Kansas City Royals rookie catcher/designated hitter Carter Jensen didn't have an ideal start to April. The 22-year-old went 1-for-5 with three strikeouts in a 13-9 win over the Minnesota Twins on April 1, and he was scratched from the lineup after sleeping through his alarm on April 2.
First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino called it a "growing moment" and something that "cannot happen" after the Royals lost 5-1 to the Twins, via MLB.com's Anne Rogers. Jensen took accountability and promised it wouldn't happen again.
The Kansas City native has been one of the team's best players since then, as he notched five hits with two homers, four RBIs, and four runs over the previous six games entering Friday's 2-0 win over the Chicago White Sox. He was also slashing .286/.348/.619 in April. He followed up with a 425-foot solo homer to right in the bottom of the seventh inning on Friday, giving Kansas City a 2-0 lead.
Jensen is the No. 15 prospect in baseball and the Royals' No. 1 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. The 6-foot, 210-pounder got his first big-league all-up in September and slashed .300/.391/.550 with three homers and 13 RBIs over 20 games. Now, he alternates between designated hitter and catcher, as captain Salvador Perez is the primary man behind the dish.
If Jensen establishes himself as a cornerstone piece this year, Kansas City will have one of the most fearsome lineups in baseball. The club already has a deep veteran core of Perez, Pasquantino, shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., and third baseman Maikel Garcia, with right fielder Jac Caglianone and left fielder Isaac Collins as potential breakout candidates.
Although Kansas City has a stacked squad on paper, it hasn't played to its potential yet. That's partially because of a few underperforming position players.
Pasquantino entered Friday hitting .184 with a .485 OPS, and Perez was hitting .146 with a .539 OPS. Additionally, Collins was hitting .171 with a .595 OPS.
A few players struggling early in the season is hardly a tragedy, but it's worth noting given the level of talent on the Royals' roster. For example, Pasquantino had a .798 OPS with 32 homers and 113 RBIs last season, while Perez had 30 homers and 100 RBIs and Collins had a .779 OPS as a rookie for the Milwaukee Brewers. Once they get going, it's hard to see how Kansas City won't be a force in the AL given its depth.
The Royals are now 6-8 after Friday's win. Up next is another home matchup with the White Sox on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. ET.