No. 8 prospect Jensen gets boost from this big leaguer

This story was excerpted from Anne Rogers’ Royals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

KANSAS CITY -- Carter Jensen didn’t love the round of swings he took in the batting cages during his pregame work on July 25. With the pitching machine set up to mimic lefty pitchers the Royals’ Double-A affiliate was scheduled to face that night, Jensen felt “just OK” about his preparation.

So he took advantage of a Major Leaguer on a rehab assignment in Northwest Arkansas, asking fellow left-handed batter MJ Melendez about his approach against lefties -- specifically the lefties who feature a fastball-slider combination.

The advice Melendez gave Jensen paid off a few hours later when Jensen homered off a lefty reliever in the Naturals’ win. The Royals’ No. 8 prospect worked a six-pitch at-bat against Peyton Alford (Mariners), staying locked in on the slider after seeing it a few times previously in the at-bat. On the sixth pitch, Jensen pulled the breaking ball over the right-field wall.

“I just kept what he said in the back of my mind, and that at-bat played out,” Jensen said. “I went up to him right after and was like, ‘Hey, that’s because of you.’ We got a good laugh about it.”

“Well, his power definitely helped,” Melendez added later. “I remember being in his position, just trying to learn everything I can. And I still am. But it makes you feel good when you’re able to help other people, especially when they’re trying to get to the level you’re at.”

This season has been all about new experiences for Jensen, the Kansas City native whom the Royals selected in the third round of the 2021 Draft. A big league Spring Training invitation opened Jensen’s eyes to better competition and preparation at the plate and behind the plate, learning from Royals catchers Salvador Perez and Freddy Fermin.

That invigorated the now-21-year-old Jensen and sent him into the 2024 season with momentum, feeling “as comfortable behind the plate as I ever have,” he said.

The strides he’s taken at the catching position haven’t gone unnoticed by those inside the organization and externally by other organizations.

Offensively, Jensen has been tapping into his power a little more this year with a career-high 12 homers so far between High-A Quad Cities and Double-A, slashing .266/.382/.436 overall this year. Letting his power play has been a goal of his in ‘24; because he has such a keen eye, he found himself being too passive last year and missing good pitches to hit.

Now he’s on the hunt early in the count.

“Be aggressive early and just see the ball, try to drive it where it’s pitched,” Jensen said. “As I go up levels, I want to keep that same mindset, keep hunting that fastball and reacting to the offspeed. That’s what I’m best at. It’s a high-risk, high-reward type deal when you’re too passive. You get those walks, and every once in a while, you will get the perfect pitch you were searching for. But I have realized I have a lot of adjustability in my swing, and I’m able to react to all sorts of different pitch types and different counts. I’m able to get the bat on the ball just by pure reaction. That’s what I’ve tried to tap into, and the power has definitely come with it.”

Jensen earned a promotion to Double-A on July 18, homered in his first game there and has played 11 games with Northwest Arkansas, settling in at the higher level with better competition.

“It was definitely something that this year, I felt like I was ready for, and it was a big step for me,” Jensen said of his promotion. “Don’t get me wrong, being in High-A was great. I think I was just ready for the next step in my career. It’s been great.”