Carter Jensen has quickly made a name for himself as an uber-patient young hitter. His plate discipline and eye at the plate are among the best in the minor leagues. An LSU commit, Jensen was drafted by the Royals in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft. He attended Park Hill High School in Kansas City, Missouri. That locality helped the Royals sign him, but they also went over slot to ink the young backstop. He’s been inconsistent with the bat over his pro career, but the potential for more is certainly there.
Season Stats:
2022 (Low-A): .226/.363/.382, 21.2% K%, 17.1% BB%, 113 wrc+
2023 (High-A): .211/.356/.363, 24.1% K%, 18.5% BB%, 109 wrc+
It’s been a slow improvement for Jensen in the average and power departments. He has been a second-half hitter in both his full MiLB seasons thus far. Consistency will be needed for him to reach his full potential. Although the on-base prowess carries much of his value thus far, it’s impossible to discuss Jensen without highlighting how young he’s been at every level thus far. As an 18-year-old at Low-A, Jensen was 2.8 years younger than the league average. Last season at High-A he was 3.2 years younger.
That youth and eye at the plate generate a lot of optimism for future development. Behind the dish, his defense is good but not great. Should he remain a catcher long-term he’d likely become at least average defensively. His speed won’t jump off the page either, although he stole 11 bases last season. Prospects Live called Jensen “one of the most well-rounded backstops in the 2021 class.” The defensive ability is in there somewhere, as is the power. It will take a little patience to let Jensen find it.
Scouting Grades:
Hit: 40/45
Game Power: 30/55
Raw Power: 30/55
Speed: 40/40
Glove: 45/50
Arm: 45/55
Best Case Scenario:
Jensen could develop into a solid, everyday catcher with a power-over-average profile. He’s been good behind the dish if inconsistent. His arm is strong and a transition to the outfield wouldn’t be an insane notion either. The Royals have Blake Mitchell in the system. Both are young and neither are sure cases yet, but a move off catcher could help Jensen develop the bat more quickly. His profile reminds me of Trent Grisham, albeit with less defensive value.
Worst Case Scenario
The worst case for Jensen is difficult to place. On one hand, it’s difficult to find a historical product similar to what we saw last season. His extreme walk rate paired with such a low average is a weird blend. With that in mind, the worst case makes Jensen a sound organizational depth piece at catcher. He’s struggled against lefties in his career and if that never improves, he will have a hard path forward.