Despite setting the Royals' rookie home run record, Carter Jensen could only muster a 5th-place finish in the Rookie of the Year voting, and it's hard to see why.
Writer Brian Burrows argues that Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen was disrespected after finishing fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting. Jensen set a Royals rookie record with 27 home runs and hit 81 RBIs across 149 games in the 2026 season. Despite this performance, he received just 31 points and appeared on only 14 of 30 ballots, finishing behind White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami.
Burrows notes that Jensen produced a 3.7 fWAR and earned an AL Silver Slugger nomination at catcher. The writer highlights that only two of eight voters representing other AL Central teams placed Jensen on their ballots, concluding that the perceived snub should motivate the young catcher next season.
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