He hit .300/.391/.550 with three home runs, 13 RBI and a .941 OPS. Chances are that he will get a full runway in 2026. That could mean having him split time between the catcher and designated hitter positions, and it could also potentially lead to him alternating between the two spots with Salvador Perez, who is aging.
Now might be the best time to see what Jensen can do behind the plate and at least start the process of transitioning over to him from Perez. The 22-year-old is a left-handed bat with power that should immediately boost the Royals lineup if he can pick up right where he left off.
Also on the list is Blake Mitchell. He is ranked second behind Jensen. Unfortunately, he is still a few years away from making an impact, as he is still at High-A and isn’t projected to be ready until at least 2027.
Either way, the Royals have a lot of good catching depth in their system. Rounding out the Top 10 are two pitchers, Luinder Avila and Ben Kudrna, both of whom are expected to be ready this year, so there is a lot to look forward to for the Royals, and it will be interesting to see who else makes their way to the Major Leagues this year.
Jensen seems like a lock to be on the big-league roster at some point this year, so he’ll be a fun player to watch over the next few months as the Royals look towards the future but also try to contend in the present.
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